Bulls-eye! Kissinger: 'Europeans Hide Behind the Unpopularity of President Bush'

South Beach Hoosier woke-up this morning to discover that once again, unlike the Miami Herald, the daily Der Spiegel International Online newsletter I receive is jam-packed with important information about the situation in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Information which the Herald might mention in its characteristic slow-poke fashion, in about 4-5 days, via a dispatch from the McClatchy Washington bureau, minus lots of important context. http://www.mcclatchydc.com/

I'd even settle for an article that's loaded with more innuendo than necessary about why Kissenger's taking such a high-profile position against Germany's too-small role in Afghanistan, where they have any number of limitations on their actions, in exchange for them actually covering the story and giving it the attention it deserves.

I guess it's too much to hope that they'd actually put a story about a NATO ally's rather
underwhelming performance on the front page.

Then again, it's much more likely that the brain trust on Biscayne Bay will do one of their customary two-sentence over-views that run on p. 3A.

Don't wait for the Herald to completely mis-characterize this story -if they run it at all- read it here in its entirety first. Then make up your own mind.

Salient quote:
SPIEGEL: What do you expect from European leaders? Should German Chancellor Angela Merkel step up and ask the Germans to make sacrifices in the fight against terrorism?

Kissinger: I think Angela Merkel, like any leader, has to think of her re-election. I have high regard for her. But I do not know many Europeans who would deny that the victory of radical Islam in Baghdad, Beirut or Saudi Arabia would have huge consequences for the West. However, they are not willing to fight to prevent it.
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http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/0,1518,535964,00.html
SPIEGEL ONLINE - February 18, 2008
SPIEGEL INTERVIEW WITH HENRY KISSINGER
'Europeans Hide Behind the Unpopularity of President Bush'

Former US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, 84, has thrown his support behind John McCain. SPIEGEL spoke with Kissinger about Germany's Afghanistan mission, tepid European commitment to combatting Islamist extremism and whether direct talks with Iran should go ahead.

http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/0,1518,535925,00.html
THE AFGHANISTAN CONUNDRUM
Germany Mulls Exit from Anti-Terror Mission
The demands on Germany's Afghanistan mission are increasing. But the current parliamentary mandate does not allow for more troops to be sent. Berlin is considering creative solutions, including outsourcing parts of the mission or withdrawing from the anti-terror effort.