In October '07 I suggested that the loyalty of the European Allies was already too strong and not - as suggested by others - too weak.
The reasoning was that we are after all democracies and sovereign. If our people disagree with allied nation's government - bad luck. They failed at convincing us about their (often poor) ideas.
Here are some new numbers. Anyone who respects democracy should think twice about whether the German government should send additional troops to Afghanistan.
source: infratest dimap, on order of the ARD (public national television), Feb 4th & 5th, quoted from secondary source "Der Spiegel" (national weekly journal)
"Should the Bundeswehr do combat missions in Afghanistan like other nations' troops do?"
("Sollte die Bundeswehr in Afghanistan Kampfeinsätze übernehmen wie Truppen anderer Länder auch?")
pro: 13%
contra: 86%
"Should the Bundeswehr continue to be stationed in Afghanistan?"
("Sollte die Bundeswehr weiterhin in Afghanistan stationiert bleiben?")
pro: 42%
contra: 55%
So Mr. Gates wants to spread democracy in Afghanistan and Iraq, but doesn't respect the democracy of his ally? Or is he just ignorant of the situation?
The USA can attempt to sanction this if they decide to do so. It doesn't seem as if Europe depends more on North America than North America depends on Europe today.
But they can apparently not change this public opinion, and asking a government to violate the people's wishes is disrespectful.
Sven Ortmann
The reasoning was that we are after all democracies and sovereign. If our people disagree with allied nation's government - bad luck. They failed at convincing us about their (often poor) ideas.
Here are some new numbers. Anyone who respects democracy should think twice about whether the German government should send additional troops to Afghanistan.
source: infratest dimap, on order of the ARD (public national television), Feb 4th & 5th, quoted from secondary source "Der Spiegel" (national weekly journal)
"Should the Bundeswehr do combat missions in Afghanistan like other nations' troops do?"
("Sollte die Bundeswehr in Afghanistan Kampfeinsätze übernehmen wie Truppen anderer Länder auch?")
pro: 13%
contra: 86%
"Should the Bundeswehr continue to be stationed in Afghanistan?"
("Sollte die Bundeswehr weiterhin in Afghanistan stationiert bleiben?")
pro: 42%
contra: 55%
So Mr. Gates wants to spread democracy in Afghanistan and Iraq, but doesn't respect the democracy of his ally? Or is he just ignorant of the situation?
The USA can attempt to sanction this if they decide to do so. It doesn't seem as if Europe depends more on North America than North America depends on Europe today.
But they can apparently not change this public opinion, and asking a government to violate the people's wishes is disrespectful.
Sven Ortmann
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