Trump’s Plans Would Increase US Debt Significantly More than Harris’s, Study Finds

[webfact]

Merkel's tougher Russia stance meets resistance in Germany

By Markus Wacket and Thomas Escritt

 

File photo of Russian President Vladimir Putin speaking with German Chancellor Angela Merkel at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier by the Kremlin walls in Moscow, Russia, May 10, 2015. REUTERS/Maxim Shemetov/Files

 

 

BERLIN (Reuters) - Germany's Europe minister called on Monday for a new policy of easing tensions with Russia, adding to a chorus of voices pressing Chancellor Angela Merkel to moderate her hardened stance towards the Kremlin.

 

The conservative chancellor swung behind Britain after the poison attack on a former Russian double agent in England last month, expelling four diplomats despite uneasiness among a political class that is wary of confrontation with Germany's giant eastern neighbour.

 

Europe Minister Michael Roth, a member of the Social Democrat party (SPD), said that while the European Union needed a united front on Russia, sanctions should aim to bring Moscow to the negotiating table.

 

"Anti-Russian reflexes are just as dangerous as naively... remaining silent over the nationalist-tinged policies of the current Russian leadership," he wrote in Die Welt newspaper.

 

Many Western countries are pushing for a more assertive stance against Moscow over President Vladimir Putin's backing for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, accused of using chemical weapons in the country's civil war.

 

Merkel's tone has hardened over the four years since Russia's annexation of Ukraine's Crimean peninsula, which led to Western nations imposing the sanctions on Moscow.

 

But with extensive business and energy links to Russia, Germany has been traditionally cautious in its relations with Moscow - a view reflected on Monday by a close Merkel ally.

 

Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer, secretary general of Merkel's Christian Democrats (CDU), said she backed "actively using the channels of communication that we have with Russia", adding: "That's certainly an area where the chancellor can play a decisive role."

 

Kramp-Karrenbauer - tipped as a possible successor to Merkel - said a debate was underway among the conservatives about whether sanctions made sense, although she added that unjust acts committed by Russia needed to be penalised.

 

The German Committee on Eastern European Economic Relations, a business lobby group, expressed concern about a new wave of U.S. sanctions. These could hit European companies that had supported "significant transactions" on behalf of blacklisted Russian individuals, it said, adding that the German government and Brussels needed to protect EU firms from sanctions.

 

"TOO MUCH AT STAKE"

 

Roth, whose party is junior partner in Merkel's coalition, echoed comments from President Frank-Walter Steinmeier - a fellow Social Democrat - that "too much is at stake" for Germany to cast Russia as an enemy.

 

Opinion in the coalition is not necessarily divided along party lines. Foreign Minister Heiko Maas, also a Social Democrat, has appeared to shift away from a conciliatory approach to Moscow while Alexander Dobrindt, a lawmaker for Merkel's Bavarian sister party, has questioned the effectiveness of the sanctions against Russia.

 

The sequence of interventions, by Roth and Steinmeier from the SPD, and Dobrindt and former defence minister Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg on the right, highlight how Merkel's diminished authority in her fourth and likely final term in office is limiting her room for manoeuvre.

 

Guttenberg, himself once tipped as a potential Merkel successor before his fall from grace in an academic plagiarism scandal, criticised the government for its policy towards intervention in Syria in the face of a cynical Russia.

 

"We make it easy for ourselves, letting the others do the dirty work," he said of Merkel's decision not to participate in missile strikes launched by the United States, Britain and France on Syria last week after its suspected use of chemical weapons.

 

"It is good that somebody still acts when someone kills children, innocent people," he told mass-selling Bild newspaper.

 

(Reporting by Markus Wacket, additional reporting by Gernot Heller, Andreas Rinke, writing by Thomas Escritt and Michelle Martin; Editing by Paul Carrel and David Stamp)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2018-04-17

[sammieuk1]

You see this finger Merkel.

[terryw]

Merkel spent most of her young life in East Germany and has never stood up to Russia. Better to put American, French and British lives at risk rather than German.

[zydeco]

A critical error to not adopt the Morgenthau Plan after World War II.

[robertson468]

Time Germany stepped up to the plate instead of expecting everyone else to castigate Putin and his like.  The German priority seems to be to protect the economy first and then think if we should get our hands dirty with diabolical actions of Dictators and the like, who can't even tell convincing lies!  Yet again, Germany's lack of morals are beginning to show through.  No surprise the UK wants out of the EU, with a self serving leader like this calling the shots.  I see Germany is slowly sliding to recession, which came as a bit of a shock!

[Morch]

 

- "Pull my finger, tovarish."

- "Nein."

[Baerboxer]

6 hours ago, robertson468 said:

Time Germany stepped up to the plate instead of expecting everyone else to castigate Putin and his like.  The German priority seems to be to protect the economy first and then think if we should get our hands dirty with diabolical actions of Dictators and the like, who can't even tell convincing lies!  Yet again, Germany's lack of morals are beginning to show through.  No surprise the UK wants out of the EU, with a self serving leader like this calling the shots.  I see Germany is slowly sliding to recession, which came as a bit of a shock!

 

If Putin turns the gas off, Merke's in the scheiss pretty quick. And if he gets his mate Erdogan to open the refugee flood gates again that will be another disaster for her. 

 

She, like all other German politicians thinks of the Germany economy first, second and third. And ensuring they dominate the EU for the benefit of that economy is paramount. History shows that once Germany descends into economic chaos all hell breaks loose.

[maximillian]

8 hours ago, terryw said:

Merkel spent most of her young life in East Germany and has never stood up to Russia. Better to put American, French and British lives at risk rather than German.

 

Results of German aggression on Russia left 25.000.000 Russians dead and a couple of millions of Germans. The Germans should never ever show any hostilities towards Russia.

American leaders, elected and un-elected are putting all our lives at risk.

The Douma poison attack had been staged.

[Grouse]

Meanwhile the British think Brexit is an important issue ?

[Morch]

34 minutes ago, maximillian said:

 

Results of German aggression on Russia left 25.000.000 Russians dead and a couple of millions of Germans. The Germans should never ever show any hostilities towards Russia.

American leaders, elected and un-elected are putting all our lives at risk.

The Douma poison attack had been staged.

 

Germany is part of NATO. According to the above logic, if push comes to shove, Germany ought to say "sorry, we're sitting this one out". As for "un-elected" American leaders putting "all our lives at risk" - who would these be? And at which point were our lives "at risk"? There was quite a heads up given on the strike, no direct engagement of Russia forces (and vice versa). As for the Douma attack being staged - you claiming so doesn't make it so.

[Stargeezr]

Merkel and Germany should remember how Russia is still involved with Ukraine as well as invading and claiming the Crimea again. Shame on anyone supporting Russia at this time.

Geezer

[maximillian]

14 hours ago, Morch said:

 

Germany is part of NATO. According to the above logic, if push comes to shove, Germany ought to say "sorry, we're sitting this one out". As for "un-elected" American leaders putting "all our lives at risk" - who would these be? And at which point were our lives "at risk"? There was quite a heads up given on the strike, no direct engagement of Russia forces (and vice versa). As for the Douma attack being staged - you claiming so doesn't make it so.

 

OAN Investigation Finds No Evidence of Chemical Weapon Attack in Syria
One America’s Pearson Sharp visited the war-torn town of Douma outside the capital of Damascus, looking for evidence of a chemical attack. However, residents there deny the claims of an attack, and say it was staged to help the rebels escape.

Quelle: OAN

 

[maximillian]

12 hours ago, Stargrazer9889 said:

Merkel and Germany should remember how Russia is still involved with Ukraine as well as invading and claiming the Crimea again. Shame on anyone supporting Russia at this time.

Geezer

 

I'm supporting Russia.

US has invested 5 Billion $ in that regime change in Kiew, according to Victoria Nuland.

Crimea's population is about 55% Russians, Crimea belonged to Russia until 1954.

Sewastopol is an important Marine Base for Russia. If Putin had allowed Crimea and Sewastopol become NATO-bases, he would have lost any support of his people.

Israel has annexed Palestine... that's okey with you, isn't it.

Measuring with two different gauges, you guys.

[Sir Dude]

Quote

Merkel's tougher Russia stance meets resistance in Germany

 

[Retiredandhappyhere]

16 hours ago, Grouse said:

Meanwhile the British think Brexit is an important issue ?

You certainly appear to do so, as your comments virtually dominate any Brexit discussion on here. so why shouldn't the mass of British people think so too. 

[dick dasterdly]

22 hours ago, maximillian said:

 

OAN Investigation Finds No Evidence of Chemical Weapon Attack in Syria
One America’s Pearson Sharp visited the war-torn town of Douma outside the capital of Damascus, looking for evidence of a chemical attack. However, residents there deny the claims of an attack, and say it was staged to help the rebels escape.

Quelle: OAN

 

A very worrying report from OAN, which demonstrates why it's impossible to determine the truth nowadays.

 

Are our govts./media exaggerating or lying?  Are OAN lying?