Monday, July 24, 2006

Peace-keeping job opening in Lebanon – any takers?

Normally Germans get all excited when the talk turns to getting a chance to do a little peace-keeping. They have even been known to crowd in at the front of the line from time to time (like they do when get into their buses here) when it comes to keeping peace in places that are already peaceful (remember the Congo?). But, hmmm, peace-keeping in a place like southern Lebanon?

Ohne uns (not with us), bitte. Sure, peace is a wonderful thing and what they stand for and worth keeping at any price. But jeez, not if you have to use force to keep it. Force is, uh, bad. It’s kind of like the opposite of peace here, it seems. And using force is even worse. So let’s try something entirely new and completely different for once and give this latest Middle East crisis thing a go with another European diplomatic initiative. I’m sure it will work. Just as long as it isn’t to forceful, that is.

Hier spielt die Musik. Im Libanon, meine ich.

Kommentare auf Deutsch? Ich bitte darum! 

Posted by clarsonimus at 16:03:19 | Permanent Link | Comments (8) |
Comments
1 2
1 - How much is needed to call Congo a peaceful country? How much is needed to call germans too scared to take part in the lebanon when our defense minister has already announced that we are going to?
Ignorance is said to sometimes even affect americans.. (Comment this)

Written by: Zyme at 2006/07/25 - 00:49:08
2 - You missed the point, Zyme! I don't know how peaceful it is in the Congo--haven't been following the situation there, but clar sonimus wasn't saying that the Germans are "scared," rather that they are again falling victim tp the wishy-washy political ideal of non-violence. Deutsche Welle has a nice summary of the German dilemma (ihttp://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,2144,2108778,00.html). And Focus reports that Defense Minister Jung is "zurückhaltend" regarding possible German participation in a NATO peace-keeping force (http://focus.msn.de/politik/schlagzeilen?day=20060721&did=292491). You're right though, Zyme, igorance affects Americans too, but not only Americans! (Comment this)

Written by: zasius at 2006/07/25 - 02:09:56
3 - What would you like the Germans to do? Charge in? I get the impression, that Merkel and Bush are not too far apart on how to handle this. But I share your cynicism on peace keeping missions. I hope everyone still remembers how well peace keeping worked in Bosnia. Was kind of embarassing how the Europeans couldn't get their act together, while thousands were murdered and raped, and the US had to help them out. (Comment this)

Written by: Cosima at 2006/07/25 - 04:07:48
4 - Very complex issue this is. I think we should have the people who work at the recycling place in bavaria to go to lebanon and work everything out. (Comment this)

Written by: Huskins at 2006/07/25 - 08:17:33
5 - Zyme, Ignorance is bliss! That's why Americans are generally so happy. <;-) Germans aren't scared, I didn't mean that. It's just that they won't ever act because they don't have to - their evil "big brother" will do it for them. I wouldn't act either if I didn't have to. What bothers me is that they (as a government, as a culture) are always so eager to give their advise anyway, despite the fact that they will never act. That's why I never miss an opportunity to be an a'#!*?# and bring this up. I just can't help it. It's therapeutic or something... (Comment this)

Written by: Clarsonimus at 2006/07/25 - 10:35:56 in reply to: 1
Write a comment






1 2