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| Europe |
| Schroeder willing to mend fences with Bush |
| 2003-04-04 |
| German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder Friday announced his willingness - for the first time - to mend fences with US President George W. Bush, following their deep differences over the war in Iraq, media reports said. Asked in a television interview, to be aired on Sunday, if Schroeder would directly approach Bush to help repair the badly damaged bilateral ties, he responded, "I have absolutely no problem with that. There have always been such gestures." Gerhard's the one who peed on our national leg. His feelings have already been expressed. He can be willing to kiss and make up until Doomsday, if not later, and what'll be important is what Bush is willing to do... The German leader pointed out that he would be seeing the American president at the G-8 summit of industrial nations, scheduled to take place June 1 to 3 in Evian, France. "Of course we have to talk then," Schroeder said, insisting that Germany and America will remain close partners with shared values. Maybe they'll talk then. Or maybe Gerhard can go chat with Jacques... Schroeder has not spoken to Bush since their short encounter at NATO's November summit in the Czech capital, Prague. There has been no phone contact between Bush and Schroeder and the US president refused to send the obligatory congratulations after the chancellor eked out a close victory in last fall's parliamentary elections. Schroeder caused American indignation for campaigning on an anti- Iraq war platform and bilateral relations reached a post-world War II low point, after a German cabinet minister — who later resigned — likened Bush to Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler. Maybe it was the fact that Gerhard was unwilling to fire her that had something to do with it. Kinda gave the impression he agreed with her, didn't it? |
| Posted by:Fred Pruitt |
| #10 Mojo, Very good comment, thanks for making me laugh; and you're right on Alaska Paul. |
| Posted by: Sonnie 2003-04-04 22:20:12 |
| #9 The Schroad is screwed with the US and he knows it. Our German bases will be Polish, Romanian and/or Bulgarian real soon. |
| Posted by: Christopher Johnson 2003-04-04 17:43:31 |
| #8 Metaphorically speaking, give Schroeder some boards, a hammer, some nails and say, "Mend the fence on your side and stay the hell off our land." |
| Posted by: Alaska Paul 2003-04-04 17:10:17 |
| #7 This article is titled "Schroder willing to mend fences with Bush". Brings up a vision of Schroder and Bush, pulling a string of barbed wire toward a cresote post, ready to nail in the staple. Both men in blue jeans, cowboy boots, Stetsons and work gloves. Problem is, the image keeps fritzing out, worse than a cheap television with a bad tuner. While Schroder may want to "mend fences", there's no indication that BUSH is willing to go along. Like tu3031 said, this is going to be a very interesting G8 meeting! |
| Posted by: Old Patriot 2003-04-04 16:35:46 |
| #6 The German leader...would be seeing the American president at the G-8 summit...June 1 to 3. JUNE ????? The world will not be the same in June, a-wipe. |
| Posted by: Dixie Normus 2003-04-04 14:41:57 |
| #5 Hidden Costs: By sitting this war out, in addition to opposing it and even sabotaging it in the first place, Germany and France have put the lie to the pretense that they were somehow "necessary" to NATO or anything else. Their "special skills" (I guess we're lacking in savoir-faire, or Gemuetlichkeit, or something), were totally unneeded and only the Brits & Aussies get to wear the ring. So, thanks for the blitzkrieg lessons, c ya. We don't have to be mad 'cause yer irrelevant. |
| Posted by: Mark IV 2003-04-04 13:43:29 |
| #4 Bend over George, Gerhard wants to kiss and make up... |
| Posted by: mojo 2003-04-04 13:36:43 |
| #3 The G8 summit looks like it'll be some fun this year. |
| Posted by: tu3031 2003-04-04 13:35:42 |
| #2 I don't know how this diplomacy stuff works. But Schroeder happens to be in deep trouble according to public opinion polls in Germany. Yeah, let's "make up" with Germany -- all the while never forgetting how they shafted us. But we should wait until Schroeder is gone. |
| Posted by: Patrick Phillips 2003-04-04 13:20:48 |
| #1 ...and the US president refused to send the obligatory congratulations after the chancellor eked out a close victory in last fall's parliamentary elections. Schroeder caused American indignation for campaigning on an anti- Iraq war platform It was more an anti-american platform than anything else, If I recall. And I did not know that Bush had not sent his congrats. Tougher man than I would have been... |
| Posted by: Ptah 2003-04-04 13:13:31 |