German-US Relations Under Merkel

The Spiegel posted an English-language analysis of how Merkel's Chancellorship is likely to affect US-German ties.

David Crossland, "The World According to Angie"

I'm still waiting for someone to explain how German - US relations have suffered in any substantial way over the past few years. Yes, of course, Gerhard never got to go to the Crawford ranch (And "W" never got to try that plum pie.) There are enough sulky diplomats on both sides to fill a Smells Like Teen Angst world tour concert.

But, as the Berliners say, "nah, und?" The US and Germany have actually cooperated quite well on most of the issues that have traditionally caused friction: Turkey, trade agreements, relations with Russia. It might even be that having bad blood between the boys at the top is GOOD for the countries' relations. Ever since the differences re. the Iraq war started percolating, Germans and Americans have been extra careful not to battle with each other over other matters.

I hope Angie gets to go to Crawford -- she's got a lot to learn about Texas -- but I don't see how US/German relations are going to change for real over the next few years.

p.s. A self-congratulatory postscript (12/15/05). The revelations that Germany's Red-Green government turns out to have been doing plenty of dirty work for and with the Americans regarding suspected terrorists just confirms my point. Gerhard and Joschka could bluster all they wanted to publicly about standing up to the U.S. and still do plenty of smoochy-smoochy with Don & Colin when the cameras weren't on them. W's temper-tantrums re. world leaders were too silly to be relevant.