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"PERISHABLE INFORMATION -- DO NOT SERVICE" 
 
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TAGS: OPRC KMDR KPAO GM
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: UK-Iraq, Economic, EU Summit, Greece, 
Piracy, Blagojevich 
 
.   Lead Stories Summary 
¶2.   (UK-Iraq)   Withdrawal Of British Forces From Iraq 
¶3.   (Economic)   German Reaction To Financial Crisis 
¶4.   (EU)  Summit 
¶5.   (Greece)   General Strike 
¶6.   (Piracy)  EU Atalanta Mission 
¶7.   (U.S.)   Blagojevich 
 
¶1.   Lead Stories Summary 
 
Editorials focused on the controversy between the CSU and CDU on 
lowering taxes, on German participation in the EU mission to combat 
piracy, and on the government's most recent personal data protection 
measures.  ZDF-TV's early evening newscast Heute opened with a story 
on German anti-piracy efforts, and ARD-TV's early evening newscast 
Tagesschau opened with a story on a bill to improve data 
protection. 
 
¶2.   (UK-Iraq)   Withdrawal Of British Forces From Iraq 
 
Sueddeutsche Zeitung judged: "The British withdrawal from Iraq 
cannot surprise anyone because London's forces hardly played an 
independent role over the past two years.  But the UK soldiers will 
not leave the country either as winners or losers.  They will leave 
as a force that has lost its significance.  Despite all slogans of 
the coalition, the Iraq war was and has been primarily an American 
war.  Right from the start, Tony Blair played the role of 
Washington's loyal supporter.  His successor Gordon Brown is trying 
to play a different role:  he wants to remain loyal to the alliance 
but has in mind to limit the damage for Britain, something for which 
the British should highly esteem him.  They can now watch the final 
act of this adventure in Iraq, the U.S. troop withdrawal, form a 
distance." 
 
In the view of Berliner Zeitung, "A new agreement on the legal 
status of the British military presence in Iraq is necessary at the 
end of the year, because the UN mandate expires.  Basically the 
problem is to shape the withdrawal as dignified as possible.  The 
judgment over the most devastating, most tragic, and most stupid 
invasion of allied western forces in the most recent time has been 
made anyway.  But the soldiers cannot be blamed...for a failure of 
this war.  Military and political strategists in London and 
Washington are responsible for this failure.  Over the past five 
years they have forfeited any claim to be the moralizers of the 21st 
century." 
 
¶3.   (Economic)   German Reaction To Financial Crisis 
 
Weekly Die Zeit noted: "Within a few weeks, the economic crisis has 
turned Angela Merkel from a modern globalization-oriented politician 
of the 21st century into the reincarnation of an industrial 
politician of the fallen, old Federal Republic of Germany.  Instead 
of wondering where are the jobs of the future, instead of developing 
a green deal for the future that could be a model for the world, 
instead of looking ahead, she has again focused on a very old 
conflict: jobs against the protection of the environment; cars 
against the climate.  Like in the 1980s of the past century, 
environmental protection is declared a luxury, which we can afford 
in good but not in bad times." 
 
Frankfurter Allgemeine reported under the headline: "Almost In The 
Pillory," that "it seems that Germany has replaced the favorite 
enemy image among the Americans.  It is no longer France that acts 
as a spoilsport but Germany-bashing has been en vogue this season. 
In the United States, people are criticizing the restrained German 
policy in the fight against the financial and economic crisis - as 
if hectic activities ` la Sarkozy possessed a confidence-building 
value in themselves.  And there are additional reasons in America 
why the enthusiasm about the woman in the Chancellery has declined: 
the criticism of the German policy towards Iran, the alleged refusal 
of the Berlin government to support stricter sanction son Iran, 
criticism of the rules that restrict the Bundeswehr mission in 
Afghanistan, and the German policy towards Russia.  All this hides 
the fears that influential government members, especially the ones 
in the Foreign Ministry, would take seriously their rhetoric about 
'Germany as a bridge' and really orient the country to a middle 
position." 
 
¶4.  (EU)  Summit 
 
Sueddeutsche Zeitung argued: "When the EU leaders during these 
gloomy economic times quarrel about the global protection of the 
climate and are at odds with each other about the right path out of 
the economic trough and try to achieve a reform of the European 
Union, then even more is involved.  Everywhere countries are looking 
for ways out of the crisis.  That is why other countries and 
continents will closely watch this EU summit.  They want to know 
whether the European claim to play a trailblazing role in climate 
protection is more than posturing, and whether the Europeans have 
the courage to free themselves from idiosyncratic national paths and 
face global challenges together.  Europe can now prove that it is 
able to lead the world and is able and willing to take over 
responsibility beyond its own borders." 
 
Frankfurter Allgemeine criticizes the French reaction to the 
economic crisis and concluded: "Sarkozy began in good way as a 
crisis manager this summer, because he was quick to save the banks 
and organized a European answer.  In view of the market failure on 
the financial markets, his intervention was appropriate and 
justified.  But now he is threatening to lose his reputation with an 
erratic economic policy which wants everything at the same time. 
The comprehensive state intervention could create a status quo which 
could no longer be reversed after the end of the crisis.  This 
intervention will not be able to stop the decline of the economy. 
It would be a contribution to the credibility of politicians to 
explain to the people that the state is not omnipotent." 
 
Die Welt noted: "As the case of Greece has demonstrated, the 
European Union needs new forms of associations such as the ones that 
have been discussed in connection with Turkey.  And it should be 
possible to put in quarantine such states to lead them to European 
standards by closely watching its activities.  Otherwise Europe will 
not europeanize the Balkans, but the Balkans will balkanize the EU." 
 
According to regional daily Th|ringer Allgemeine, "the ecological 
turnabout is threatened to be ground between national interests in 
the shadow of the recession.  The problem is that climate protection 
is not suited to be applied during good times only.  If the climate 
only increases by two degrees Centigrade, the global climate will 
fall apart in an irreversible way.  At the upcoming EU summit, the 
leaders will have to try to achieve the dichotomy of sticking to an 
ambitious climate protection package and also save their industries 
from strict regulations.  We doubt whether this will be 
successful." 
 
¶5.   (Greece)   General Strike 
 
According to Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, "new ideas in Greece 
have come from the extreme left wing or from the other side of 
society, the Greek-orthodox Church.  But in the ranks of the New 
Democracy party, there has hardly been anyone who could have been 
able to represent in a credible and courageous way conservative 
values to the outside.  Prime Minister Karamanlis has not turned out 
to be the great reformer but instead capitulated in view of the 
inertia of his society.  If he had shown this courage, he would have 
been voted out of office after his first term, because there is no 
majority for a true reform policy in Greece." 
 
Die Welt editorialized: "A faltering, partly collapsing state order, 
government supported organized crime, disorganization and a lack of 
social cohesion are the background for the fires that are ravaging 
the country.  These are not natural disasters which are inflicted on 
the Greeks; these are instantaneous self-ignitions of a state which 
can best be described with the term 'weak state.'" 
 
Mdrkische Oderzeitung of Frankfurt on the Oder opined: "The 
financial crisis social problems and the lack of perspectives for a 
highly qualified youth are now cited as reasons to explain the 
degree of the revolt.  But this is only partly true, and the ouster 
of the conservative Karamanlis government would not change this 
situation.  Like this one, the socialists were involved in 
corruption, financed their nepotism with EU funds, while the public 
service just failed and urgent reforms were put off repeatedly.  The 
ones who are suffering are the people.  The cradle of democracy has 
lost its idols.  The EU member Greece is simply ruining itself." 
 
¶6.   (Piracy)  EU Atalanta Mission 
 
"It is good that Germany is taking part in the EU anti-piracy 
mission 'Atalanta,' Sueddeutsche Zeitung editorializes, and adds: 
"Resolute action against the pirates is overdue and Germany cannot 
stay by the sidelines.  But with the military operation of the EU 
and NATO will not change the disastrous situation in disintegrating 
Somalia.  Something must be done against this, but on a short-term 
basis, a success cannot be achieved at this front.  That is why the 
symptoms of this crisis must be fought.  Piracy is a crime and in 
the Somali form of this is organized crime, and this is a case for 
police that does not exist along the Horn of Africa." 
 
Tagesspiegel observed: "It is time for an honest debate, for a 
military assessment of the situation and then a decision in the 
Bundestag.  They must say with which means Germany, and its future 
governments, wants to safeguard its own interests, and then amend 
the Basic Law accordingly.  It will soon become clear that the 
military means will not be sufficient to safeguard these 
interests." 
 
Frankfurter Rundschau argued: "The German government made an 
acceptable decision in the fight against piracy.  In a worst case 
scenario, this can lead to conflicts with the pirates.  That is why 
it approved a robust mandate.  There may be people who regret this 
additional mission of German soldiers, but it cannot be avoided, 
because the interests of a trading nation and the international 
pressure are too great." 
 
¶7.   (U.S.)   Blagojevich 
 
Frankfurter Allgemeine had this to say: "It is well known that 
ambassadorial posts in America are given to (political) friends and 
donors of the president, but the fact that vacant seats are to be 
auctioned is new.  The place where this was to happen is no 
surprise, because Illinois leads the pack of the most corrupt 
states.  The opposition will certainly try to blow up this affair 
and turn it into a scandal.  But there is another delicate detail: 
in New York, Senator Kennedy is lobbying without any scruples for 
John F. Kennedy's daughter to win the seat which Hillary Clinton 
will now give up." 
 
According to Die Welt, the Blagojevich affair "is first of all 
embarrassing for President-elect Obama.  It begs the question 
whether it is thinkable that Barack Obama has matured into a 
politician in Chicago without having relied at least a bit on the 
'machine?'  But unlike a few of his close aides, Obama has pursued 
his career for a long time away from the Daley machine and only 
formed a purposive alliance with Daley Jr. a year ago.  All 
indications are that Obama turned into the reformer out of disgust 
about dirty politics in Chicago, by advocating stricter ethic rules 
in politics and administration first in Chicago and now in 
Washington.  It is he who is now asking the candidates for top 
positions to reveal conflicts of interests in a tougher way than any 
other president did.  Obama must now see to it that Chicago swamp 
will not rub off on him."