Why Europe Is Furious With Germany

Brad Macdonald Columnist

Why Europe Is Furious With Germany
December 18, 2008 From theTrumpet.com
Germany is stonewalling attempts to rescue Europe’s collapsing economies. What is Berlin’s motivation?


Boneheaded.

That’s how Paul Krugman, this year’s distinguished Nobel Prize laureate for economics, defined Germany’s response to Europe’s financial crises. Krugman is part of a vast chorus of economic gurus, journalists and politicians disgusted and enraged at Berlin.

“For the first time in my life, I am starting to feel twinges of anti-German sentiment,” Ambrose Evans-Pritchard, international business editor for the Daily Telegraph, wrote on Monday. “[E]ven Teutophiles who think that Germany has played an enlightened role for 60 years are losing patience with the antics of the finance ministry and Bundesbank, and with the DICTATORIAL TURN in Berlin’s EU strategy” (emphasis mine throughout).

European politicians are similarly enraged.

“France is working on it and Germany is thinking about it,” French President Nicolas Sarkozy jabbed recently in reference to Berlin’s sloth-like approach to solving Europe’s economic crisis. German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s habit of shooting down rescue efforts for Europe’s crashing economies has earned her the nickname Madame Non in France; in Britain, Frau Nein.

Across Europe, the impression is that Germany is fiddling while the Continent is burning.

Britain’s frustration with Berlin boiled over early last week when, ahead of Thursday’s EU summit in Brussels, Prime Minister Gordon Brown snubbed Merkel and invited only Sarkozy and José Manuel Barroso to London for pre-summit economic discussions. Press releases that claimed the snub was unintentional and denied reports of a rift in the EU were taken with a grain of salt. As Spiegel Online reported Thursday of last week, “Growing annoyance with Germany inside the European Union had hardly been the best kept secret in recent weeks.”

What’s going on? Why is nearly every European state furious at Berlin? More importantly, why is Germany stonewalling Europe’s rescue efforts? What does Germany expect to gain by infuriating its neighbors and isolating itself from the rest of Europe?

Europe’s economic chaos has received sparse coverage in America. That’s understandable: It’s hard to pay attention to the house burning across the street when your own house is going up in flames. Nevertheless, the economic fires roasting Europe’s economies are as deadly as those ravaging America’s economic house. In December, Europe’s manufacturing and service industries contracted at the fastest pace in a decade or more. Payrolls are falling. Consumer and executive confidence dropped last month to the lowest level in 15 years. Industrial production plummeted the most since 1993. Half of EU member states are running budget deficits; most others are right on the fence, and quickly eating into surpluses. Social unrest is now a reality, and the recent riots in Greece are fundamentally a result of Greece’s bankrupt economy and the government’s inability to solve its financial troubles. The Greeks are not alone; with recession striking Continent-wide, similar economy-precipitated crises are smoldering, particularly in Spain, Portugal and Eastern Europe.

Europe’s leaders are alarmed and scrambling to douse the flames. The problem lies with someone who is stalling these rescue efforts. Europe’s largest, most influential and best-positioned national economy disagrees with how its counterparts—particularly France and Britain, in addition to the European Commission—plan to put out the fires.

While London, Paris and Brussels seek the flamboyant American-style quick-fix, billion-dollar-bailout/stimulus-package approach, Berlin views that as reactionary and potentially dangerous. Instead of further rupturing national budgets by borrowing billions and haphazardly throwing money at the problem, Germany believes the bona fide solution lies in sound, cautious fiscal management that will solve the root cause of the problem.

“At a time when the global benchmark for decisive leadership boils down to the number of zeros that are attached to economic stimulus packages,” reported the New York Times Tuesday, “Germany has taken a different path.” Chancellor Merkel highlighted that path during a recent speech in the German region of Swabia, where she “lambasted the bailout mentality gripping Western leaders and lauded financial discipline, balanced budgets and the ethic of thrift …” (Washington Times, December 14). Every Swabian housewife knows the root cause of this crisis, she said: “You can’t keep on living beyond your means. … We are not going to participate in this senseless race for billions. We have to have the courage to swim against the tide.” Merkel was insinuating that German housewives know more about the cause of the economic crises than some European leaders.

Talk about bold.

Recently, Germany’s feisty finance minister, Peer Steinbrück, set off sparks during an interview with Newsweek. When asked what was wrong with the stimulus proposals being bandied about by Europe’s leaders, Steinbrück denounced the plans and said that the “speed at which proposals are put together under pressure that don’t even pass an economic test is breathtaking and depressing.” That was before the EU summit in Brussels where Europe’s leaders agreed to ignore EU rules limiting government borrowing and debt and decided to inject €200 billion, or 1.5 percent of the bloc’s gross domestic product, into European economies to bolster growth.

During the interview, Steinbrück specifically excoriated Britain for a recent tax cut: “Our British friends are now cutting their value-added tax,” he said. “We have no idea how much of that stores will pass on to customers. Are you really going to buy a DVD player because it now costs £39.10 instead of £39.90? All this will do is raise Britain’s debt to a level that will take a whole generation to work off.” Steinbrück called Britain’s efforts to kick-start its economy “crass Keynesianism,” in reference to the famous British economist who believed nations should spend their way out of recession.

Experts say that the German finance minister’s caustic swipe, aside from sparking outrage in Britain and being undiplomatic and divisive, also undermined the British pound and was designed to sap global confidence in the British government and economy. “The recession [in Britain] looks to be deeper than predicted,” wrote Philip Stephens in the Financial Times. He added,

[T]he last thing Mr. Brown’s government needs is a further weakening of confidence in sterling assets among international investors. IT SCARCELY HELPS TO HAVE GERMANY'S FINANCE MINISTER DECLARE THAT BRITAIN'S STRATEGY AMOUNTS TO "CRASS KEYNESIANISM." … [The danger] has always been that international investors—in British government bonds, in particular—will take fright. MR. STEINBRUCK SEEMS TO BE EGGING THEM ON IN THAT DIRECTION.

Were Steinbrück’s remarks a direct attack on one of Germany’s largest competitors in the European Union? Of course they were! Why? Because, as Evans-Pritchard put it on Monday, there has been a “DICTATORIAL turn in Berlin’s EU strategy.”

“[Y]ou can’t have a coordinated European effort if Europe’s biggest economy not only refuses to go along, but heaps scorn on its neighbors’ attempts to contain the crisis,” writes Paul Krugman.

Let’s not misunderstand. It’s not that Germany is not unwilling to deal with the economic chaos. Berlin has already passed a $31 billion economic package of its own—while still managing to balance its budget—and announced earlier this week that it is considering another stimulus package, to be released after the inauguration of Barack Obama. Over the past few days especially, it seems the Continent-wide uproar has caused Berlin to slightly soften its opposition to the let’s-slash-interest-rates-and-taxes, leverage-ourselves-to-the-hilt-and-pump-piles-of-money-into-our-economies approach to Europe’s economic crises.

Despite its relative softening, however, the German government still doesn’t believe that slashing taxes or handing out vouchers to promote spending are the primary solutions. Earlier this week, Merkel said that any stimulus package put forward will largely involve injecting money into the German economy by tackling infrastructure projects and promoting public works. Germany remains staunch in its refusal to bankrupt itself by injecting money into the failed economies of other European states.

But not everyone is furious at Berlin. Fiscal conservatives are praising Germany for its sound economic reasoning. “Germany is seemingly in good shape to weather the downturn,” wrote the Washington Times on Sunday, and is “in a better position than other nations such as the UK, Spain, Italy and France, for example, which have strained their budgets in attempting to stimulate the economy.” The Times concluded:

In the headlong rush to find an economic panacea, Mrs. Merkel is among few Western leaders keeping a cool head. As the EU moves forward on the Eastern Partnership and other platforms, she must continue to stand firm against the pressure to leverage Germany’s—and Europe’s—future with government bailout schemes.

It seems that Germany is giving the world a lesson in how it believes economic crisis ought to be handled! But we ought to dig a bit deeper to discern the true motives behind the German government’s resistance to the general stance of the rest of the EU on priming the pump of the European economies.

When it comes to economic management, the Germans are nearly the opposite of profligate Americans and some of their European counterparts. Where Americans want to spend their way out of a crisis, Germany prefers to save its way out. In general, the German national character is among the most thrifty, efficient and hard-working in the world. That’s partly why the German government abhors ridiculous spending and massive deficits. Even now, for example, Germany has a current account surplus of 7 percent of its GDP.

The prudent and thrifty national character of the German people is surely a reason for Germany’s fervent opposition to Europe’s rescue plan. But it’s not the PRIMARY REASON!

History shows that Germany has a frightening tendency to exploit a crisis. In fact, as British political commentator Rodney Atkinson once told the Trumpet, “THE GERMAN IS EXPERT IN CREATING A CRISIS, THEN POSING THE SOLUTION, WITH AN OUTCOME DESIGNED TO FURTHER HIS OWN ENDS.”

That’s what is now occurring in Europe!

Berlin’s stalling tactics are intensifying Europe’s economic crises. Europe-wide cooperation is essential if Europe’s bailouts and stimulus packages are to work. “[I]f Germany, the largest economy, refuses to go along,” Krugman said in an interview with Spiegel, “there will be no cooperation. EVENTS HAVE GIVEN GERMANY A STRATEGIC POLICY IMPORTANCE DISPROPORTIONATE TO ITS SIZE.”

This is a time-tested principle of European politics: GERMANY IS CREATING A CRISIS WITH THE INTENTION OF POSING A SOLUTION THAT WILL FURTHER ITS OWN ENDS! By hijacking Europe’s plans to rescue its economies, Germany is essentially DICTATING EUROPEAN ECONOMIC POLICY! Of course Berlin realizes it is infuriating its European neighbors. That doesn’t matter to it, because at the end of the day, whether European states like Berlin or not, this financial crisis will cause Europe to increasingly look to and rely on Germany as the savior of Europe!

Watch Germany. Watch Europe. Berlin’s strategy to establish itself as the leader of Europe is well underway—AND THERE'S PLENTY MORE GROUND TO COVER! To properly understand what’s going on in Germany and in Europe, we must not only set our gaze on current events happening on the Continent, we must also set our minds on both history and Bible prophecy. This is what Christ meant when He said in Luke 21, “Watch and pray.” Watching world events will not save a person from the impending disaster. Our watching must be done in the context of urgent prayer and in-depth Bible study.

Actually, effective watching—that which leads a person to being so moved by the danger of the times in which he lives that he feels impelled to seek after God—is a function of prayer and how well a person knows the Bible and God’s prophecies regarding end-time events. To truly understand what’s happening in Europe, one must understand Germany in history and prophecy. If this subject genuinely interests you, it’s critical you read, in this order, The United States and Britain in Prophecy, Germany and the Holy Roman Empire and Who or What Is the Prophetic Beast? •

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Can the leopard change its spots?

Is Germany in Danger of Backsliding?
Germany Behind the Mask
The EU is a German Ruse
Germany's Fourth Reich Spreads Its Wings Over the World
The Intelligence Summit Misses the Mark: the German-Jesuit Threat to World Peace
Will The Atlantic Times address the German threat?

"I believe you are the modern Herbert W. Armstrong"

A sampling of December emails received and my responses, if any:

I would like to let you know, I have read some of your articles and posting...
I have enjoyed you sharing your experiences & views.

Lou Snyder
Fremont, Ohio

Thanks Lou, that's great to know. More on the way!

********

I don't believe I've written before. I've just ordered your book Beyond Babylon.
I have been fortunate enough to read some of your material on line (I originally googled Philadelphia Church of God, and your name came up via google alerts).

I believe you are the modern Herbert W. Armstrong.

God bless you in all your work.

Respectfully,

Mike Paniccia
Port Chester, New York

Thank you Mike for your life-giving encouragement and support!

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Re: The Mormon Book of the Dead

You're some stupid "White" person who doesn't know what crap of culture you come from. Being Native American, LDs & Lamanite I know where I come from and where I'm going. Stupid white people like you haven't a clue what religion or culture is.

Alvia Brown
Salt Lake City, Utah

I am a Native American since I was born here, of the tribes of Joseph and Judah. You sound insanely jealous and hateful toward legitimate Israelites. God help you to get over it.
Reflections on Washita Battlefield National Historic Site

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Re: Will Germany Launch a Nuclear Attack on America?

how lame to use such a misleading headline and act like youre doing it in the name of god.

obviously germany is not going to launch a nuclear attack on america. you seem to be so arrogant, you probably think "america" means the United States.

prayers are appreciated, huh? well i pray that you spare people of having to view more ads like this in public forums

Rachel Uwa
Germany

You're either willfully or woefully ignorant of the Bible and history, and your rash judgment harms you. You need to read and heed Beyond Babylon or suffer the consequences.

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Re: Will Germany Launch a Nuclear Attack on America?

Ignorance is bliss. Let's keep Germany ignorant of your existence, shall we?

Steven Scott
United States

Ignorance isn't bliss when it comes to national security and international affairs, which is why Beyond Babylon warns the world. Germany wants to keep folks in the dark, but I'm bringing it all to light. Expect Beyond Babylon to become a household word in Germany. It is destined to become a national debate and an international controversy.

http://www.davidbenariel.org/

THE GERMAN - ASSYRIAN CONNECTION

From the Origin of Nations website:

RELATED INFORMATION ABOUT THE GERMAN - ASSYRIAN CONNECTION
Home Book Excerpt About the Author Website Purchase Related Information Seminars
Germany & Prophecy
Germany in Prophecy by H L Hoeh
Resurgent Germany: A Fourth Reich by D Winnail
Clash of Eagles - America and Germany in Prophecy by D Winnail
Decline and Fall of the Anglo-Saxon Powers by HW Armstrong
Germany and the Holy Roman Empire
Out of the Ashes
The Tribulation and Day of the Lord
Assyrian Origin of Germany
Compendium of World History (vol II, chapters 1, 2, 3) by H L Hoeh
Fantastic Trier photographs by Darris McNeely
Trier postcard
Trier information from Wikipedia
Trier - Rome Secunda
Trier City Guide
Trier information and links
Trier Guide
History of Germany by S Flurry
When Nazi Dreams come true
Europe on the rise!
Free online books about Assyria
A Woman Rides the Beast!
Germany Links
Germany Calling!
German foreign policy
Germany Alert
German Council on Foreign Relations
Deutsche Welle online (English edition)
Nazi Art
German secret weapons of WW II and Nazi saucers legend (very speculative, not proven)
Video Clips
Germany Military
World War II
Rise of Fascism again
European Union
Daniel 4:14-16, 23 ,26 - Strange Parallel
Time Cover 25 June 1990 (PDF)
Time Cover 25 June 1990 (JPEG)
Home Book Excerpt About the Author Website Purchase Related Information Seminars

Beyond Babylon: Hard Labor of Love

Beyond Babylon: Hard Labor of Love

Re: "Doggerel #89: "I'm Going to Show You... In My Book..."

Beyond Babylon decries the idolatry and immorality, physically and spiritually, of the British-Israelites and Jews - and yes, British-Israelites includes Aussies and Kiwis too! - and compares it to a form of spiritual AIDS, our countries' weakened immune system, our defenses down, inviting attack. (As an aside, I have AIDS now)./

Before Publish America published Beyond Babylon, my friend Carl Brown (fellow Bible believer) and I did everything ourselves from my typing and writing, copying the pages at Kinkos, cutting them, ordering nice covers and then putting it all together, time consuming and expensive, a hard labor of love, which, including postage, brought it to around $6-$7 per book to mail (if I remember correctly and more when mailed overseas), which we did freely to many, as funds were available and donations offered (thank you, to those who blessed us with financial and prayerful assistance), making the most of what we had, doing our best to get the Word out, trusting if we're faithful with the little we had, in God's good time He would increasingly bless us with more and helpers, co-workers.

Before that I simply printed out and mailed out the pages of Beyond Babylon, then someone suggested making it available online when I didn't have a clue about the Internet, but found out quickly and spent around $150 a month using AOL, Prodigy, CompuServe and others, always moving forward, expanding my horizons, reaching out in every way possible, slowly but surely, but never giving up.

Publish America was the first to say yes to BB. Of course I would prefer some big name publisher, with great royalties and advance payment, great publicity and such, but God usually doesn't work that way, does He? After all His Son was born in a barn, in a manger, not the Marriott or Hilton or Sheraton, and Herbert W. Armstrong taught that what God does always starts small and seemingly insignificant.

Paul Instructs Vegetarians

Excerpt from Is All Animal Flesh Good Food? by Herbert W. Armstrong:

Paul Instructs Vegetarians
Paul's letter to the saints at Rome is often quoted as supposed proof that any kind of flesh food is good to eat. But is this what Paul really taught?

Turn to the beginning of the 14th chapter of Romans. Notice what the apostle is writing: "Him that is weak in the faith receive ye"--don't dispute with him and sit in judgment on him because of his weak understanding of the faith, Paul continues. "For one believeth that he may eat all things, another who is weak, eateth herbs [vegetables only]" (Romans 14:1-2).

Of whom is Paul writing? Of those who were vegetarians, as well as those who believed in eating both flesh foods and vegetables.

Paul was confronted with the same problem that we encounter today in carrying the Gospel to the world. You would be surprised at the number of people who do not eat meat or even any animal products--milk, butter, cheese, eggs. Some have meatless days or days on which they will eat fish only. These are all people who, because they are weak in the faith, abstain from those clean meats which God originally sanctified or set apart in His Word for man's physical nourishment.

The question confronting Paul was not that Christians at Rome contended that all unclean animals had now been cleansed by God--the common false assumption of today--but the real issue, according to verse two, was over the vegetarian belief held by some that no meats whatsoever should be eaten.

Paul was straightening out the brethren on this matter, telling them that none of those clean meats which had been created by God to be received with thanksgiving should be refused. He pointed out to them, however, that it would be wrong for the vegetarians to eat meat if they had doubts about it, thereby defiling their weak consciences. For he wrote, "...Happy is he that condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth. And he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith: for whatsoever is not of faith is sin" (Rom. 14:22-23).

We must follow what God has revealed to us to be right according to the Word of God. This does not mean that our consciences always tell us what is right--not at all. We have to continually study to learn what is right and wrong. But God thinks more highly of a vegetarian who might sincerely and conscientiously deny himself the clean meats, because he does not know the full truth, than He does a person who would do the right thing according to the letter, but who really believes in his heart that he is doing wrong.

So "to him"--the vegetarian--"that esteemeth anything to be common, to "him"--the vegetarian--"it is common." That is, it seems so to him. But it is not common in fact, nor to us, for we know that all clean meats are good for food. That is why Paul wrote: "I know, and am persuaded by the Lord Jesus, that there is nothing common of itself" (Rom. 14:14).

Notice that in this verse Paul used, according to the margin of the King James Version, the Greek word for "common," not the Greek word for "unclean." Why?

"Common" Does Not Mean "Unclean"

Many have carelessly assumed that Paul is writing about unclean meats in this 14th chapter of Romans. He is not! He is writing about the difference between vegetarians who regard that clean meats are common, and those who know that clean meats are of themselves not common.

In the Greek there are two different words used which are often carelessly translated "unclean" or "common." Notice that in Acts 10:14 both of these words are used. The Bible does not repeat itself foolishly. Therefore these two words mean entirely different things.

The Greek word for "unclean" is akarthatos. It means "unclean and impure by nature." The Greek word for "common" is koinos, which means "polluted through external misuse." (See any of the Lexicons.)

Paul used the Greek word for "common" throughout Romans 14:14. He did not use the Greek word for "unclean." In other words, Paul knew that no clean foods which God has sanctified are by nature polluted, but vegetarians who were weak in the faith--weak in understanding God's Word--thought meats should not be eaten. To such a vegetarian--"to him," not to others--that meat seemed to be polluted. His conscience defiled the meat for him; he would become upset if he were to eat meat. But that does not make the meat polluted in fact or for everybody else.

Notice Paul's conclusion: "For meat destroy not the work of God. All things indeed are pure"--that is, all things that God sanctified and gave us to eat are clean --but it is evil for that man who eateth with offense. It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor anything whereby thy brother stumbleth..." (verses 20 and 21).

Paul is not recommending eating unclean meats! Quite the opposite. He is recommending not eating any meat at all in the presence of a vegetarian brother if he is offended!

When Is "Clean" Meat "Common"?

The only circumstance in which clean meats are ever common or polluted is when the clean animals have died of themselves or when the blood has not been properly drained. That is why the apostles and elders who gathered at Jerusalem forbade the use of meat from strangled animals and meat with the blood in it (Acts 15:20). This is New Testament teaching for today!

Such animal flesh was called "common" because it could be given to strangers or aliens in Old Testament times if those people wanted to eat it. They were the common and polluted people--the Gentiles--not the chosen and clean people, Israel (Deut. 14:21).

In New Testament times, clean meat offered to idols was prohibited if it had been polluted by strangulation or if the blood were remaining in it. Otherwise the meat was permitted to be eaten if it did not offend anyone.

Paul devoted the entire 8th and 10th chapters of I Corinthians to instructions on not raising the question of meats offered to idols. "But if any man say unto you, This is offered in sacrifice unto idols, eat not for his sake that shewed it, and for conscience sake" (I Cor. 10:28). In other words, if clean meats offered to idols were not polluted, you could eat of them unless it offended someone. Under those circumstances the meat became common, not to you, but to the other person who raised the question about idols. Notice:

"Conscience, I say, not thine own, but of the other" (verse 29).

That is why Paul said in Romans, "But to him that esteemeth any thing to be common [margin], to him it is common" (Rom. 14:14). ..

Click here to read the rest.

Bowling Green, Ohio

I've never lived in Bowling Green

Re: Will Germany Launch a Nuclear Attack on America?
I've never lived in Bowling Green
Submitted by David Ben-Ariel on Sun, 2008-12-21 15:01.

It's amazing how some who set themselves up as "experts on David Ben-Ariel" love to indulge in disinformation. Granted, a few are just careless and confused about their "facts" but others are clearly obsessed (and possibly dangerous) like this disturbed person who has started an internet campaign against me: Steps to Ban "David Ben Ariel"

I was born in Bowling Green, Ohio, and donated a copy of Beyond Babylon to the Bowling Green library, but I have never lived there. BG, to their credit, does look like a rather nice place to live.

My name was David Hoover, but I legally changed it to David Ben-Ariel in 1989, as I testify in God-given Names and From Toledo to Jerusalem.

Facts are racist? I'm a realist. That's why I wrote, in Black Mark on Toledo that you referenced, "Toledo blacks gave Bill White's best sermon." That's the plain truth. Why deny it? Afraid of being called "racist"? (And where in the world did you get any mention of "racial superiority" in that article? You didn't, as any objective reader could easily conclude).

At least you're correct that I was affiliated with the Philadelphia Church of God, which is why I was on both nights of the FOX 25 Special Report in Oklahoma City about the PCG, leading to Gerald Flurry's outrageous attacks against me in full page newspaper ads, misleading folks to believe that I'm a terrorist, misrepresenting the Temple Mount Faithful as a terrorist organization, to deflect criticism of him as a false prophet - even though this star witness (his words) provided him with overwhelming evidence to the contrary, including a State Department letter.

http://www.davidbenariel.org/

Danse macabre: lying peace process!

Re: Freedland's folly
From:
Blond Bomber (BeyondBabylo)
To:
StickWoman25

I agree that wicked Hamas plots for Israel to '"rest in peace" - and every one of the other Muslim terrorist groups (and they're all terrorists since they violently oppose any manner, shape or form of Israel) shares their bloody sentiments.

We know this, so why do the Israeli and American and European leaders continue their danse macabre, the lying peace process? BLOOD MONEY and ultimate German-Jesuit occupation of the Holy Land of Israel.

Israel beware.

Lying Visions of Peace

EU to Conquer Anglo-Saxons and Jews