Karl Marx was german right? Born in Prussia? So communism and national socialism both arose from germany. What's the death toll between them, 200 million or so? And these days they do everything in their power to restrain liberal democracy from spreading or defending itself.

At your feet or at your throat.

Sometimes I truly regret the Hitler folded befor the first atomic bombs came online. I'm sorry if this makes me a bad person, but you've got to wonder if the extermination of the German race could be viewed as a perfectly legitimate act of self-defense on the part of the rest of humanity.

So in Germany's view of the "One China" policy
why can't Taiwan be the West Germany.

J.H.

I think they have forgotten what difference it made. It was all just a matter of taste.

J.H.--

You're not serious, are you?

Amos--

I wouldn't be hoping for a genocide of the Germans, or anyone else. But if the Europeans want to kill each other, that's all right with me too. Just keep us out of it. I think our troops should get on ships tomorrow.

At least they're never on the winning side.

Except in 1756, 1815, 1864, 1866, 1870, 1917 and 1940.

As far as I can remember, everybody but me thought the reunification of Germany was a great idea. Glad to learn I wasn't as alone as it seemed at the time.

Sadly, this isn't new, of course. Remember how Germany refused to sell parts for diesel subs two and a half years ago when we tried to sell half a dozen to Taiwan?

Harry:

Margaret Thatcher was with you.

When we take potshots at the EU, we tend to forget the whole project was designed in large part to contain Germany and that the failure of the EU would mean a renewed German threat to many of them. That is why so many Europeans are in such deep denial about EU weaknesses and why they simply can't countenance its failure or even a reversal of course.

Uhm, isn't the US position something similar, albeit insisting that unification only occur with negotiation and consent of the Tawainese?

AFAIK while the Taiwan govt has never ruled out the possibility eventual peaceful reunification.

This is all tied up in some weird diplomatic dance where Taiwan is de facto independent but does not have a UN seat.

I guess I don't understand the subtle political shades of meaning regarding what "one-China policy" means. A quick search of Google is even more confusing as it seems to indicate that it is the Kuomintang (KMT) regime in Taiwan that has been insisting on "One China" for the past 50 years.

Uhm, isn't the US position something similar, albeit insisting that unification only occur with negotiation and consent of the Tawainese?

You think that's similar to Germany's policy? Schroeder--who really ought to be in a gulag somewhere--doesn't share your "albeit."

the Kuomintang (KMT) regime in Taiwan that has been insisting on "One China" for the past 50 years.

1. The KMT's version of "One China" is that the KMT rules both from Beijing.

2. The "KMT regime" doesn't exist any more. The DPP (of which Chen is the leader) is in power in Taiwan.

Harry -- I'm tempted to point out that Germany didn't exist until 1871, or that the "victories" of 1917 and 1940 were, um, rather short-lived. But I'd rather just note that they can beat the French, but that's about it.

Gideon should note this important quote from the article:

"Schroeder also said his position means that Germany will not send ``sensitive goods'' like weapons to Taiwan..."

That's a pretty significant difference from the US.

Harry:

So what are they going to do? Besides become Turkish...

David, Germany is nothing but a Great Prussia, which was the point of the whole exercise dating back to Frederick anyway.

So we can count all those others.

I could have added 1918, when the German Army routed the British Army, having already defeated the French and the Russians. Who was left then?

Uncle Sam.

Orrin, bully their neighbors. There are more Germans than there are Turks, even if you count the Turks in Turkey. They haven't changed and they are not going away.

They are going away and fairly rapidly and they've nothing left to bully with, since the Welfare State consumes their budget.

Orrin:

Think Weimar, 1932. Times change quickly.

What changed?

All this is besides the point. Germany is looking ahead, not back. Would it be too much of a stretch to say that culling favor with Mainland China (People's Republic of, whatever) might be expected to reap extraordinary economic and (hopefully) geopolitical dividends for Germany, if not Schroeder, personally. One hand washes the other, and the Germans, like the French have had the Iraqi nozzle shut off (though Iran's still around, to be sure).

As we speak, VW is the hottest selling European car in China, and lots more Chinese are clawing their way into the middle classes.

And hey, if it means selling out Taiwan, well, it's a tough world out there, ain't it....

Besides, it's one more headache for Washington.

Barry:

Yes, Germany is indeed looking ahead. Germany is always looking ahead. That is the problem.