WHO GETS TO OVERSEE THE DECLINE?

German leaders in crunch TV duel (BBC, 9/05/05)

During the only televised head-to-head debate in the run-up to the election, the chancellor said his foreign policy had "positioned Germany abroad as a middle-sized power for peace".

He also called on German voters to trust his economic policies, which he said were "aimed at readjusting the social security systems neglected in the 90s".

But Mrs Merkel, who appeared more combative than expected, argued that Mr Schroeder's controversial reforms had been hampered by his own party, the Social Democrats (SPD).

"Germany can only be a strong, reliable party in the world if we are also economically strong, and that is where we are lacking," she said.

"And, unlike the chancellor, I can be sure with my party colleagues that we will support this course of modernisation together."

Mrs Merkel said the country needed bold steps to revive the country's struggling economy, after seven years of failed leadership.

"You can't be satisfied with the situation in our country," she said. "We have five million unemployed people. It's not like the sun rises and more and more jobs appear.

"No, no, Mr Schroeder. And if you don't have an answer to this question - then nothing will happen. But nothing will happen with this government anyway because you won't get another chance."

As Brother Cohen is fond of pointing out, reducing Germany to a "middle-sized power for peace". represents a triumph of American strategy, after we foolishly intervened in three intra-European wars.

Posted by Orrin Judd at September 5, 2005 8:15 AM