German politicians call for expulsion of 'bratty' Trump ambassador: 'Complete diplomatic failure'

[catbyte]

Note: I tried bypassing Raw Story, but I ran into a complete lockout/paywall from The Financial Times, so I had to go with Raw Story. I thought it should be seen.

NOOR AL-SIBAI
19 MAR 2019 AT 14:10 ET

German politicians are calling for the expulsion of Trump-appointed ambassador Richard Grenell over his alleged interference in the country’s politics.

The Financial Times reported Tuesday that figures across the German political spectrum have criticized Grenell for his comments about the country’s defense spending budget.

Grenell, like President Donald Trump, regularly condemns Germany for the small size of its military budget amid NATO spending targets.

In a tweet Monday, the US Embassy in Berlin echoed the president, saying Germany “reducing its already unacceptable commitments to military readiness is a worrisome signal to Germany’s 28 #NATO allies.”

snip

Wolfgang Kubicki, the speaker of Germany’s Bundestag and vice president of the Free Democratic Party, called on the German foreign minister to “declare Richard Grenell persona non grata immediately,” Politico Europe reported.

“If a U.S. diplomat acts like a high commissioner of an occupying power,” Kubicki added, “he will have to learn that our tolerance has its limits.”

Carsten Schneider, the parliamentary manager of the Social Democrats Party, said Grenell is a “total diplomatic failure” who was acting like a “brat.”

“This entire thing seems like the behavior of a naughty schoolboy,” Schneider said. “With his repeated clumsy provocations Mr. Grenell is damaging the transatlantic relationship.”

FT noted that since Grenell assumed the ambassadorship in 2018, he has claimed he wants to “empower” conservative movements across Europe, threatened sanctions over a pipeline Germany backed and urged German companies to cease operations in Iran.

https://www.rawstory.com/2019/03/german-politicians-call-expulsion-bratty-trump-ambassador-complete-diplomatic-failure/

[IluvPitties]

1. That's what Trump wants.

He wants alliances with autocratic states, not with our democratic partners.

[Caliman73]

2. SO Trump wants Germany to grow its military?

That sounds like a wonderfully thought out plan.

[FiveGoodMen]

6. Maybe we'll need the Germans to save US this time!

[Shrike47]

22. Trump wants all the NATO countries to beef up their militaries so the US won't have to be so present

Putin would like NATO to go away, so fomenting dissension among its nations is a good thing. Trump is too dumb to see he’s being used. They just have to tell him ‘less money for NATO is more money for fence.’

[Caliman73]

23. Trump doesn't want anything.

To want something he would have to know something. Trump is an absolute idiot. He is merely following the suggestions of pro Putin people within his circle.

There is some validity to the US pulling back in minor ways. However, what we are looking at is European countries beginning to re-arm. Is it a good idea to have Germany, France, Italy, etc... start building up their armies again? Look where that got us 2 times in the 20th century.

[irisblue]

3. Grenell is a putz and schmuck.

Who is a very well connected gop operative.

[MyOwnPeace]

4. What with the

"state of disaster" that is our State Department, can anybody share details about this ambassador? Is he a career State Department professional - a Trump buddy that wanted a vacation in Germany - somebody that Trump owes money to so he gave him a "cake" appointment?

I cry for what is happening to our standing in the world.................


OK - NEVER MIND!!!!!!

I read some material on the guy - the line where it said "a regular contributor to Tucker Carlson" told me all I need to know!

[jmowreader]

15. His background suggests he shouldn't be as bad as he is

He has a bachelor's in Government and Public Administration from Evangel University, Springfield, MO (I'm sure his classmates really loved him - Evangel is a Pentecostal university owned by the Assemblies of God, and Grenell is openly gay) and a Master's of Public Administration from Harvard's John F. Kennedy School of Government.

From 2001 to 2008 he was the Director of Communications and Public Diplomacy for the US Mission to the United Nations.

After that he left the government and became a Republican operative, until Trump dredged him up and sent him to piss off the Germans.

You'll love this: if Grenell gets PNG'd by the Germans he will be the fourth Trump Administration official to be kicked out of a country...Grenell this year by Germany, the US Ambassador to Venezuela Todd D. Robinson and his deputy Brian Naranjo in 2018, and Donald Trump by Panama City, Panama, in 2011.

[MyOwnPeace]

16. And again.......

the dismay and disgust that must be taking place within the professional community of State Department workers must be beyond understanding. How could America allow this to happen?

[jmowreader]

18. I could send you pictures of Rush Limbaugh and Pat Robertson...

...but doing that violates several international treaties that prohibit torture.

Seriously though, one of the biggest problems we've got is that the Hard Right decided many years ago to buy up the media and pack school boards and city councils with their rotten candidates. And two of the driving forces in this were Rush Limbaugh and Pat Robertson.

[GentryDixon]

21. Because the America we love is no longer an honest broker.

The orange one has befouled everything good about our country.

[olegramps]

24. Democracies are a bit messy. Like herding cats. Things swing back and forth as they go forward.

If you read the about the history of our nation, you will find that it has moved forward against what seemed extreme difficulties. It is not like a dictatorship or one ruled by aristocracy that just orders and all must obey. There are going to be disagreements and camps, but there is one principle that must be held. From many: one. The founding fathers were very well aware of the difficulties that they faced in forming a nation of renegades, strong willed individualists with a multitude of loyalties. On the eve of the signing of the issue to the Constitution two men were charged with coming up with a motto for this new government of the people and by the people. They settled on E pluribus Unum (From many one). This is what has held the nation together through far worse time then theses. It is unfortunate that we have a resident in the White House who totally fails to comprehend that he was elected to be the supreme representative of ALL the people, to be able to rise above the ridiculous differences to represent each and every citizen equally. The ideal leader is one who brings opposing sides to the table to discuss the value of their positions and the ardently listen to the others concerns. That is the basis for progress and unity rather than being an instrument of division. Unfortunately, Trump is an utter failure. He is writing his own legacy. A legacy of a person entrusted with a solemn duty whose failure can only be regarded in contempt.

[suffragette]

5. Deutschewelle has a good article on this.

Glad you provided the heads-up.

https://www.dw.com/en/germany-us-ambassador-richard-grenell-should-be-expelled-says-fdp-deputy-leader/a-47975156

Wolfgang Kubicki, the deputy chairman of the opposition Free Democrats (FDP), said Richard Grenell's repeated interference in German sovereignty should prompt Foreign Minister Heiko Maas to immediately declare Grenell persona non grata.

"Any US diplomat who acts like a high commissioner of an occupying power must learn that our tolerance also knows its limits," said Kubicki, who is also one of five deputy speakers of Germany's Bundestag parliament.

~~~
Carsten Schneider, caucus manager of the Social Democrats (SPD) within the parliament, told the German news agency DPA on Tuesday that "Mr Grenell is a complete diplomatic failure."

Grenell's behavior, said Schneider, reminded him of "a flail," a farmyard term for somebody who thrashes around wildly, adding that "Mr Grenell damages transatlantic relations with his repeated clumsy provocations."

[MyOwnPeace]

7. And yet again.........

IQ45 hires "only the best!"

[suffragette]

10. They are doing what he wants, bullying and attempting to weaken our traditional allies while Trump

strengthens ties to right wingers and dictators around the globe.

[LiberalBrooke]

32. That is how he has ordered ambassadors to behave.

Don the con has no idea what diplomacy is, he merely demands his lackeys act just like him. Bullying and obnoxious. The sad part is so many follow his instructions and even sadder that millions of Americans thought a mobbed up thug was a good idea to be our president.

[geretogo]

8. They need to through the Fascist out of their country . They don't need another Hitler again .

[NewJeffCT]

9. acting like a brat?

so, acting like his boss - Donny Trump

[Maru Kitteh]

11. Who could have imagined this man would make poor choices?

[HopeAgain]

12. Putin:

"I'm lovin' it!"

[Danascot]

13. '"Empower" conservative movements across Europe'

I interpret that as support for Fascists and other white nationalists ... just like Trumpy.

[Efilroft Sul]

14. Grennell's a tool. He and I went round and round a few years back over Bowe Bergdahl.

Apparently, his support of the troops ended where Obama's compassion towards one of them began.

[Ilsa]

17. When was the last time an ally told our ambassador to

Shut their piehole or get the fuck out of their country, I wonder?

[ancianita]

20. Trump's international humiliations continue. Putin loves all the Trump-Europe alienation.

[LiberalLovinLug]

19. ...

[DFW]

28. Known now by his new title

[URL=.html][IMG][/IMG][/URL]

[octoberlib]

25. Grenell's a white nationalist islamophobe

who regularly communicates and supports the far right parties in Germany and Europe.

[keithbvadu2]

26. Maybe he is a Trump love child?

Maybe he is a Trump love child?

[Blue Owl]

27. Send in the henchtot

n/t

[DFW]

29. The Germans took Grennell as a personal affront

He might as well have appointed Louie Gohmert.

[burrowowl]

30. Unmentionable would have

Germany leave NATO and have Brazil take its place I imagine.

[sandensea]

31. Amazing. And he's not the only Trump-appointed ambassador in trouble.

Cheeto's ambassador to Argentina, Ed Prado, is in hot water right now thanks to a clumsy extortionist with a very big mouth.

The extortionist was recently caught shaking local businessmen down for hundreds of thousands each (as well as false testimony against Macri regime opponents).

And when his home and offices were raided - sure enough - they found reams of paperwork and colossal amounts of data tying him to both Macri and the U.S. Embassy.

Prado, of course, denied knowing him; I guess it was worth a try.

[Cha]

33. Good.. Kick his Fascist Authoritarian

Ass OUT.

[BobTheSubgenius]

34. Don't get me wrong. I love America and the ideals it stands for.

And I love many of its people and their good, generous nature. That said, the so-called "Ugly American" can go straight to Hell.

This Grenell guy is a perfect example - knows exactly how other people should behave, and, by sheer good chance, that is always in a manner that conforms to American interests.

We had a gutfull of that behavior from the "ambassador" W saddled us with - Paul Cellucci - who was forever waggling his finger in our collective face about not doing what the US administration thought we should. Troops into Iraq, for example.


I have a friend in PA who could NOT see the difference, and had a deep suspicion that I was just a jealous anti-American. One summer, I was telling her about the horrible drought we were experiencing, to the point that we weren't even allowed to water home vegetable gardens.

I said I thought it was at least bad optics for the USS Abe Lincoln to be anchored off our local naval base, using 50,000 gallons of fresh water a day. Probably a drop in the bucket, to strain a metaphor, but still. There are 3 US bases within 100 miles that could host the mega-ship.

She agreed that this was a terrible example to be setting, and told a family friend the little anecdote - a die-hard Bush (at the time) supporter, etc.

She came back from that conversation saying, "I totally see what you've been getting at. He pissed me off completely!"

His response? "It's good to be king."