In Germany, Bush Protests Lose Appeal

[onehandle]

Source: New York Times

BERLIN — The young anarchists, middle-aged peace activists and established left-wing politicians here have at least one thing in common: none bothered to keep a six-year tradition alive by organizing a protest against President Bush’s arrival here Tuesday. “Bush is not even popular in the role of the enemy anymore,” wrote Der Tagesspiegel newspaper.

As in many other parts of Europe, Mr. Bush was a popular villain here even before the Iraq invasion, in part because of his steadfast rejection of the Kyoto Protocol limits on greenhouse-gas emissions. His visits to Germany have reliably drawn thousands into the streets to denounce him and his policies, beginning with his first visit to Berlin in May 2002.

In February 2005, the police essentially shut down the city of Mainz for Mr. Bush’s visit, closing six highways and stopping river traffic on the Rhine, out of fear of enormous demonstrations. Two summers ago, Mr. Bush came for a barbecue with Chancellor Angela Merkel in her east German electoral district, Stralsund, and almost exactly a year ago he attended the Group of 8 summit meeting at the Baltic Sea resort of Heiligendamm. The protesters turned out in force both times.

Monty Schädel, one of the organizers behind both the Stralsund and the Heiligendamm protests, said the absence of public protests this time went beyond Mr. Bush’s often-cited lame-duck status. There has been a noticeable shift here, he said, toward wrestling with German issues rather than focusing judgment on the United States.

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/11/world/europe/11germany.html

[annabanana]

1. He's irrelevant on the World stage now.

The know he's on his way out. They may not think he's evil enough to stage a last minute attack on Iran.

[happygoluckytoyou]

2. I am the EVIL BUSH... and i want...............one meeeeeellion dollars !!!!!

[whistle]

3. Bush just does not deserve the attention, so what happens when a megalomaniac

...with power is ignored?

It appears that we in the U.S. must deal with Bush and Cheney or we all will be treated the same way

[Peace Patriot]

4. And we're supposed to believe the NYT spin on things because...?

Ah, they have been so very informative and unspun in the past...

[David__77]

5. He's on his way out.

People know that all around the world. Not news. There will be new chieftains to protest. And there are old ones of the IMF and World Bank to confront as well.