German President Köhler resigns

[MissHoneychurch]

Source: The Local

German President Horst Köhler said Monday he was stepping down, following criticism of recent comments he made about the country's military mission in Afghanistan.

Read more: http://www.thelocal.de/politics/20100531-27547.html

---

:wow:

OK, he doesn't have much political power. But I believe that is the first time a sitting president in Germany resigns. Too bad. His words had power and the people listened to him.

[shotten99]

1. This is going to make Chancellor Merkel's life miserable

[MissHoneychurch]

4. Not really

I think she is glad to hear no critism from this side anymore. Now let's see who will become the next President.

[shotten99]

5. The interim President will come from the SPD, her rival party.

If you've watched, her coalition of CDU/CSU-FDP has become increasingly unpopular.
The president was also a member of the CDU, and given the state elections
in Nordrhein Westfalen and their potential impact on the Bundesrat, I'd
say she's got plenty of problems to deal with.

[MissHoneychurch]

7. Oh I watch closely

after all I am German and live in Germany.

I just read that there has to be voted for a new president within 30 days.

Yes, Merkel has a lot on her plate. I am just saying that Köhler critized the work of the government more than once. And that even though he was a CDU member. Merkel did not expect that when they picked and voted for Köhler.

[shotten99]

11. Fair enough:)

Gruss aus Kroatien/Pozdrav iz Hrvatske

[Delphinus]

2. Just to make sure I understand:

he is stepping down because he told the truth, right? Instead of following the lie of protecting everyone from terrorists, he told the truth that it's about money (trade).

[MissHoneychurch]

3. Yep

the forces came out and went after him.

[No Elephants]

6. Seems so. On the bright side, his replacement is less conservative.

"His remarks just over a week ago prompted a furious debate about Germany’s military engagement – and whether Köhler had damaged the image of the NATO mission in Afghanistan.

Köhler began by saying that Germany was in the country, alongside its allies, to ensure its security and that it was good and proper for these issues to be openly and robustly discussed.

He then added: “But my estimation is that, on the whole, we are on the way to understanding, even broadly in society, that a country of our size, with this orientation toward foreign trade and therefore also dependence on foreign trade, has to be aware that when in doubt in case of an emergency, military deployment is also necessary to protect our interests.

For example, free trade routes, for example to prevent instability in a whole region, which certainly have an negative impact on our opportunities via trade, jobs and income. All of that ought to be discussed and I believe that we are not doing too badly.”

The remarks appeared to be a major departure from the political orthodoxy on the Afghanistan mission, which says the Bundeswehr is there to protect Germany from terrorist groups who would use the country as a base were it to descend into lawlessness or Islamist theocracy."

[Green_Lantern]

12. wrong wrong wrong..

He wasn't saying wars are fought over money or trade as if he disagreed with that, he's saying money and trade SHOULD be a reason to go to war.

This totally goes against what German society has stood for post-WW2 which is to only deploy troops in self defense or as peacekeepers in concordance with UN mandate.

[Dover]

13. The U.S. won't openly discuss our 'interests' in that region either.

I'm not suggesting that our commercial interests are the only reason we are there, but I think that's high up on the list. There are strategic, geopolitical reasons as well. The terrorist issue, which is the excuse most often touted by the government/media is, I believe, at the bottom of the list of importance. But how else could they have convinced Americans to cough up the money to pay for it and offer up our children/husbands/wives/fathers/mothers to go half way around the world to secure our interests in a region that didn't pose an immediate threat? They needed a boogeyman as a threat to our security. Same with Iraq.

Just try to get the U.S. media or government to openly discuss our 'Silk Road Policy' and interests in the resources of that region (oil/gas/mining/etc) ...you'll hear crickets.

So Kohler was speaking the truth alright. A truth he fully supported and that is common knowledge inside his circle of power. He must have forgotten to distinguish his public vs. private audience.
So he was muzzled because he went off message in public.

[Call Me Wesley]

8. Too bad it wasn't Westerwelle ... ;)

Merkel sure won't be happy, differences between these two aside. She just can add one problem more to her bunches of them.

[MissHoneychurch]

9. Be quiet my heart

but that man will never resign ... he is too much a power macho.

But at least Koch is gone ... almost :woohoo:

[Speciesamused]

10. The wheels of the Military Industrial Complex....

Former head of the International Monetary Fund. He would know!!
"When in doubt in case of an emergency, military deployment is also necessary to protect our interests".
During the early portion of the 21st century, space power will also evolve into a separate and equal medium of warfare. Likewise, space forces will emerge to protect military and commercial national interests and investment in the space medium due to their increasing importance.

[Solly Mack]

14. k/r