RC, please disagree all that you wish. believe it or not, I happen to know something about the German constitution and its history.

The German Army in Afghanistan is under NATO contol and command. The NATO mission involves curtailing drug operations and security against any resurgent Taliban.
So far the German army hasnt achieved jack except for country drives and handing out pens and paper like school teacher assistants. Is that any use for a Army? You say the US is hated in Afghanistan? Im sure that the taliban and tribal drug growing operators hate them and love how the Germany army just waves and smiles as they drive by.

Good NATO partner there? Not when your forces wont fight and don't really help those who are. The KSK is very small and was even smaller recently because of a "political problem." I am being polite about that phrase, but if you know anything about the KSK's history, you know what I mean. The Heroin from Afghanistan is more of a problem for you than for us, has the German army engaged drug growers there? No. Its there choice not to.

Yes, you have constitutional restraints etc and Germany can use those as an excuse to let others do the fighting and the dying for their benefit. Nice, have another beer!

And some how that does tie in with Germanys economic woes.
Its the psychology of the politcal and economic climate. How can Germany move ahead from its malaise to attract more jobs and make better lives if no one is responsibile for anything or willing to scarifice anything?

As for what you choose to view in the european press, in general, what president havent they hated except Roosevelt? They damned truman,eisenhower, kennedy, Johnson, carter, ford, reagan, bush, clinton and the current bush. Suprise!

If the US government formulated its policies and actions based upon a concensus of the european press and its readers, this forum would be in Cyrilic and posting about Ladas and Moskvitch's or debating wich Esso station is more islamic than the next.

You want instant peace in Iraq? Forget it. Its not going to happen, its turned into a burial ground for any jihadist with a bus ticket and a AK. That may go one until their concept is exhuasted or we run out of places to bury them. At least Sweden, Belgium, Switzerland and Germany are profiting directly from the huge amounts of ammo we use. You should thank us for helping you keep jobs going.

So tell us, what does the German government plan to do about Iranian nuclear missiles pointed at Berlin ?

And what plan and what army does the european press have for that?

And what plan does the German government have about Iranian support of jihadists in Iraq? Any answers? What, teach police recuits how to march and give speeding tickets?

You have any troops or aircraft on the border with Iran to deal with a Iranian nutball regime armed with nuclear missles? Just who will you call about that?

Look at the bigger picture.