Karl Ulrich Voss, Burscheid /
Some of my reader's letters (just those in English)
Oct. 17,
2015
TIME
Refugees; Nancy Gibbs „A modern exodus“, TIME of October 19, 2015, p. 4, and
further refugee-related articles of the same TIME issue
I definitely cherish Germans heartely welcoming refugees. But that may
be their very debt as well – regarding that the significant majority of the new
exodus is emerging from areas of misfired German interventions of the last two
decades, be it by military force, be it by a resolute diplomacy, aiming at
regime changes.
I cannot help thinking foreign policy is done by modern
“Zauberlehrlinge”. Like Zbigniew Brzezinski, when he trustingly justified
fuelling up jihadism by the then desired fall of the Soviet empire, in that
famous 1998 interview with the Nouvel Observateur, Paris.
Source
Brzezinski: «Oui, la CIA est entrée
en
Excerpt
Le Nouvel Observateur:
Vous ne regrettez pas non plus d’avoir favorisé l’intégrisme islamiste,
d’avoir donné des armes, des conseils à de futurs terroristes?
Zbigniew Brzezinski:
Qu’est-ce qui est le plus important au regard de l’histoire du monde? Les
talibans ou la chute de l’empire soviétique? Quelques excités islamistes où la
libération de l’Europe centrale et la fin de la guerre froide?
Aug.
3, .2012
Newsweek
Measures
of accountability for military missions would be most valuable, and they are
clearly worth our highest efforts, as regards political, research and
jurisprudential ressources. It seems most cynical shooting billions and
billions into outer space, e.g. for an mostly idle ISS, or tracing down the
ultra tiny Higgs boson at the same price. But to scarcely investigate the
driving forces behind the recurrent military bloodshed and the balance of
military missions - the military sector itself being funded abundantly at the
same time.
July
22, 2012
Daily Mail
Batman massacre; Dominic Sandbrook's Saturday Essay (Daily Mail of July 21,
2012, p. 18f)
Thanks
for Dominic Sandbrook’s lucid analysis! My statement would be almost the same
–with a slightly different tone: It may be a possibility that widespread anger
suddenly turns into mob rule, even in decent and tolerant
And
there could and should be a lot of debate - and politicians' responsiveness -
around vital topics like economics or foreign and security politics, just to
name a few items, where you don’t work out ever lasting solutions by the
methods of natural sciences – but where you have to deal interests of groups
not unlike the way of a humming bazaar. Democrats may be very intelligent and
helpful – if you allow them taking an active stake in their res publica. They even might find out
that panem et circenses aren’t necessarily
for their benefit.
June
19, 2012
NewScientist
successful launch of a rocket built by a private enterprise; Paul Marks,
Sparking the next space age (NewScientist of 12 May 2012, p. 6)
I'm
not too happy. Wasn't the plot of early 007-movies just that: Some nasty NGO
built a rocket to trigger a hassle between the great powers? And didn't we
count launcher technologies as a most pestilent ability needed to build weapons
of mass destruction? At least I wouldn't want that kind of outsourcing
going all around the world.
June
13, 2012
Time Magazine
Drones; Michael Crowley “Drone Dilemma” (TIME of June 18, 2012, p. 14)
Terrorism
being most of all a weapon of those physically weak, the counterstrategy to be
expected against a growing swarm of drones will be twofold: Looking for a
conspirational habitat in densely populated places – and carrying the battle
back to the metropolitan areas of the West. Both may but must not mean the same
regions.
Roaming
drones will be benevolent for election campaigns and for a certain type of
industry, but may turn out very bad for us citizens. I’m sure we can get more
life & peace & value for money out of non-military strategies.
May 24, 2012
TIME
It’s
so comforting to be thanked, even by third parties. But I’m far from sure
having deserved that “Danke”. Didn’t I pave the whole of
I’m
afraid that Greece, slim and small and placed on the rim as it still is, has no
extra resources for reform (although: German tabloids recently pressed Greece
to ultimately sign over their Islands in the Sun). Even worse:
Nov.
14, 2011
TIME
The
anatomy of the
Oct.
27, 2011
Nature, the comment underneath was published under http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/vaop/ncurrent/full/nature10514.html#/comments
Intelligence research; Sue Ramsden et al., Verbal and non-verbal
intelligence changes in the teenage brain, Nature 2011, doi:10.1038/nature10514
It
would be most interesting to know: Are there any hints that an increase /
decrease of verbal or non-verbal abilities and a corresponding development of
gray matter can both be induced by social or environmental requirements? It
seems to be quite plausible a thesis that the individual tries to arrange its
limited resources according to those priorities defined by the surrounding
conditions. Or even: That its special portion and spectrum of intelligence may
be attributed in a quite flexible work-sharing scheme. That would mean a more
responding concept, at the same time more characteristic for biological systems
such as man or group. For a special case an interaction between resources and
intelligence is – in my opinion – convincingly established, cf. Jianghong Liu
et al., Malnutrition at Age 3 Years and Externalizing Behavior Problems at Ages
8, 11, and 17 Years, Am J Psychiatry 161:2005-2013, November 2004 = http://ajp.psychiatryonline.org/cgi/content/full/1
61/11/2005.
By
the way: Flexibility of intelligence obviously poses a major explanatory problem
for vertically immobile societies – with stable layers self-rectified by a
concept of calibrating or irrevocable IQ-judgments. I reckon that in
revolutionary – as in teenage – phases significantly increased leaps of
individual intelligence would be detectable, and due to major economic
disorders and to forced societal disruption as well.
Oct.
25, 2011
TIME
The
Oct.
25, 2011
Newsweek
"If
you break it, you own it" is the common rule for military intervention.
But
Sept.
1, 2011
TIME
Libya; TIME Sept. 5, 2011 "The World after Gaddafi"; esp. Fareed
Zakaria "Winning from behind - How the Lessons of Iraq paid off in
Libya" p. 16
The
Gaddafi-cover differs considerably from the frontispiece with Bin Ladin crossed
out in red blood; it's more like "Gone with the Wind". But make very
sure Hosea 8:7 will not apply: The coalition economies should not try and make
a bargain or a nice habit out of this low-budget type of regime change.
The
prospects after the very-from-behind overthrow of Mohammad Mosaddegh had seemed
very bright at first glimpse, especially for AIOC/BP – and very, very bad in
the aftermath, up to the present days, for all of us.
P.S.:
”Gone with the Wind”: see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gone_with_the_Wind
Hosea 8:7 reads at the beginning: "For
they have sown the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind."
To the former Iranian president Mohammad Mosaddegh and his overthrow by the
operation
June
4, 2011
TIME
Libyan conflict & death of bin Laden; “closeup 5/15/11
The
“closeup 5/15/11
“5/15/90
Rebels continued to make gains in their struggle to end Mohammad Najibullah's 4-year
rule with fighting intensifying in the mountains of western
Here, civilian volunteers in the rebel army work an obstacle course in
One
of those civilian volunteers & rebels made it to the frontispiece of the
TIME magazine some 20 years later, then being crossed out by an "X"
in red blood. Looking closer at the TIME's "X" gallery you may find
more characters that in ascending phases of their respective careers had been
judged somewhat bold but helpful by influential U.S. citizens, e.g. Saddam and
even Hitler. The Great Game far to often makes for grave miscalculations and
the Libyan conflict may give rise to two further "X", one of whom
still being without a known picture.”
P.S.
The “closeup 5/15/11 Benghazi" is to be seen here: http://lightbox.time.com/2011/05/20/closeup-best-pictures-of-the-week-may-13-%e2%80%93-may-20/#1
The accompanying text of the original “closeup” of TIME, May 20, 2011 had been
(red ink shows where I have modified it in my
reader’s letter shown above):
5/15/11
Rebels continued to make gains in their struggle to end Muammar Gaddafi's 42-year
rule with fighting intensifying in the mountains of western
Here, civilian volunteers in the rebel army work an obstacle course in
The
“X”-gallery of TIME: http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,2069579,00.html
For early and very momentous contacts between U.S. intelligence personnel
(Cptn. Truman Smith) and Hitler see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ernst_Hanfstaengl
For the crucial period that switched Saddam
from friend to foe see http://www.time.com/time/magazine/printout/0,8816,971291,00.html
March
24, 2011
TIME
Possibly
there's one more crucial lesson to be learned, for most power stations: In
spite of their much criticised location the Diesel generators seem to have been
bravely operational for some additional 40 minutes after the tsunami impact.
The first hand problem may therefore have been the huge amount of sludge and
sand the ground wave of a tsunami is propelling - you may remember the scary
dark paint rapidly spilling over the land in the first videos. Within seconds
this must have almost suffocated the interface desperately needed not only for
cooling the fuel rods inside the vessel, but also the Diesels and even the
especially heat-stressed circulation pumps. That cooling interface seems not to
have been redundant and there was no easy way of a shortcut.
Similar
problems with the seawater intake are said to have arisen with the 2004 Sumatra
tsunami at the Kalpakkam reactor near the Indian city of
March
24, 2011
Newsweek
World energy /
Bjoern
Lomborg "Done with the Wind (Newsweek March 21, 2011, p. 26)
It's near to a belief, human ingenuity could or would soon solve our planet's
energy problems. Simple truth is, our species is consuming fossil resources a
million times faster than they were deposited some 100 million years ago. Yes -
advanced exploration and extraction technologies will give us some additional
years. Which means give it to the West. But powerful extraction at the same
time speeds up environmental stress and energy consume. Turn it over and over
again - energy transformation stays metabolic and has natural waste products,
if it shall stay efficient. If you want to have more energy you will have to
save it.
Rosemary
Righter "Right to Protect" (Newsweek March 21, 2011, p. 14)
The strangest argument for R2P is currently being discussed in
Dec.
22, 2010
Newsweek, published Jan 10/17, 2011; see article / my comment underneath
assassination of nuclear scientists of
Unfortunately,
there is a bad tradition in assassination projects deriving from
In
his booklet with the somewhat ironic title "Eternal Peace" Immanuel
Kant addressed means like assassination as an inherent obstacle to future
peace, right on his first pages: "No state shall, during war, permit such
acts of hostility which would make mutual confidence in the subsequent peace
impossible: such are the employment of assassins (percussores), poisoners (venefici),
breach of capitulation, and incitement to treason (perduellio) in the opposing state". Or take Kant's Categorical
Imperative: "Act only according to that maxim whereby you can, at the same
time, will that it should become a universal law." And ask, whether we in
the West should and would accept assassination as a ubiquitous instrument of
foreign policy. Knowing a little about Hassan-i Sabbah, father of terrorism, I
wouldn't propose.
Sources:
Trying to hit Adenauer: http://www.faz.net/s/RubFC06D389EE76479E9E76425072B196C3/Doc~E35BBCD5A37DA47809AD4F6A865C6332B~ATpl~Ecommon~Scontent.html
Duodecim Tabulae: http://www.hs-augsburg.de/~harsch/Chronologia/Lsante05/LegesXII/leg_ta09.html
Kant / Perpetual Peace: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perpetual_peace
Kant / Categorical Imperative: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Categorical_imperative
History of assassinism: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assassins
My reader’s letter was published in
an abridged version, needing some additional comment:
http://www.newsweek.com/2010/12/13/killing-the-killers.html#comments
I’d like to obviate misunderstandings
in respect of my reader’s letter addressed to the “Killing the Killers” article
and published in the Jan 10/17 issue.
My reference for a “bad tradition of assassinations” had been the proven attack
on the German chancellor and clear philo-Semite Konrad Adenauer ordered by
Menachem Begin in the early Fifties. That reference was skipped whilst editing
and now the letter seems to point at the pre-war assassination of the German
diplomat Ernst vom Rath by the Jewish refugee Herschel Grynszpan mentioned in a
letter printed right on top of my comment.
To make it very clear: This is a completely different setting and none of the
respective conclusions in that letter seem very convincing to me: I very much
doubt that the 1938 pogrom in
Nevertheless there is a quite disturbing, even tragic aspect, and in that
limited context the Grynszpan-case may be cited here: I guess that the today
behaviour of Israel as a community is not to be understood without the
collective trauma of pogroms going on for centuries and culminating in the
holocaust, becoming a conditio sine qua non and a founding myth for the State
of Israel. This may have imprinted a deep xenophobia on the whole of a people,
feeling completely secure only amongst birds of a feather and being cruel to
others, even to those without any might. This may explain some of the “David vs.
Goliath” - techniques and not wanting to justify it I think there is much less
fault in that than in the organization of genocide. But cruelty seems to
reproduce especially on the side of former victims and may then be most
detrimental on and on. I would like to alter this path.
Sept.
19, 2009
TIME
Islam; Ishaan Tharoor "A gentler Islam" (TIME September 21, 2009, p.
52)
What
a nice idea! To act authentically - which lies at the heart of Sufism - the
West should go ahead as a guide: No hierarchy, except of wisdom, no material
assets, neither paradise nor hell, no Manichaean Divide, only shades or
intensities of good, and any man with a lifelong chance to proceed to happiness
and to unity with God. Be sensible: That may sound quite like the original
Jesus, but it wouldn't be the West any longer.
Further
on: If we would exploit Sufism in a divide
et impera manner, just to erode and split up the world of Islam, there
would be uncounted numbers of victims. E.g. in Iran Sufis seem to be object of
severe discrimination and prosecution already.
July
23, 2009
Newsweek
German Standort; Stefan Theil: "What lurks beneath" (Newsweek July
27, 2009, p. 22ff)
Over
the years I read a lot of writings on the wall:
March
14, 2009
NewScientist
risks of science / wreck of the Large Hadron Collider; Mark Buchanan "They
said it could never happen" (NewScientist of 20 Jan. 2009, p. 32f)
In 1994 I joined a delegation to
Australia, convincing our government colleagues down under to underwrite a
landing agreement for a project called EXPRESS ("Experimental Re-entry
Space System"). Among others we made use of a risk assessment of an
Australian university that "proved" ultimately low probabilities of
damage in any scrutinized aspect.
Less than one minute after takeoff
from
The scientific output of the EXPRESS
experiment was marginal and wouldn't have been much better without that
deviation. All in all it made me feel that science - especially when lots of
energy, mass and speed are employed - has a lot of child gambling. The wreck of
the LHC now somewhat reminded me of EXPRESS, even if it produced just a black
hole of public money.
P.S.: Some additional information
concerning EXPRESS (in German):
- http://www-public.tu-bs.de:8080/~i9901701/common/vortraege/express.htm
- http://www.raumfahrtkalender.de/raumfahrtchronik/19950100
January 7, 2009
TIME
We know what it looks like on the moon
or inside an atom, or even how an iPhone has to be cleverly designed. But
research on peace preservation seems to be much less fruitful. How come? Maybe
there are no hundreds of billions of dollars or euros being employed in this
special field. Or the gadgets used in conflict research aren’t that gleaming
and sexy.
Or it may be an undying Cro-Magnon
property, that – in the case of assumed military superiority – he notoriously
gives attacking the benefit of the doubt.
November 17, 2008
Newsweek
election of Barack Obama (Newsweek Nov. 17, 2008, "44.")
So the invisible man has finally
surfaced, and basically out of his own strength. I can clearly see Ralph
Ellison up in the skies, dancing and receiving rich κῦδος from any god around.
November 12, 2008
TIME
election of Barack Obama; "Passing the torch" by Joe Klein (Time Nov.
17, 2008, p. 22f)
Being a true believer in Disney's
tales and characters since the fifties I knew it for sure: After an impressing
row of white presidential ducks a mighty cool, community minded black mouse was
bound to grab the torch. This indeed is very startling for the remaining fauna
- of the States and of the world.
Old Walt himself may not have dreamt
of that consequence, though.
August 21, 2008
TIME Magazine
conflict between Russia and Georgia; "Staring down the Russians" by
Zbigniew Brzezinski (TIME August 25, 2008, p. 18)
Brzezinki's advices sound a bit
shrill bearing in mind the dialogue whilst a 1998 interview published in the
French Nouvel Observateur: "Q: And neither do you regret having supported
the Islamic fundamentalism, having given arms and advice to future terrorists?
B: What is most important to the history of the world? The Taliban or the
collapse of the Soviet empire? Some stirred-up Moslems or the liberation of
Understandably he now seems
disappointed about the course of the Great Game: He now has Talibanism and
Putinism, while the moral values of the West are lying openly shattered in
P.S.
The original part of the interview
"LES REVELATIONS D’UN ANCIEN CONSEILLER DE CARTER - Oui, la CIA est entrée
en afghanistan avant les Russes..." (Le Nouvel Observateur, Paris, 15-21
Jan. 1998) was:
N. O. - Vous ne regrettez pas non
plus d’avoir favorisé l’intégrisme islamiste, d’avoir donné des armes, des
conseils à de futurs terroristes?
Z. Brzezinski - Qu’est-ce qui est le
plus important au regard de l’histoire du monde? Les talibans ou la chute de
l’empire soviétique? Quelques excités islamistes ou la libération de l’Europe
centrale et la fin de la guerre froide?
The complete interview in an English
translation is to be found under: http://www.globalresearch.ca/articles/BRZ110A.html
July 7, 2008
New Scientist
brain research; Linda Geddes "Are autistic savants made, not born?"
(NewScientist 7.6.2008, p. 10)
The findings of the Thioux approach
may reach a lot beyond the closer field of autistic abilities. They may show
that outstanding properties are sometimes more due to dedicated practice than
to a genomic imprinting, as it was only recently shown for top chess players.
Strange enough: It seems that quite
opposing characters like Thomas Mann and Adolf Hitler shared some “savant”
features. Both are said to have memorized complex readings with high accuracy
even after years – which gave Hitler several simultaneous teleprompters for his
demagogic speeches. And both shall have had a talent for effectively analysing
characters just seconds after a first encounter. In the case of Hitler it is
said that his special form of petrified memory contributed to the disaster of
WW II. For up to the very end he adhered to a coinage and to conclusions dating
back to the time of his early adolescence.
It would be very interesting to know
the circumstances favourable to those special traits.
P.S.
As for the top-chess-players'
analysis, see
Philip E. Ross, The
Expert Mind, Scientific American, August 2006.
The findings to Mann / Hitler are derived from Manfred Koch-Hillebrecht „Homo Hitler
– Psychogramm des deutschen Diktators“ (1999), see http://www.amazon.de/Homo-Hitler-Psychogramm-deutschen-Diktators/dp/3442756030
Feb. 29, 2008
TIME
Michael Elliott's article „A Call to Arms“ (TIME Feb. 25, 2008, p. 19)
German political élites should
definitely discuss repositioning foreign policy. They should discuss that item
especially with their voters. President Koehler correctly insisted on the democratic
aspect in
Further on we must a.s.o.p. adjust
international and domestic law, including the American War Powers Act, to new
realities. Doing so we should thoroughly und verifiably enumerate the cases for
military interference. Choices are: e.g. military aggression, gross
inhumanities, and organized terrorism. Choices are not: supposed shortages of
supply. The rule of law does say “legislate first, shoot later” and it only works
according to the "golden rule", i.e. reciprocal. Nothing else can
make this world a safer place - especially not the notion of vested interests
coerced by brute power.
Jan. 10, 2008
TIME
For Obama, an ever unpredictable
Jan. 7, 2008
Newsweek
It's just that variety of views
through different cultural prisms that makes for
Sept. 26, 2007
Newsweek; printed Jan. 1, 2008
designing a war against
We have noticed heaps of cynicisms
and dirty tricks. Be it Kissinger's later prophetic remark on the first Gulf
war ("A pity they can't both lose."), be it Albright's autistic
comment on the huge human losses due to the embargo against
Now what's really puzzling me: Why
are us democrats and our rule of law unable to impeach those lies and liars
triggering the deaths and agonies of thousands or even millions of people,
whose only sin may have been to stay in regions very strange to us? That way
democracy is made to appear less of values and more of a symbol.
Aug. 15, 2007
TIME
If it should be necessary to recruit
politicians with special military brand, I would clearly prefer some
pre-Vietnam type against a post-Iraq. I refer especially to Dwight D.
Eisenhower, former Chief of Staff of the Army, and his deep military experience
culminating in his famous presidential farewell address of January 17, 1961.
Some of those very gifted lines were about the dangers of the
military-industrial complex and the perils of military thinking for freedom and
democracy.
Aug. 15, 2007
Newsweek
arms trade; Stephen Glain's article "Locked and Loaded" (Newsweek
Aug. 20/27, 2007 p. 32)
Reading about the speeding up of the
global arms trade I would like to recommend a few pages of thorough reading to
any involved politician: that presidential farewell address by Dwight D.
Eisenhower, former Chief of Staff of the Army, of January 17, 1961. Learning by
heart some of these most insightful lines would do even better, http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Eisenhower%27s_farewell_address.
It may be quite puzzling for
involved politicians, that arms deals don't even boost domestic employment. On
the contrary those customarily accompanying "offset agreements", that
allow the arms buyers to pay by counter flows of civil merchandise, usually
make for a net loss of - less sophisticated - employment at home. Too bad, but
that's the harsh reality of the international division of labor.
Aug. 1, 2007
TIME
scientific search for Schiller’s bones
"Scull scratcher" (TIME August 6, 2007, p. 37)
I personally would not mind if the
"Schiller code" would be kept unbroken, being a descendant of Carl
Leberecht Schwabe, who in 1826 unearthed those 23 ominous skulls and in 1805
had organized a small circle of fervent admirers carrying Schiller's corpse to
the Kassengewoelbe, the common grave. More important than to touch his bones
seems to me to commemorate his peace-minded spirit and his abhorrence in
respect of any misuse of power, e.g. in his gripping poem "The Diver"
- especially important in this war-torn era. So I deeply agree to pose mind
over matter.
P.S.
A little bit different from Thomas Mann's description there actually has been a
church ceremony for Schiller with prayers, singing and speeches on May 13, 1805,
but it was just a very limited event compared to the sort of state funeral
Goethe obtained later in 1832. Some information surrounding Schiller's (and
Goethe's) bones you may find under http://www.vo2s.de/0030schw.htm,
unfortunately just in German.
Addendum: Schiller's memory was
later widely exploited for items that would have made him rotate in his coffin,
if there was any, e.g. for nationalistic ideologies and - in his town of birth,
Marbach - even for a war memorial.
Jan. 17, 2007
TIME
future of
Reading Kistol's comment on
"The just verdict for Saddam" I cannot help remembering five previous
events: That cynical wish attributed to Henry Kissinger amidst the Iraq-Iran
war ("A pity they can't both lose!"), the doubtful role of Ambassador
April Glaspie only a few days before Saddam's invasion of
The Kristol position may be called
think-tank-clever. But it's not what is globally esteemed as ethical,
authentic, or even manly. Peoples that do not produce and toss away tons of
news any day will think of that a lot longer than we do. You cannot find a
better message for Muslim fundamentalists than this one: The West is devouring
his own children, i.e. his satraps. Further on: The West does not care about a
million people dying collaterally. Or at best the West sheds false tears - in
Certainly there is a way forward in
P.S.
As for the 1990 discussion "Who lost
Jan. 4, 2007
Newsweek
Execution of Saddam Hussein (articles concerning the death of Saddam Hussein in
Newsweek January 8, 2007)
Saddam Hussein may have contributed
heavily to thousands or even millions of Iraqi casualties. But who can be sure
history would have been different with another man in his place? For years I am
piling copies of notable articles and one of the most unsettling is that one
headlined "The
Search for Scapegoats" by Evan Thomas et al., Newsweek Oct. 1, 1990, p.
12-13. It shows that by abundant US-official
statements Saddam could have come to the conclusion, US forces would not hamper
his imminent invasion of
By the way, in the cited article an
administration official is quoted with "Saddam may have been a monster.
But he was our monster." Looking at the early history of
P.S.
The account of died Iraqi children is derived from the episode, when Madeleine
Albright commented on that number (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Madeleine_Albright). The death toll caused by the 2003
invasion of
Nov. 9, 2006
Newsweek
Stefan Theil "Bundeswehr Blues", Newsweek Nov. 13, 2006 p. 45
Are German military competences
really developing too slowly, shyly or timidly? A democratic state may
certainly redefine his use of force that may result in human death or injury.
But according to my understanding of democracy and the rule of law, there
should be - first - a public debate on the vantages, burdens and collateral
consequences of such doing and - second - a comprehensible state regulation
fixing the substantial 'sine qua non' of the new state form of behaviour. In Germany since 1945, we call it
'Rechtsstaat, Gesetzesvorbehalt, and Wesentlichkeitsprinzip'.
Chancellor Merkel demands a broad
public debate of the security and defence policy in her foreword to the 2006
Bundeswehr-Weißbuch. This societal effort is still undone; it could not be
replaced by a court decision. And looking at the ravaged state of
Nov. 7, 2006 (59)
TIME
Andrew Purvis et al. "Bones of contention" (TIME Nov. 6, 2006 p. 11)
As a matter of fact, chancellor
Merkel demands a broad public debate on the out-of-area issue right in her
foreword to the 2006 White Book on the German security policy. And I guess that
a vibrant democratic debate and the definition of precise and comprehensible
limits is a prerequisite for any state use of force that may result in human
death or injury. Immanuel Kant even stated that the chain of wars and the
streams of blood would only end, if those who definitely carry the burdens of
war decide on the declaration of war themselves.
He did so in his booklet "Perpetual
Peace". The German title "Zum ewigen Frieden" was somewhat
ironically derived from the plate of an inn situated near to a graveyard. And
looking at the vast graveyards that
P.S. To me Kant seems to be most
modern scrutinizing the basis of warfare. And I don't see so much difference
between a self-centered emperor of the 18th century or - in Kant's terms - a
"proprietor of state" and the tactics of George W. Bush. I would
assume that the complete
http://www.mtholyoke.edu/acad/intrel/kant/kant1.htm
Immanuel
Kant, Perpetual Peace: A Philosophical Sketch (1795)
SECTION II CONTAINING THE DEFINITIVE ARTICLES FOR PERPETUAL PEACE AMONG STATES
FIRST DEFINITIVE ARTICLE FOR PERPETUAL PEACE "The Civil Constitution of
Every State Should Be Republican"
The republican constitution, besides the purity of its origin (having sprung
from the pure source of the concept of law), also gives a favourable prospect
for the desired consequence, i.e., perpetual peace. The reason is this: if the
consent of the citizens is required in order to decide that war should be
declared (and in this constitution it cannot but be the case), nothing is more
natural than that they would be very cautious in commencing such a poor game,
decreeing for themselves all the calamities of war. Among the latter would be:
having to fight, having to pay the costs of war from their own resources,
having painfully to repair the devastation war leaves behind, and, to fill up
the measure of evils, load themselves with a heavy national debt that would
embitter peace itself and that can never be liquidated on account of constant
wars in the future. But, on the other
hand, in a constitution which is not republican, and under which the subjects
are not citizens, a declaration of war is the easiest thing in the world to
decide upon, because war does not require of the ruler, who is the proprietor
and not a member of the state, the least sacrifice of the pleasures of his
table, the chase, his country houses, his court functions, and the like. He
may, therefore, resolve on war as on a pleasure party for the most trivial
reasons, and with perfect indifference leave the justification which decency
requires to the diplomatic corps who are ever ready to provide it."
1.8.2006
Newsweek
The
result of a more 'A. J. Muste way of peace' would be less autistic, less
devastating and more sustainable.
1.8.2006
TIME
According
to Michael Elliott the first key is to get the
It's
not that presently the existence of the state of
Burscheid
/
Mahmood Ahmadi-Nejad
President of the Islamic
Mr.
President,
dear Dr. Ahmadi-Nejad
I
am not sure whether the President of the
I
will close with some proposals for an agenda to be initiated by
1.
As you, many of us Germans are trying to find a clause in respect of the
growing international tensions, crises and wars, the millions of people being
displaced and hurt, even murdered, cities, houses and civil infrastructure
being destroyed, local cultures being neglected and eroded and nature being
harmed, partly in an irrevocable way. As you, we notice severe contradictions
in positions, words and deeds of politicians and leaders. If I may add:
politicians and leaders of any nation and creed. …
June
13, 2006
TIME
German unification and ‘ostalgia’
Andrew Purvis: "Nostalgia isn't what it used to be" (TIME May 29,
2006, p. 28)
I
guess that there were or are some
'Ostalgia'
may still last for a while. It may vanish into thin air, when the overwhelming
might of Western money, media, culture, parties and lobbies, law and
administrative skills has somewhat disintegrated. Might made for very different
personal chances of 'Wessies' and 'Ossies' from the millisecond of
reunification and made reunification a state of colonization. I.e. 'ostalgia'
will last for at least two or three generations to come, notwithstanding the
unveiling of most inhuman Stasi structures and practices.
May
11, 2006
Newsweek; printed July 17, 2006
war and terrorism; (Newsweek May 8, 2006, p. 13: Fareed Zakaria: 'Osama Needs
More Mud Huts')
Most
certainly Fareed Zakaria is more empathetical in respect of things thought or
planned in the Near and Middle East than I will ever be. Nevertheless I think
he is wrong concerning his diagnose, Osama or Al Qaeda were on the decline. At
first: Any leadership of Bin Laden may simply be our projection of Western
management or administrative principles. Correspondingly Al Qaeda - not unlike
the cell-structure of the European terrorism of the Seventies - traditionally
is a quicksilver-like form of community that readily transforms and
reintegrates and catalyzes societal needs.
And
so this may be the most misleading interpretation: That the whole movement is
simply working on faith or religion. I would prefer to see it as a problem of
an intelligent and angry Youth, mostly of privileged communities and with
superb command of Western culture and technologies, that makes use of social
and cultural focal points like
March
31, 2006
TIME
You
certainly have to define priorities: Which is the present most dangerous
political entity on the planet, even more psychotic than the Nazis, the USSR,
Iraqis, and the Taliban? Well, it seems to be a kind of suicide-bombing nation,
the Iran under Ahmadinejad. But looking at history, you'll find Western states
helping a megalomanic Shah and his ruthless secret service, the Savak, to
unlimited power and - after the upheaval against this sparkling, but extremely
brutal regime - enforcing another ruthless enemy of Iran, Saddam Hussein, for
an attempt of aggression and regime change. Saddam was even subsided by U.S.
technology for chemical and biological weapons and by satellite intelligence,
and Ahmadinejad was part of the 'Revolutionary Guards' being wiped out in
hundreds and thousands per week. So would anyone reckon that the people of Iran
are now waiting for an U.S. act of gentleness or empathy? It may be judged very
differently in different places, which nation or subgroup is presently running
for the title of the most paranoid and most dangerous political entity on the
planet.
An
addendum regarding the list of nations above, some of whom turned from close
U.S. friends to most deadly enemies: It's not so well known these days, but in
1922 the U.S. military attaché Truman Smith asked a certain Ernst Franz
Sedgwick Hanfstaengl, who was of half-American origin, to attend the speech of
a gifted young demagogue and to report on it later. Hanfstaengl, a very
cultivated man, became as deeply impressed as Smith was before. He introduced
that man to the Munich upper society. And he gave him shelter after the
disastrous Nazi march to the 'Feldherrnhalle'. Hanfstaengl even claimed to have
participated in the Reichstag fire of 1933, that became the symbolic grave of
the 'Weimarer Republik'. The man strongly recommended to Hanfstaengl's
attention was no one less than Adolph Hitler. So U.S. intelligence, that in
those days may have thought of neutralizing a communist Russia by the means of
a strong and determined Germany, may have had an important part in a career,
that ultimately should trigger the development of nuclear weapons. And what was
echoing through German streets those days? "Heute Deutschland, und morgen
die ganze Welt!"
March
21, 2006
TIME
War in Iraq (TIME March 13, 2006, p. 56; Andrew Sullivan, 'What I got wrong
about the war')
Was
I wrong not to support the war in Iraq? According to Sullivan's essay the
reasons to go to war were doubtful up to definitely wrong, but - as well as the
King can do no wrong - there shall have been no realistic alternative. Strange
enough, arguments in favour of war always seem to be most attractive: A short
time before the invasion of Iraq it was discussed that among Arab states Iraq
was the political system with the least religious influence and with the most
advanced chances for women - for careers in science, economy and politics. And
a prominent argument favouring war went this way: Due to this special 'Western'
touch Iraq would be - after a short strike of decapitating and regime
change - the perfect starting point for modernizing the Near and Middle East as
a whole.
Also
note that Saddam Hussein some years ago was a pet of the West, being enforced
massively in the first Gulf war against Iran, even by means of chemical and
biological warfare. Tens of thousands of Iraqi citizens have paid with their
lives for that bizarre choreography of diplomacy, up to this very day. For me
that's very difficult to understand.
Febr.
7, 2006
Newsweek
globalization, jobless and wageless growth (Newsweek Febr. 6, 2006 p. 35,
Stephen Roach 'The Hollowing Ring of Davos')
The
real threat of the paradigm of globalization seems to me that it makes for two
focal points of growing conflicts: On the one hand globalization is according
to the structure of its promoters and shareholders a globalization on the
exquisite level of clubs: Those who benefited most in the poor - and
irrespective of their natural wealth poorly developing countries - formed just
a special surface visible to us. And these our partners were increasingly
developing unsustainable gaps to 'their' peoples. On the other hand
globalization needs an ever growing metabolism of production, transportation
and consume, even where economy is shifting to nontradable service industries.
In a world of finite resources and finite environmental buffers this race
increasingly endangers peace.
To
encourage intensified trade with the Chinas and Indias of the new world order
may for a certain period amplify our consumer purchasing power. But the more
sustainable, the more empathetical and the less incisive way of coexistence
seems to be a wise reduction of our economical metabolism.
Febr.
7, 2006
TIME
freedom (TIME Febr. 6, 2006 p. 19, Joe Klein 'Democracy, the Morning after')
In
the world of President Bush, freedom certainly is a special gift: There he acts
as God's salesman, presenting the gift of free vote, but really aiming at a
long term bargain, not unlike the aggressive promoting of cellular telephones
at one dollar apiece.
Freedom
plus democracy basically may be interpreted in two different ways: It may be
used just as a cute explanation for government, that guarantees mostly
undisturbed executive powers. Or it may be understood as a way of transparency,
of partaking and of responsiveness. When it came to war decisions, Bush could
not exactly praise British and Spanish governments for outstanding transparency
and responsiveness, more for willingness.
From
my point of view, freedom and democracy are not only an achievement, but a
sustainable and necessary risk, even for democrats.
Jan.
21, 2006
TIME
US-intervention in Iran (TIME Jan. 23, 2006 S. 27: Michael Elliott, 'Be careful
what you wish for')
Iraq
isn’t so far from Angola or Afghanistan – this time speaking of a gambling, adventuring,
uncontained America going to war. Furthermore I cannot see, that ordinary
American, British, or Spanish voters had – or do constitutionally have – any
fair chance of influencing the war powers of their ambitious administrations.
Nor would I presume that more of the same, or even American omnipotence, would
have guaranteed a sustainable victory and stable peace in Iraq, or in the
Middle East as a whole.
Iraq
simply never was a just case for Goliath / Gulliver and the promised streets of
smiles and flowers just were illusions, or propaganda. And therefore any new
mission in the region is more questionable and more destabilizing than it was
before that cool and fancy "Let’s go!" order. Among states as among
individuals, no one should say he was born, or created, to lead. The theory of
being a privileged product of ‘Vorsehung’ may be attractive and even inspiring.
But it was misleading in any known case. ‘Follow the leader’ may end up very
deadly.
Nov.
13, 2005
TIME
Karl Rove’s ‚Permanent Campaign‘ TIME Nov. 7, 2005, p. 32f (Joe Klein: 'The
Perils of the Permanent Campaign')
Joe
Klein's article 'The Perils of the Permanent Campaign' somewhat reminded me of
a quotation attributed to Hitler in Robert Harris' brilliant dark novel
'Fatherland'. Hitler is being cited there with: People sometimes say to me: 'Be careful! You
will have twenty years of guerilla warfare on your hands!' I am delighted at
the prospect. Germany will remain in a state of perpetual alertness.
Well,
there are certainly grave differences of guilt. And while Hitler wanted to keep
soldiers in high alert, Rove and Bush simply aim at the voters. But there are
corresponding so called meme-programmes or timeless, selfisch bricks of shared
conscience like 'Life is struggle!' or 'Enemies strengthen leaders!' or 'Attack
'n win!'. Not very surprisingly, the very same memes seem to steer the
masterminds behind terrorism. That's presumably because we all belong to the
same branch of hyper-aggressive Cro-Magnons, permanently prepared to raid the
next valley - shouting 'Rape or be raped!' or 'Live and let die!'
August
11, 2005
Newsweek, printed Oct. 10, 2005
Hiroshima and Nagasaki; 'War without mercy' in Newsweek August 15, 2005 p. 28:
The
phrase "Only a dead [x] is a good [x]" is a very flexible verdict,
already used unequivocally on Indians, Jews, Japanese, communists, and
Mohammedans, whilst completely incompatible to Christian faith. And
irrespective of the kamikaze-phenomenon it stays a strange notion that the
mightiest machine ever invented was designed and used against humans – in the
case of Hiroshima and Nagasaki even purposefully against mostly undestroyed and
quite unsuspecting communities without relevant strategic importance: a kind of
vivisection.
I
can reconstruct Truman's motives in favour of the soldiers still in the field.
But I understand that there were concurrent motives of most questionable
morality: to deeply impress Stalin and keep Russia out of Japan, to prove the
necessity of 2 billions invested in the Manhattan project and show the
paramount importance of a military industrial complex, to prove scientific
theories and to simply switch on a gadget just delivered. The most puzzling
fact seems to me: The fast use of the second bomb – also representing the
different plutonium approach and therefore a sort of new experiment – was not
triggered by special presidential order and was not even politically discussed.
It was decided by military commanders abroad and may be basically due to an
unpromising weather forecast. History can be extremely trivial.
August.8,
2005
TIME
bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August 1945 (TIME of August 1st, 2005, p.
24ff)
Mankind
made use of the most advanced scientists and engineers, developed its most
powerful tool and unleashed the highest peak of energy just to extinct humans,
most of them citizens like ourselves. There is something very psychotic about
that. And absolutely nothing heroic, also bearing in mind the final lines of
Thomas Stearns Eliot’s ‘Hollow Men’.
Dec.
7, 2003
TIME
Iraq conflict; Charles Krauthammer's "Why Bush stays away"' in TIME
Dec. 8, 2003, p. 35:
From
a public relations point of view, Charles Krauthammer may be right: The leader
should mute any sign of grief till the war-job is done. A problem might be,
that it's just p.r. - like the cold embedded turkey on Thanksgiving Day in
Baghdad - and no good cause to die for. But that may not deter any politician
in times, when neither press nor citizens can realistically scrutinize the
causes of war communicated by a professional 'public diplomacy'.
Nov.
26, 2003
Newsweek
interview with the former head of the Israeli domestic security service, Ami
Ayalon "We feel it every day" (Newsweek Dec. 1, 2003, p. 68)
It's
good to hear the simple lesson learned by a professional, his experience
showing 'the correlation between poverty, despair, humiliation and terror.'
Unfortunately, these days politicians better bargain on fear than on hope. They
need the thought of killing terrorists and aborting all inhumanity
simultaneously. Next terrorist, next inhumanity - and so on.
Sept.
1, 2003
TIME
Iraq war; Charles Krauthammer's "Help wanted"' (TIME, Sept. 1, 2003,
p. 27):
I
never heard the world asking for the U.S. to play God, especially not in Iraq.
Nor that God had told us, the U.S. were his closest match on earth. Or that
Iraq or other very disturbing - e.g. islamic - places were god-forsaken.
Perhaps just that misconception of being God's next relative makes for gross
miscalculations like the idea of entering Iraq on an endless layer of flowers,
cheers, and blessings. Compassion for the worlds most pressing needs - and
sympathy for the U.S. - would best be shown and generated by investing a U.S.
billion per week in globally fighting child starvation and diseases. And this
altruistic help would really have a spell of God.
Sept.
1, 2003
Newsweek
Iraq war; Fareed Zakaria' s article "Suicide bombers can be stopped"
(Newsweek, Aug. 25, 2003, p. 15)
Fareed
Zakaria doesn't give a single hint as to Palaestinean suicide bombers. But
reading the headline I cannot help thinking of them at first. And indeed, the
Turkish example seems to apply here as well: There is no hope for a victory
over terrorism by a limited military - or assassinatory - strategy. To better
up the social, economical, and political situation is a conditio sine qua non.
That means a noticable step towards freedom and independence, which also are
political aims of best western reputation.
July
22, 2003
Iraq war;
TIME, July 21, 2003 p. 16-20 (Micheal Duffy and James Carney: 'A Question of
Trust'):
Opening
White House internet files of important Presidential speeches on the brink of
the last Iraq war, you are guided by a firmly gripping headline: 'IRAQ - DENIAL
AND DECEPTION'. Having read a lot since May on antrax germs and their possible
origin, on yellowcake, aluminium tubes, mid-range missiles to be launched
within 45 minutes, and on oil, I do not know for sure at whom these headlines
are pointing - most probably at both sides. That's exactly why the United
Nations were founded and why the UN should be chief actor in any peace
strategy.
And
a President with a habit for cool martial outfit - look e.g. the nice cover of
TIME May 19, 2003 - should be heroic enough not to finger-point at assistants,
if these report the way they were unmistakenly supposed to. The 'State of the
Union' speech delivered on Jan. 28 gives me very strange connotations nowadays,
regarding to facts and to virtues.
March
21, 2003
Newsweek
Iraq war; Newsweek of March 24, 2003; interview with Paul Wolfowitz 'It will be
a war for the Iraqi people'
Paul
Wolfowitz praises 'stand-up guys' like Tony Blair bucking a domestic anti-war
tide, and he accuses representatives of other states of demagoguing the
Irak-issue and whipping up opinion. Most probably Gerhard Schroeder and Jaques
Chirac are meant. Paul Wolfowitz seems to say: "There are lots of
questions an intimidated and poorly informed crowd is unable to understand,
less to solve, so call for us politicians. And to be a statesman and more than
a footnote to history be ready to be alone and decide alone!"
Unfortunately, this is the psychology of strong leadership, not of democracy,
and there are lots of monstrous examples, including Caesar raping Gallia for an
outstanding career - and definitely not to the advantage of mountains of dead,
most Barbarians, some Romans.
George
W. Bush is eager to deliver democratic values by decisive force to the Near and
Middle East. It seems to me that these values are badly victimized by decisive
force already, regarding both national and international democracy, especially
the United Nations procedures.
March
19, 2003
TIME
Iraq war; Joe Klein's 'The Poker Player in Chief' in TIME March 17, 2003, p.
39:
The
magic has gone. As a kid I joined Donald Duck's nephews and Uncle Scrooge
digging for gold at the Klondyke river (and learned by the way, that dealing is
even better than digging). Some years older, I used to stroll through Central
Park with Salinger's Holden Caulfield. Then I was diving with Benjamin
Braddock, and Simon&Garfunkel were singing in the background. As an adult,
I shared the cockpit of Heller's Jossarian and tried to figure out catch 22.
The longest and most impressive poem I know by heart is T. S. Eliot's 'Hollow
men' - and I was on the beach too. In short: I was sucking in anglo-american
culture, democracy, and lawfullness like mother-milk, with that black hole that
fascism had left of German history and values.
Today
I wish Americans would have learned the lessons I was taught. I see an America
claiming uncontested leadership and - as far as I can judge - neglecting
international law and institutions it had promoted half a century back. And an
America not adhering to basic Christian ethics such as kindness, humanity, and
mercy, but favouring the black-and-white-patterns of the Old Testament that
amplify fear, terror, and aggression. So there may be consequences even more
profound than Joe Klein described: Me and my likes seem to have lost a symbol
and a culture to trust in. Bush has already lost the real game.
Oct.
4, 2002
Newsweek
impending Iraq conflict; article 'Heading to Battle' in Newsweek Sept. 30, 2002
(p. 22)
There
are recent hints that the US Government significantly contributed to birth and
growth of the Iraqui chernical and biological weapons programme and even
delivered antrax cultures. That was way back in the days of the Iraq-Iran war,
when Saddam still joined the axis of good. Consequently there wasn't too much
real time protest against Saddam's barbaric use of those weapons against Iran
and against opposing Kurds, and no intervention of course.
It
seerns we most of the time fight 'bella iusta' against self designed monsters.
Perhaps it is not worth while to discuss those everlasting patterns of the
Great Game. lf it wasn't for hundreds of thousands of civilians already
victimized by politicians of the 'Zauberlehrling' class. Victims that are
mostly children, without any choice of their economical, political, religious
or cultural system.
Sept.
26, 2002
TIME, printed in TIME Oct. 28, 2002
Irak intervention; article 'Does might make it right?' in TIME Sept. 30, 2002:
The
dangers posed by terrorists may have increased dramatically and conventional
military strategy (including non-conventional weapons) may no longer defend a
country against non-state-based forms of aggression. But to start a new war
against Irak is more like business as usual and not proof of a new way of
thinking and understanding. At best attacking Irak may be explained as turning
the rifle from a moving target - Osama bin Laden - and aiming at a more or less
stationary Saddam. What the world truly needs is a strategy that fights hatred
and inferiority complexes by confidence-building measures in the fields of politics,
economics and culture. So the U.S. would aquire friends and bin Laden would
lose them.
July
31, 2002
Sh'ma
http://www.jewishdiversity.com/may02/nathan.htm
re: Nathans Lewin’s article "Detering suicide
bombers"
As
a German, I am deeply shocked by Nathan Lewin’s proposals of deliberately
killing parents, brothers and sisters of Palestinian suicide bombers. I might
not be entitled to any moral condemnation because it were Germans who could have
destroyed or at least harmed Mr. Lewin’s youth in Poland and most probably hurt
or even killed members of his family. So I would like to question just the
effectiveness of his ideas – sheer effectiveness being the core of his
initiative anyway.
Guess
the Lewin proposals would have been implemented and even the warnings were
advertised. Most probably a suicide killer would turn up, whose family would
have disappeared just in time. Or there would have been recruited even a
‚suicide bomber family‘ or a part of it – just to publicly stage and plainly
prove gross inhumanity and immorality of the Israel adminstration. You amplify
the pressure and you just have to wait for an even more devastating explosion.
Which you only may contain by even more brutal politics: e.g. by deportation of
any Palestinian population from first Israel, then Gaza and the Westbank, a
development already quite near to the Nazi "Bevölkerungspolitik" in
Europe.
So
we have arrived at the very root of the problem, which is not at all adressed
in the Lewin paper: The Palestinian side certainly feels justified for a
struggle for land and entiteled to any means efficient (!) to defend their
rights – eagerly awaiting a Palestinian "Independance Day". And in
the scale of values of the Palestinian people – same of the Jewish –land,
independence and a glorious future have a much higher ranking than the life of
an individual, of a familiy or even a tribe. So the long term solution never
lies in detering actions against commonly perceived injustice – and these
people read the Bible not the way Nathan Lewin does – but in coexistence and
even cooperation of people, who are not so different in looks, habits and some
archaic customs as it may seem.
Lewin’s
ideas were perfectly fit for the abrahamitic days, when strong, intelligent and
often ruthless leaders brought the people of Israel through deserts and dangers
to a promised land and where short peroids of peace relied on heavy and
immediate retaliation, on deterrence and even aggression. His ideas are not at
all fit for times, when land and ressources have shrunk dramatically and we
have to cooperate on the basis of live and let live, human rights – and law!
Sept.
16, 2001
Newsweek
terrorist attacks in New York, Washington and Pittsburgh
On
Friday, September 14th I joined an ecumenical service in the Stimson Memorial
Chapel in Bonn, Germany. I was impressed by the prayers of participants spoken
out aloud, expressing deep grief and sorrow, but trusting in God for help, for
justice and against retaliation. As a stranger, I did not dare to speak up
myself. If I would, it would have been something like the following:
God
of mercy,
talk to those who pray to you and make them speak together:
Christians and Jews, Jews and Muslims, Muslims and Christians.
Let the sign of your followers be not a cross nor a star nor a rising moon,
but a circle of three young children, holding their hands firmly, and dancing.
Dec.
11, 2000
TIME
US presidential election (TIME no. 24 of Dec. 11, 2000, p. 38 ff "May it
please the court")
In
principle the evaluation of the US presidential election should be left to the
Americans. But that voting and judicial roundabout has much to do with the
understanding of democracy in America. And America simply is – and acts as –
Europe‘s guiding culture.
Really
astonishing appears to me: The controversy essentially raves between two
private men. Bush and Gore fight for own ambitions - and ask and get some loyal
assistance from government or courts. The voter on the other side does not seem
to have a very efficient forum, in order to clarify the fate of his personal
democratic voice. It might even happen to him finally being told, that over the
struggle of the great chiefs the time the constitution designated for
examination and investigation – so sorry – has expired and peace and order have
to prevail.
We
should remember two quite simple rules of law, an older and a newer one:
Ambiguitas (venit) contra stipulatorem. And: Any damage should best be
allocated with him, who can prevent or even minimize it in the most efficient
way. What I would like to express: If the state caused obviously falseleading
election procedures and forms, then in the relation between voter and state it
is the state that must ensure sufficient procedures for examination and
correction. It seems not very fair to put the voters off on some legal projects
in some unnown future. And the courts are perfectly fit to determine criteria
for the correct evaluation of votes in accordance with state and federal law.
These criteria would even be required under normal conditions, if the margin of
error was not that near to the margin of victory as these days.
May
10, 1996
International Herald Tribune
Standort Deutschland; changes in German social systems (International Herald
Tribune of May 10, Guido Brunner: "Kohl Sets Out on a Middle Way)
It
is sometimes overlooked: Germany also is a pillar against social degradation
abroad. If Germany drops the standards the surrounding and partly weaker
economies are bound to react accordingly and even further. Movements on the
part of Germany will be major contributions to a downward competition for
working and living standards set in countries very far away and with a
remarkably lower degree of democracy.
May
2, 1996
International Herald Tribune
Holocaust; discussion of Daniel Jonah Goldhagen's book on the Holocaust
(International Herald Tribune of April 16: "New Book on Holocaust Is
Assailed in Germany")
Germans
appreciate the view that the Holocaust was the most secret work of a very small
group of Nazi gangsters. Non-Germans prefer the sight it was an atrocity
executed and executable solely by Germans. Both is simplification, both is
regression.
Take
a closer look at Mr. Goldhagen's thesis: Germans grown up in Germany in the
first three decades of the 20th century would most probably not have opposed
the social and physical extermination of Jews. Then no one - irrespective of
his actual time and place of birth - could ever be sure to have reacted
differently if brought up in the same circumstances. To evade this strange
notion he would have to argue that Germans have a very special and cruel
genetic brand, different from mankind. But this would even more abolish
personal German fault. So what - extinct those fatefully inhumane Germans?
Febr.
25, 1996
International Herald Tribune
Deutsche Einheit;
article in the International Herald Tribune of Febr. 23, 1996 (Rick Atkinson:
"Do Bonn subsidies help or hamper the East?")
To
me there is quite a clue for the sluggish economic situation in Eastern
Germany: The German reunification was sort of an "unfriendly
takeover". The East was swiftly wired to an overwhelming West in any
thinkable way - political parties, finance, production and energy, law - and
Easterners never had a fair chance of becoming competitors, to decide on their
own. Outspokenly: they were not supposed to.
To
create dependency at first and now shut down alimentation would be fatal blow -
if you do not effectively further emancipation at the same time.
Aug.
22, 1995
NIKKEY WEEKLY, JAPAN; printed: August 28,1995
Mititärpolitik; Bombardierung von Hiroshima und Nagasaki; THE NIKKEY WEEKLY of
August 14, 1995
I
refer to reports on WW II and especially to two letters to the editor printed
in THE NIKKEY WEEKLY of August 14, 1995 (page 6). It is my impression that
those two letters offer a unilateral and quite insulting interpretation of the
motives behind the drop of atomic bombs onto Hiroshima and Nagasaki fifty years
ago (e.g. N. Hale: "a merciful decision"). So I would like to show an
alternative view,:
It
is certainly true that Japanese military leaders commenced the hostilities
against the USA. But the Japanese victims at Hiroshima and Nagasaki were in
their vast majority civilians. And although they were victims, I am far from
sure they were the real addressees of the bombs as well. There is quite a
convincing hypothesis: the drop of the bombs in the first place aimed at
impressing the counterparts of Truman at the Potsdam Conference of July/August
1945 - Truman, a just invested and still very uneasy-feeling American
president. To add: according to now opened American files the Nagasaki bomb was
also meant to test a completely redesigned ignition system.
The
echoes of that demonstration of power strongly outlived that event. We hear
them over and over again - from Irak, from France, from China etc. So humanity
will never forget those victims, even if some wanted to.
and,
lots of letters earlier:
Sept.
29, 1992
Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger; printed: Oct. 2, 1992
military affairs; cancelling the "V 2 - Gedenkfeier" in Peenemünde
(KStAnz. v. 29.09.1992)
Hätten wir am Deutschlandtag die
Schöpfer der V 2 hochleben lassen, hätten wir auch die der Scud mitgefeiert.
Die Scud ist wie die Mehrzahl der heute weltweit ausgerichteten Trägersysteme
legitimer Nachfahre der V 2. Scud und V 2 sind brutale
Massenvernichtungswaffen, die unter einem verantwortungslose Regime bewußt zum
Schaden der Zivilbevölkerung eines anderen Landes entwickelt und eingesetzt
worden sind.
Demgegenüber ist der vorgebliche
Kontext ziviler (!) Raumfahrtforschung, der etwa den jungen Wernher von Braun
begeistert und geblendet haben mag, als Begründung eines V 2 - Festes geradezu
absurd. Die Forschung hat sich gegen diese Wirtschaftsidee im doppelten Sinne
auch ausdrücklich verwahrt.
Der Vorschlag war, wenn auch der
Count-down schweren Herzens in letzter Sekunde abgebrochen wurde, bereits eine
verheerende Wunderwaffe gegen das Ansehen des neuen Deutschland im Ausland und
unserer Repräsentanten im Inland.
Translation:
If
we actually had arranged a V 2 - festival on the German National celebration
day (October 3rd) we would have praised the Scud as well. The Scud
missile is - as most of the modern military carrier systems - legitimate
descendant of the V 2. Scud and V 2 are brutal weapons of mass extinction and
were delibarately designed and used under a ruthless regime to the damage of
other peoples.
The
pretended connection with civilian Space science, that may perhaps have
inspired and dazzled a young Wernher von Braun, is a very absurd motivation
against that background. Consequently the science community has repudiated that
idea immediatly.
Even
if the count-down was broken off in the last minute the suggested celebration
already was a devastating 'Wunderwaffe' in respect of the new Germany abroad
and in respect of German representatives at home.