Saturday, August 02, 2008

Guest Blog: Einigkeit und Recht und Freiheit

By Marius Ostrowski Einigkeit und Recht und Freiheit: Germany, the unlikely mediator in the Middle East

You know, sometimes when I read the coverage that the major countries in Europe get in the British press, I feel more than a little sick. It simply abounds with negative stereotypes, and there seems to be little that pleases institutions like the Telegraph, the Daily Mail (I hasten to add I’m not exactly a regular reader) or even the BBC more than when things are going thoroughly pear-shaped on the other side of the Channel. The French are either pseudo-imperialist government ministers or krypto-anarchist students on opposing sides of impromptu barricades in the Parisian banlieues, the Russians are all ex-KGB agents with a genetic predisposition for corruption and imaginative assassination methods, the Germans are thinly-veiled Nazis who are trying to create some more Lebensraum using the European Central Bank in Frankfurt and their car industry, the Dutch are all gay potheads, the Poles are all lumberjacks and plumbers, Scandinavians have antlers and graze on the local tundra, and the Italians all think they're Mussolini. And it doesn't matter if the British economy's screwed, because all their economies are even more screwed exclusively because of the French farmers and their precious Common Agricultural Policy. And all the other countries are completely irrelevant because they probably don't exist.

So when I saw the phrase "Germany's success as the Middle East's hostage negotiator" tucked away at the bottom of the page under "Features, Views, Analysis", I actually rubbed my eyes to check I hadn't imagined it. But no, there it was - possibly the most eloquent eulogy to the 'quiet diplomacy' the German foreign ministry has practised since the 1980s I've read in any language (and perhaps I should point out that the French and Russians realised this at least a year ago, judging by the articles I read in Izvestia and Le Monde last summer). The most recent example, of course, is the prisoner swap deal arranged this week between Israel and Lebanon - and perhaps the best indication of the German agents' success (as the article implies) is that no-one had any idea they were even involved until now.

There are three main reasons why Germany enjoys such a uniquely favourable position. History is the most important by far - instead of "not mentioning the war", German politicians took the mistakes on board and thus shaped a new Aussenpolitik that emphasised coordination and proactive neutrality (and in this respect, countries like Italy and France have begun to follow the German lead); instead of sending the soldiers in as aggressors, they're now there as peacekeepers and mediators (the former Yugoslavia being a good example), a role partly enforced due to the continued nonexistence of a German nuclear arsenal.

The second reason is that Germany, due to its acceptance of Gastarbeiter in the 1950s from Turkey and various Arab states, and (more importantly) lack of any past colonial interest in the Middle East, can intervene without accusations of imperialism, further aided by positive historical relations with what is now Iran, Syria and Turkey.

And last of all, the actual success of German mediation would not be possible without the close and long-standing contacts the German secret service (BND) has in their equivalents in Israel and Iran, coupled with the unambiguously positive relations at government level between the German and Israeli cabinets (viz Angela Merkel's well-received recent address to the Knesset as proof) and long-running overtures to the Bundesregierung on the part of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

In short, Germany is succeeding, pretty much single-handedly, in preserving at least some semblance of dignity in the involvement of Europe in Middle Eastern affairs - for all the critics who sneer at what they see as Germany crawling prostrate to Israel to forestall any post-Holocaust vindictiveness or (apparently simultaneous) German flirtation with the Islamic world to protect its corporate interests, the fact remains that it is Germany which has developed the most appropriate policy currently being pursued anywhere in the West. So Jeremy Clarkson and Piers Morgan can make all the derogatory remarks they want, because it appears that somewhere, deep down in the bowels of the British media, someone's realised that Germany have got their approach absolutely right, while Britain (and the USA) have got it very, very wrong...

20 comments:

Null said...

Thank you for this post Marius / Iain. It is refreshing to hear positive stories about Germany instead of the rather offensive references to "the war".

It is perhaps an indication of how distorted the UK view of the modern Germany is that I was so surprised by Germany's positive relationship with Israel.

I will drive my TT with renewed pride...

Anonymous said...

Hi Marius,

Interesting blog, but why sneer at the British media. Are they alone in utilising national sterotypes in their coverage of foreign affairs? My wife is German & I can tell you that the German media (both print and television) are no better.

As for your comment about Germany and the European project. I can still remember the German reaction to the Swedish no vote in their Euro Refereundum. I heard Mr. Fischer (excuse the spelling)- then German Foreign Minister -explaining on the German TV news that Sweden would eventually be forced to join the Euro anyway. Now I'm sure he meant market forces, globalisation etc... but it sent a shiver down my spine :)

Man in a Shed said...

Lets hope all those German peace makers in Afghanistan don't get hurt not flying their helicopters or doing anything useful for that matter at night or doing anything useful. So much better that its British, Canadian, Dutch and American soldiers doing the hard part of the work whilst you enjoy your country that we all put our necks on the line to defend for 40 years against the Soviet threat.

Germany has a key role in the middle east as demonstrated by the Muslim Brother hoods intense interest in 1940's Germany.

Your Navy is warmly welcomed by the Israeli airforce of Lebanon.

And your holiday makers continue their well earned reputation on the sun loungers and now kids clubs of Europe.

Are you sure your not Harry Enfield in disguise ?

Guido Fawkes said...

The German Army could do more in Afghanistan. Other countries are disproportionately bearing the burden.

Anonymous said...

What nonsense. Germany, France and Italy stand around wringing their hands and wittering on about"peacekeepers" (what peace?!?), whilst the US and UK get on with the real work of extending Western influence in the Middle East, safeguarding oil supplies into the future and dropping the hammer on the appropriate people.

You used to be so good at this. What went wrong? When we said "no invading Poland again", we didn't mean "totally withdraw from anything that might possibly require armed nastiness for the greater good"!

Anonymous said...

If Germany has any degree of popularity in Middle East (and I guess that Germans must be popular somewhere) then it is because, like the Russians and the French, they have never had any hang-ups about who they do business with.

Some of our arms companies may be a bit iffy in their dealings with Arab states, but Germany is in a league of its own.

So please don't give us lectures on peace, like this.

Chris Paul said...

Was it not three or four weeks ago when all sorts of strange mediations and successes were being rolled out with each of the nations claiming kudos dealing with a different "pair" or "set" of discoursants? Turkey was herself in there with Germany, Sarkosy was of course making claims, as was/is Blair, and there were others. The more the merrier.

OscarIndia said...

I've been in Afghanistan a fair bit in a previous life and the lack of support provided by the German military (with whom I've spent a little time) is a scandal. I appreciate it's not the fault of the soldiers themselves, many of whom would like to do more, but for German politicans to take the moral high ground on issues like this and then so brazenly run for the hills when asked to take any kind of political risk (a risk, let us remember, which doesn't even register compared to the risks UK, US, Dutch and Candian soldiers are taking for us all - including for Germany) is pretty low.

Anonymous said...

While it may be entirely right that Germany is playing a valuable role in the Middle East, the fact that it is achieving success with its approach is hardly a reason to criticise the more muscular approach of the US. After all, if it were not for the US commitment to Israel, Israel would have ceased to exist.

It is ridiculous to criticise the British attitude to Europe by reliance on Jeremy Clarkson and Piers Moron, both of who are essentially comedians. And if our attitude to the CAP is so wrong, feel free to pen a defence of its policies of denying free trade to the third world and so condemning many third world farmers to poverty or even death, while propping up a ludicrously inefficient agricultural industry in France.

neil craig said...

If our media are going to discuss other European countries & indeed they should I would like more reporting on the economically succesful ones - the Baltic states, Russia & most relevantly to us, Ireland. The fact that Ireland has gone from 2/3rds our standard of living to 4/3rds in 18 years is remarkable. The fact that it can happen with our media barely noticing it is also remarkable but not in a good way.

Having written elsewhere about Germany's use of the EU to destroy Yugoslavia using regimes lead by (ex-)Nazis publicly committed to genocide I will restrain myself from any futher comments about their Aussenpolitik & "mediation" there.

Anonymous said...

"the Germans are thinly-veiled Nazis who are trying to create some more Lebensraum using the European Central Bank in Frankfurt and their car industry, ...."

Anyone who has a knowledge of modern history would agree that that statement is 100% accurate. Churchill was right about the German's. They're either at your feet or at your throat. I prefer the former.
Shame really because on a personal level, most of them are like the rest of us but collectively!!

Anonymous said...

Might UK's distorted view of Germany,as you call it, not be a reflection of the fact that, for millions of British families, the memory, and indeed, the effects, of the horrific suffering and loss inflicted on them by Old Germany just over 60 years ago is still very real and painful?

The pivotal role of modern Germany in the EU's corrupt and anti-democratic political invasion of modern Britain only serves to exacerbate the bitterness so many of us still feel towards Germany.

That's why nulab's sickening and self serving attempt to apologise on behalf of the British for defending ourselves against German wartime aggression was greeted with such virulent anger here.

The derogatory remarks of Jeremy Clarkson (not that I'm a fan of his)and Piers Morgan might be anathema to europhiles, but they merely reflect the continuing bitterness so many millions of the British people still feel towards Germany.

Anonymous said...

So let's get this right. To paraphrase:

'We Germans are right and are single handedly saving Europe, the French and Italians are toadying up to our superiority and the dreadful US and Britain are wrong. Oh and PS all your British media are bigots'.

Where I have heard that before?

I suppose it comes from singing the first line of their national anthem.

It also seems the esteemed author clearly has not read 'How To Make Friends And Influence People'.

Furthermore, the article suggests he has no inkling why the Germans are held in the disregard that they are. Decades after their most vile acts, the real lessons have not been learnt and nothing has changed!

William Joyce could not have written a more transparent article.

Anonymous said...

Well said that man!

I have long believed that the UK should dump its old fashioned Foreign Office ideas and adopt a neutral Swiss/German attitude to foreign policy.

I remain astonished that the UK should continue to talk in terms of military intervention in any foreign policy arena. Unless we are going to send a 'gunboat up the river' the old style foreign policy as deployed by the Uk in the 19th Cenury and the US in the 20th Century is pittiable and leads to the UK influence being diluted and ridiculed.

The UK is still held in the highest esteem for its fairness, liberty, justice and way of life by billions of people around the world. Indeed, the World has adopted our language yet we make no political capital from it. We have the potential to influence far beyond our military and economic power and perhaps Germany is the example we should aspire to.

An honest broker trusted by all in a world gone mad is a powerful position to hold.

Anonymous said...

Hmm, Ostrowski - isn't that a Polish name...? A very interesting viewpoint no doubt for commentating on the German modus operandi. I commend you, Marius, on a thought-provoking piece and look forward to reading more of your articles!

Anonymous said...

Hi all, and thank you very much to Iain for publishing the article! Glad to see it's created fuel for debate at least...

On the subject of Afghanistan, since that appears to be the main problem the earlier comments have raised with German foreign policy, even though the country involved doesn’t have a ‘sensitive past’ with Germany, the politicians’ main worry (unofficially, since I admit that no official reason is really given for the limited troop action) is that the response to a greater role from the West will be “Oh look, it’s the Germans at it again, they can’t stop invading people” and from the Middle East “Oi, we thought you were neutral, fine, have some suicide bombers”.

I agree that German troops could do more than the current cotton-wool tactic (though I would oppose deployment to anywhere other than Afghanistan), but the problem I outlined above actually did manifest itself in a way when German peacekeepers were called upon to get involved in the Israel-Lebanon war, but as soon as it was raised that this might involve a German soldier shooting (at) an Israeli soldier, the respective medias went wild and the German politicians panicked. It’s rather sad that no-one would have batted an eyelid had the other soldier been Lebanese...

So to me it seems a little as though countries like the UK want to have their cake and eat it where German foreign policy is concerned – stay neutral AND invade. I think my article makes it clear which one I prefer...

Anonymous said...

It may well be the case that Germany is far more acceptable to Moslem Countries. After all as a Nation, the Germans have killed a large number of Jews.

Anonymous said...

Yep, good post.

I'm a German living in the UK for nearly 20 years, and when talking about Europe or Germany with British friends (or even acquaintances), they come in two types: A minority who repeat all the prejudices, and whose only questions are about Hitler, Hitler and Hitler again. And a majority, who realise they are told prejudices, and want to know about the reality. Easy to see which group has any chance to get a job in the media...

Christian

Anonymous said...

Anonymous said...

The problem with Germany is the same as always. There are just so many Germans, with so much power, right in the middle of Europe. That means they have many options for exercising their power and influence. That does not make them nazis and it is appalling that anyone could seriously make that suggestion.

Germany cannot be blamed for the fact that the UK destroys its own economy by remaining in the EU. It's our own fault. Germany could, and should, do a lot more to use military force in defence of the West, and Western interests; though not in the middle east.

Anonymous said...

Former Yugoslavia a good example? Surely that is at best an example of a German diplomatic cock-up. Some people even blame Germany for many of the problems there. The case can be argued, although I would agree that it is not the only view.

Remember that German involvement in the Middle East include one of their companies building a chemical weapon plant in Iraq, causing diplomatic difficulties. German UN delegates opposed the diplomatic pressure that might have made Saddam Hussein back down in 2002. Germany and France made him think he had a chance. Not a huge amount of dignity there.

Sorry, but the German diplomatic record is not especially good.