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Spurring to Action Wunderbar GERMANY in TURMOIL the Merkel Center Holds – but Barely, America’S Retreat and Donald Trump’S Refusal to Together Says Günter Bannas

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Spurring to Action Wunderbar GERMANY in TURMOIL the Merkel Center Holds – but Barely, America’S Retreat and Donald Trump’S Refusal to Together Says Günter Bannas $ 2.00 US October 2018 ISSN 1864-3965 Facing off What’s in store for the trans-Atlantic relationship? German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy and Munich Security Conference Chairman Wolfgang Ischinger assess the situation. pages 2 – 4 PICTURE ALLIANCE/AP PHOTO/JESCO DENZEL IN THIS ISSUE Spurring to action Wunderbar GERMANY IN TURMOIL The Merkel center holds – but barely, America’s retreat and Donald Trump’s refusal to together says Günter Bannas. Meanwhile, violence lead are putting the trans-Atlantic alliance at risk and protests in Chemnitz are causing an uproar, observes Peter Koepf. And a new A greeting from President BY THEO SOMMER generation of politicians is gearing up to Frank-Walter Steinmeier take over, writes Lutz Lichtenberger. pages 6–8 e live in perilous times in an imperiled Pessimists in Europe assume that America’s inward ristotle once described friendship world. The most dramatic shift of power turn will continue. In 15 to 20 years, whites will be as “a single soul dwelling in two Wand wealth since the ascent of the United a minority, they point out. This will weaken ties with Abodies.” In the case of the friend- BULLS IN THE CHINA SHOP States to worldwide dominance a hundred years ago Europe and sap the trans-Atlantic commitment. ship between the US and Germany, that The trade war between the US and the puts an end to 500 years of Western (and white) European optimists assume that the US pullback from “single soul” is our shared belief in democ- Middle Kingdom is about more than just hegemony. China’s rise from international insignifi- the liberal world order won’t last long. They bank on racy, the inalienable rights of all people money. It is about world domination. cance to global clout is changing the power balance. the resilience and the ultimate rationality of American and the rule of law. These are ideals we are Hans-Jürgen Jakobs lays out the battle- The Chinese model – capitalism plus authoritarian- voters. The pendulum will swing back to normal, committed to achieving together. field.page 13 ism – poses a grave challenge to the Western system they say. “Trump’s foreign policy will not outlast his And yet, as well all know, friendship is not of free market democracy, as despots all over the whims,” argues Janan Ganesh in the Financial Times. some sort of effortless miracle. It requires world are eager to emulate it. The liberal interna- The realists are not so sure. They consider it too attentive listening and a deep understanding FRIENDS WITH BENEFITS tional order, built by America after World War II risky to rely on the hope that Trumpism will disappear of what moves and inspires us to behave the German and US companies are among and sustained by its European allies ever since, is with Trump. At any rate, for the time being they have way we do. Taking the time to approach one the most important foreign investors collapsing. Democracy is in retreat; nationalism and to reckon with a president who throws out treaties, another with thoughtfulness and respect is in each other’s markets. A trade war tribalism are gaining ground; and global instability whose allegiance to NATO is questionable and who what makes – and grows – a friendship. would be bad for everyone, says continues to grow. Even in the so-called free world, considers the European Union a “foe.” Germans and Americans have always been Stormy-Annika Mildner. page 16 democracy is again at risk. Friedrich Merz, the chairman of Atlantik-Brücke, put connected in fundamental ways. We Ger- Worse yet: Facing a China on the rise and a dis- his finger on the wound when he said: “We Europeans mans are grateful for the political agenda ruptive Russia in a world replete with threats and must define our role in the world without the US. To that enabled us to regain our place in the HIGH AND LOW disorder, what used to be known as “the West” be true: It would be better if America returned to the world community Cornelia Funke, a bestselling German is breaking down. The fold one fine day, but and made it possi- author based in the US, talks about the cause, in the eyes of most at the present moment ble for our divided high regard many Americans have for Europeans, is President we can’t count on this country to reunite. Germans and how little some of her Donald Trump’s appar- for sure.” Merz echoed But the German- countrymen know about the US. ent determination to EUROPE WON’T Chancellor Angela American friendship page 23 destroy the world order Merkel’s memorable is also founded on the US created: the web of CUT LOOSE FROM statement: “The times KUGLER BUNDESREGIERUNG/STEFFEN countless personal alliances and institutions when we could fully rely connections across that underwrote free- on one another are more the Atlantic, includ- dom, safeguarded peace AMERICA or less over, so I can only ing centuries-old Washington, DC, 20016 Washington, NW St 3708 35th The German Times and promoted prosperity. say that we Europeans family roots as well “Today,” Robert Kagan must take our fate into as new friendships and partnerships between states in his recent article titled “The Cost of Ameri- our own hands.” French president Emmanuel Macron cities, communities, schools and universities. can Retreat,” “the US seems bent on relinquishing its weighed in: “The partner with which Europe built the All of these bonds have one thing in duties in pushing back the jungle.” Atlas, the Titan of post-war multilateral order seems to be turning its common; when we cultivate and celebrate endurance, is tired of holding up the sky. back on this shared history.” At the annual conference them, they thrive. And this is exactly what This is not a new phenomenon. Isolationism has of his ambassadors, Macron added: “Europe can no we’re seeking to do as part of our Deutsch- been the twin of imperialism throughout America’s longer entrust its security to the United States alone. landjahr in the US. With more than a thou- 242-year history. Swings from geopolitical outreach to Today, it is up to us to assume our responsibilities sand events taking place over a full year, withdrawal into its continental shell have punctuated and to guarantee security – and thereby European there will indeed be many opportunities to the country’s policy. The current retreat has been long sovereignty.” meet old friends, make new ones and explore in coming. It was George W. Bush who first pulled It seems paradoxical but it is a fact: Donald Trump’s what moves us all. back from multilateralism, making unilateralism his truculence is finally spurring the Europeans to action. My best wishes go out to those countless guiding principle. Barack Obama prioritized nation- In various fields they are stepping up to the plate. They individuals committed to cultivating this building at home and leading from behind. Under are increasing their defense spending and boosting friendship – in small towns and big cities, in Donald Trump, strategic restraint has shriveled to their military cooperation and integration. They are in the heartland and on the coasts, in compa- strategic retreat. He refuses to lead. His battle cry the process of aligning their foreign policies – vis-à-vis nies and at universities all over the country. “America first” jettisons the basic concept that deal- the Mediterranean and Africa, but also with regard Our joint efforts will no doubt allow our making means taking the interests of your partners into to China. Simultaneously, they are strengthening the friendship to shine and make us even more account instead of rudely overpowering and crushing stability of the euro and moving towards a fuller “wunderbar together.” them. Trump is the first to think that the American banking union. world order undermines American greatness – Mark In his last State-of-the-Union address to the Euro- Leonard’s sly remark is dead-on. For the time being, pean Parliament, Commission President Jean-Claude the president marks an inflection point. Juncker insisted, perhaps a bit grandiloquently, that PERMIT NO. 4848 PERMIT NO. SUBURBAN MD SUBURBAN The question is: President Trump’s obnoxious style, Europe needed Weltpolitikfähigkeit, the capacity for U.S. POSTAGE U.S. PRSRT STD PRSRT his incalculability and his unreliability – are they a tem- world politics. He is right, of course. And while it is PAID porary detour or, horrible thought, likely to become a undeniable that Europe won’t get there quickly, at A paper within this paper, permanent fixture of US foreign policy? While Euro- least it’s on the move. explores the past, present and peans expect his ghastly style to disappear with him, Europe won’t cut loose from America. The goal, in future of life in the German they are by no means sure that the basic thrust of his the words of German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas, capital. page 29–40 approach will vanish as well. is a “balanced relationship,” a relationship in which continued on page 2 2 The German Times October 2018 October 2018 The German Times 3 POLITICS POLITICS Enthusiasm, interest, friendship Germany and the US need to talk. Why a new trans-Atlantic exchange offers THE NEW a unique opportunity to do so. By Foreign Minister Heiko Maas GERMAN TIMES A personal greeting from publisher Detlef Prinz t first glance, everything long, hard look at German-US shaken. But what really brings a for people to meet. We want to We were having breakfast at seems pretty much the relations.
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