The Powder Keg Myth
When asked by Berlin’s Tagesspiegel about how dangerous a threat Islamist terror posed for Germany in light of the upcoming World Cup, German Federal Prosecutor Kay Nehm reacted in typical German fashion by explaining to reporters that it was not his job to assess the security situation here (a German will always be able to tell you what his job is not). He then went on to do so anyway, of course, saying he had the impression that “we’re sitting on a powder keg.”
Although the German collective imagination (should there actually be such a thing) gets understandably nervous these days about the very thought of the Israeli athletes killed by Palestinian terrorists at the 1972 Munich Olympics, Herr Nehm’s further assessment shows that he is in fact barking up the wrong terrorist tree.
“The attacks on Madrid and London showed that dissatisfied migrants living in a country can become radicalized without the threat they pose being recognized in time,” he said. He is right about the potential threat they pose, of course, and this threat is nothing new. But he is wrong about the context i.e. country within which we find ourselves.
The key words here are “Madrid and London”, not “dissatisfied migrants”. The bombs went off in these cities because their governments supported the physical removal of Saddam Hussein and, therefore, the American-led invasion and occupation of Iraq. Germany did not. Bombs did not go off and will not be going off in Germany because the German government opposed this invasion and occupation. Nor has the current government shown itself the slightest bit open to the possibility of using force as a means to dealing with other similar international threats in the future.
Aber wie lange noch (but how much longer)? How much longer will Germany be able to keep “dancing around the hot porridge”, as the German saying goes, and not take a truly firm stand against despotism and international terrorism? A firm stand as in standing troops, I mean. For quite a long time, I’m sure. For as long as they want, in other words, because, well, somebody is always mixing up a new batch of hot porridge and Germany just loves to dance. And none of their friends can “force” the Germans to stop dancing.
And that is where Herr Nehm is right yet again. Germany is sitting on a powder keg. But not in the way he thinks. Only the Germans themselves can set this powder keg off and they haven’t the slightest intention of ever doing so. It gets set off the moment they stop talking as if they were tough and start acting tough instead – acting responsibly and forcefully, that is. You know, with soldiers and guns and all of that other intolerable, politically incorrect stuff that comes along with it. But the Germans are still “doing” their collective German trauma. Or doing als ob (as if).
There are a lot of real threats for Germany out there in the real world, but having a few “dissatisfied migrants” at home isn’t one of them. So enjoy the World Cup without fear and impunity folks. I’d be enjoying it, too. Up close and personal, I mean. If I had won any damned tickets at those tickets lotteries, that is.
Comments
And here we go again - Anglo-Fascism in its purest form. Mad militarism, projecting one's own faults onto others, preferably blaming whole 'nations' and not giving a shit about reality. Fuck you.
Anglo-Fascism is so cool; May 14, 2006 12:46 PM
Sometimes I wish John Lennon would still be around. We wouldn't have this stupid discussion over and over again. Why is every lunatic out there calling for tough action? It is so remarkable that the loudest callers would never go to Iraq and fight. If you want war, then go, fight. Put your money where your mouth it. Stop the fingerpointing. Volunteer! Take your Bonehead friends from Hohenschönhausen or Marzahn and have your little gay party in the dessert. I'm sure we will find a sponsor for a one-way ticket to Bagdad.
Schönen Gruss an die Beduinen auch, Arschloch!
Make love not war; May 15, 2006 12:53 AM
Doesn't Clarsonuimus' posting predict a peaceful World Cup and doesn't it call for more attention to "real threats for Germany out there in the real world" (i.e., NOT London- and Madrid-style terrorists)?
So, how does the posting promote mad miliatarism? In which paragraph does the posting call for tough action?
I don't think that the person or people who posted the previous comments read and understood the original posting.
Also, rhetorically, try not to end comments with expletives; you'll look smarter if you can keep it clean.
Victor; May 15, 2006 6:38 AM
And you would look smarter if you would learn how to read and write. It's Clarsonismus not "Clarsonuismus". Smartass.
No wonder that most of the american newspapers have english editors. You are just incapable.
Anonymous; May 15, 2006 7:33 AM
First: You don't "dance" around the hot porridge (what sense would that make?), you "talk" around it.
Second: damn right Germany is not "taking firm action" because it doesn't yield shit! Seriously, what good has the Iraq invasion done to the "fight against terror"? I would be glad if you could NAME JUST ONE THING.
Meckla; May 18, 2006 4:49 PM
BTW, Victor, on your question: doesn't Clarsonimus in his post equate "taking action" with the adjective "responsible"?
Meckla; May 18, 2006 4:52 PM
So, one thing is enough, right?
And actually, I think Germans "correct" around the hot porridge. Now they've got me doing it!
Christy; May 18, 2006 5:14 PM
Thank you.
The "honeypot" looks more like a filthy trashcan to me. Way to go, mankind.
Meckla; May 18, 2006 5:33 PM