dave • Jul 3, 2003 6:42 am
The top story on CNN this morning is that Germany demands an apology, as if anyone gives a shit.
I've been following the story since yesterday, when it broke, because I had nothing better to do. So here's the gist of what's going on:
Italian PM Berlusconi likened a German heckler to a Nazi. Everyone shits their pants and blah blah blah. Berlusconi won't retract the remark or apologize, and Germans care because Naziism isn't exactly one of those things they're proud of, and they want to distance themselves from it whenever possible.
Here's a nice little quote from CNN's article:
<blockquote>The diplomatic fallout reached Berlin, where the Italian ambassador was called by Schroeder for an explanation.
And in a speech to the German parliament on Wednesday, Schroeder said the Nazi comparison was competely unacceptable, and said he expected an apology. </blockquote>
Schroeder doesn't give a shit when one of his cronies compares Bush to Hitler, but someone makes a joke about Naziism against a German and he's all up in arms.
What it boils down to is this: Schroeder has no integrity. Germany will be better off when he loses his next election.
(Here's the actual quote: "I know in Italy there is a producer, producing a film on Nazi concentration camps. I will suggest you for the role of kapo (commander). You would be perfect for that role.")
(And here's CNN's article: http://www.cnn.com/2003/WORLD/europe/07/03/berlusconi.eu.speech/index.html )
I've been following the story since yesterday, when it broke, because I had nothing better to do. So here's the gist of what's going on:
Italian PM Berlusconi likened a German heckler to a Nazi. Everyone shits their pants and blah blah blah. Berlusconi won't retract the remark or apologize, and Germans care because Naziism isn't exactly one of those things they're proud of, and they want to distance themselves from it whenever possible.
Here's a nice little quote from CNN's article:
<blockquote>The diplomatic fallout reached Berlin, where the Italian ambassador was called by Schroeder for an explanation.
And in a speech to the German parliament on Wednesday, Schroeder said the Nazi comparison was competely unacceptable, and said he expected an apology. </blockquote>
Schroeder doesn't give a shit when one of his cronies compares Bush to Hitler, but someone makes a joke about Naziism against a German and he's all up in arms.
What it boils down to is this: Schroeder has no integrity. Germany will be better off when he loses his next election.
(Here's the actual quote: "I know in Italy there is a producer, producing a film on Nazi concentration camps. I will suggest you for the role of kapo (commander). You would be perfect for that role.")
(And here's CNN's article: http://www.cnn.com/2003/WORLD/europe/07/03/berlusconi.eu.speech/index.html )
