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Strategies & Market Trends : Mish's Global Economic Trend Analysis -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: regli who wrote (64951)	3/31/2007 4:49:01 PM
From: critical_mass	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 116555

Colonialism had not ended by WWII. The Netherlands fought for four years against the independence movement in Indonesia and finally gave up in 1949. Ghana was the first African colony to achieve independence in 1957. The Belgians assassinated Lumumba in 1961. Algerian war of independence lasted until 1962. Angola achieved independence from Portugal in 1975. Rhodesia became independent in 1981 and changed its name to Zimbabwe. Post colonial Europe is less than 30 years old. European policy since WWII was imperialistic as long as colonial powers could maintain. European colonial powers used diplomacy when it was the only option available. Where exactly has Germany been a force for peace? Could you provide a few examples? Merkel is largely a foreign policy focused Bundeskanzlerin. Given her conspicuous position toward the US war in Iraq, I find it quite strange that another choice from the CDU was not promoted as a candidate. Anti-war Germans voted for the only outspoken pro-war candidate. Perhaps the elites wanted a better relationship with the US and a move toward energy security. Germany certainly provided intelligence support in Iraq and any investigation was quickly shut down or closed off to the public in a manner that would make Shrubco proud. The public in Germany believed exactly what the media told them to believe exactly as they do today exactly as the general public does in the US. Energy security is a major theme in this war and like most Germans, you seem to have missed the importance. With all major suppliers at peak production or unreliable, how will Germany's industrial economy continue forward for the next 25 years? Europe is at least preparing itself for a less fossil fuel dominated world at much higher speed than the U.S. I don’t expect it to be fast enough but at present Europe is the most proactive player out there today even if it is for selfish environmental and energy security reasons. Germany is not anywhere near prepared. At 12.5% of electricity coming from renewables by 2010, Germany cannot break its addiction to oil and gas. Germany is quite competitive in solar and wind power, but it is not a realistic solution. Political grandstanding will not provide sufficient energy for Germany. Just because Germany is further ahead in non-nuclear renewables than the US does not mean it is prepared. For your information, I was and am against the war in Iraq, and detest George W's policies. But the so called "European policy" is really quite content with having the US attempt to secure its energy supply for the future while blaming George W. for many of the world's ills. When Germans start examining where their energy comes from and start boycotting the oil companies with blood on their hands, you will know that there are real and substantial political differences.