Below is the latest weekend news roundup from German-language news media, compiled and collated by JLH.
That Was Then, This is Now — Echoes in German
by JLH
After our president ordered the Tomahawk attack on the Syrian air base, a number of people commented on the Baron’s discussion of the event. This made me wonder how the German-speaking world would fit into the general picture of former supporters condemning and former enemies praising him. Here is a summary of reactions. I leave it to you to decipher its meaning.
Switzerland
Dazzling Change of Course to an Unclear Goal
No doubt about who the guilty party is
Radical Course Change!
Donald Trump confounded friends and enemies. The man elected as an isolationist changes course in 48 hours from “America First” to “God bless the whole world.”
Now he’s shocked (by the pictures)
Impulsive and unpredictable
What if he gets the urge to flex his muscles elsewhere? Like North Korea. When all is said and done, he likes to win
Austria
Trump’s Syrian Warning
Ominous message to North Korea and Iran
Path open for new justice on Supreme Court
Trump’s Warning Shot at Assad
The Kremlin is sending a warship to the Mediterranean and forecloses an accord with the USA.
All targets surveyed.
Germany
Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung:
Trump’s Little War
Is this the birth of a world politician with a global view? Or another show by a populist under pressure?
We Are Seeing the Birth of Trump, the Foreign Affairs Politician
- Assad was feeling too secure
- Trump surprised everyone
- The USA is back at the table
- A message to Kim
Bild:
What are the consequences of this attack for the world?
American Defense Minister is investigating whether Russia was involved in the poison gas attack
BILD chief editor Julian Richest
“Trump did what we expect from America.”
His air strike was able to “kill several flies with one blow.”
1. As US president, demonstrated the capacity for action. 2. Re-united a party splintered by the health care reform debate. 3. Showed he is not Obama and distanced himself from that foreign policy weakness. 4. Sent a signal to Russia and Syria that he is not bluffing. 5. He gave the order on the day of his first hosting of Chinese president Xi Jinping. A clear sign of strength to Beijing.
Trump is playing with fire (What will Russia do?)
Trump’s Syrian Turn — Weighing the Risks
What a change in such a short time. A few days ago, Donald Trump ruled out military intervention in Syria. And now? The US intervention is risky.
- Trump, the symbolic president
- The unpredictable president
- Open confrontation with Russia
- And the winner is… ISIS
Luxemburg
“A Brutally Symbolic Gesture”
Astounding change of attitude!
“No recognizable, thought-out strategy”
Dialogue instead of bombs (please)
Liechtenstein
US Threatens Further Military Attacks Against Assad
- US investigation into Russia’s role
- UN Security Council blocked (Russian veto)
- Crisis between Washington and Moscow
- Russia alerted ahead of time
- Saudi Arabia and Turkey welcome US attack
A muslim view?
Perhaps a leaf out of Osama bin Laden’s quote
http://www.celebritytypes.com/quotes/osama-bin-laden.php
All them there pouir kindergarden kiddies playing on that airfield amongst the bombers at midnight……………………………………………..
Heartless, we are.
The majority of Americans who voted for trump are saddened and disappointed by his recent action of gratuitously attacking Syria ; based on an unprovable and flimsy pretext. Trump’s voter base has been lost. Next election cycle in the USA will usher in many democrats who will institute impeachment proceedings. Trump appears to be a great actor { by the way he promised his supporters what he planned to do } but is simply another insignificant poser, who will usher in more suffering for the world. In retrospect….a closer look at his hairdo { a reflection of his vanity } should have been enough for perceptive people to avoid voting for him. Since Hillary was his opponent….America needs a place on the ballot that says : ‘ NONE OF THE ABOVE’>
better tell us about weather in Moscow, comrade.
on other things, just face reality.
your veto in UNSC is now irrelevant
your pocket cannibal Assad is in serious trouble
as well as your Iranian and Hezbolla allies
your air defences are crap, and
your best airbase in temporarily occupied Syria lays in ruins
you will enjoy the rest of it very soon, US and British troops and gears are already unloading in Akaba.
…
war and anarchy then? Allah would be proud. Let the infidels come to us to that we can destroy them, saving us the expense of going to them. Assad has done his job very well and is polishing his father’s legacy.
I see not only the MSM is getting it wrong….
Trump has-in my opinion-made a big mistake by attacking Assad, we’ll see.
However, it’s the only serious mistake he has made so far, while the previous ‘president’ made nothing but mistakes, (intentionally) and was allowed to get away with it.
‘Unprovable and flimsy” ??
There’s enough radar over Syria to microwave burgers these days.
EVERYBODY and his brother has the radar track, Frannie.
The main reason we have millions of refugees from Syria ,is the actions of President Assad and his mentor Putin .The Islamic state will have to be defeated,but while Assad stays in power the crisis will continue.
Putin has increased the destruction many times over while testing his weaponry .
He is probably laughing up his sleeve at both the Liberal left ,typified by the appalling Angela Merkel and many on the right who seem to think he is helping the patriotic cause.
Yeaaay! Get rid of Assad! The west got rid of Saddam and what happened? They got rid of Gaddafi and what happened?
Some people are just very slow learners!
But go ahead and get rid of Assad, the only leader in the middle east who tolerates Christians and other minorities, do it, and what will we have?
Turkeys.
Don’t forget about the Georgia peanutfarmer trading the Shah for the ayatolla!
Every time we depose a strong man in the ME, it’s the Christians in the region who suffer.
The people(s) in MENA are all in awe about the last 60 or so years of US “interventions” in their countries. They are thrilled about the US and Americans. Keep those bombs and war coming and bring them more of what you think you are ” teaching” them. *sarcasm mode off*
When will you ever learn not to intervene unless you win? It’s about time the USA starts to think about what stable, consistent foreign policies look like. That way the rest of the world might get a clue on what it needs to do not to get attacked by the USA. And dont give us that WOMD bullshit again. We’ve all seen Colin Powell and his lies. We have seen the USA friend Sadam Hoessein using chemical weapons on his own people without any complaint from the US gov at that time…
Actually it doesn’t make a much difference to me whether Assad used barrel bombs or whether he used chemical weapons.
BUT… We, the world, have had a chemical treaty for over 100 years. I agree with enforcement of that.
If you want to slaughter your own people use conventional means, not gas.