American Views Abroad

 
Bush will be arriving in Germany for 24 hours on Tuesday; the city of Mainz where he is meeting up with Schroeder is all but pinned down under enormous security; Reuters reported this week that the Germans were greatly relieved when a type of community town meeting with local citizens, originally planned by the US side, was cancelled because his popularity is so low, and in an interview with a German TV Washington correspondent yesterday, one of the main questions was about Iran. Was the US planning to invade soon? What about diplomatic initiatives to try to settle the situation? Bush's face seemed pasty as if he had on too much make-up and he certainly didn't look at ease. He avoided answering directly. Yea, he said, I've heard those rumors about Iran. Common aims is the name of the game. No country wants to see Iran armed with nuclear weapons. Germany is striving for a permanent seat at the UN and in answer to whether or not the US will support this, he talked about Germany being a great nation and he didn't have a stand on the question. I have often heard from far away here about his direct no-nonsense appeal, but I found him very political and not at all prepared to reveal anything. Nor did he look friendly. In the words of my husband, he came across as ueberheblich, i.e. arrogant, and he felt he was not telling the truth on either point about Germany.

The Europeans were immediately taken up with the question of the US invading Iran the day the story broke in The New Yorker. Trying to follow the story from both sides, I get the impression of a cat and mouse game. The mouse scoots around trying to avoid physical destruction, the cat pretends either sleep or through gazing off into the vision thing, being aloof and in control at the same time. Scratch the surface and the picture looks different. The US military is so drained by the situation in Iraq. A good look around the press these last few weeks tells the more realistic story. Truthout has an excellent article on how Experts see the Military Draft as Inevitable at http://forum.truthout.org/blog/story/2005/2/18/9166/09308.
In Rolling Stone under politics is Return of the Draft at http://www.rollingstone.com/politics. Common Dreams News Center picked up a USA Today article on how US Troops Say It's Hard to Get Medical Care (particularly National Guardsmen and reservists) at www.commondreams.org/headlines05/0218-06.htm. In today's New York Times a headline reads 'Iraq or No, Guard Bonus Lures Some to Re-enlist.'

'Last year, the Guard attracted 49,210 soldiers, about 7,000 short of its goal of 56,000, reflecting its shifting role from weekend duty preparing for national disasters to defending foreign soil.' The article reported a $15,000 bonus for those re-enlisting for six years and $7,500 for three. Not all family members of those re-enlisting were elated at the thought, but there is an economical incentive that pulls in some. 'Particularly in relatively poor areas of the country....., the Guard will be recruiting in coming months as its roster of recruiters swells to 4,100 from 2,700. A low-ranking Guard member can make about $35,000 a year in a combat
tour in Iraq, or about $5,000 more than a young schoolteacher can earn here in a year.'

Here where there is still a draft, a young man has an option of doing either military or community service. School teachers are paid quite well and college education is very inexpensive. No one has to go off to war to pay up college loans, family medical bills or use a bonus for a down payment on a house. No one is trapped into having to pursue such an option: going off to war to pay the bills.
- posted by Gloria @ 3:58 PM