‘It’s no secret we’ve been through a rough period in the last months,” Secretary of State John Kerry said last week of US-German relations. That’s putting it mildly.
Revelations of mass US surveillance against Germany, who between the Nazis and the Stasi are particularly sensitive about that sort of thing, has forced a dramatic rethink in relations among German leaders, with public outrage forcing them to demand the US sign a promise to end such surveillance going forward.
Kerry downplayed the whole situation, as he always does, saying that they are going to “look forward” not backward, and that he will “strengthen the trust and confidence that has always characterized this relationship.”
Yet Kerry was mum on any actual reforms, dodging the question of a no-spy accord. As the Obama Administration has domestically, they seem to continue to believe that NSA scandals can be simply solved with a fresh coat of paint and a few good speeches about how it wasn’t so bad.
Off course they can, they have many other “things” in common, like Ukraine and EU-US economic cooperation which includes Ukraine.
Mr Kerry It is Germany that decides WHEN it can put it behind them, not you!
you don't make the decision you made the mistake and you are making the same mistake now!
As for this idea of looking forward, remember this is the same message you gave at the end of the Bush Presidency and all of the illegal things he did, sadly you looked forward and continued breaking the law!
"…at the end of the Bush Presidency…"
That was Obama, Kerry was still in the Senate (where he should have stayed) but he was obviously listening.
the Lion, brillant reply! You hit the nail perfectly on its head!
As contractors like to say, "Plaster and pain, . . make it what it ain't."
What are 45,000 U.S. troops doing in Germany?