that has so much more than one the author or interviewers think. The foolishness of "European Diplomacy" with Iran, that Islamization of Europe, Israel, the US - and unintentionally a view of what most Americans never see - the latent arrogance of Germans towards, well, everyone. First, lets look, at De Winter's take on Iran.
SPIEGEL: What do you think the Europeans are doing wrong?...but here is a perfect example of what Europeans put up with all the time, something across the pond we only get glimpses of (especially if you don't read German). The dripping condescension:
De Winter: They are chasing illusions. At the time, I met Fischer during a reception at the headquarters of Springer Verlag (publishing house) in Berlin, and he came to me and asked: "What do you have against me? Why do you write such negative things about me?" I said: "I have placed so much hope in you, but you have disappointed me." And he was really taken aback. I tried to explain the situation to him. He had to be told that the Iranians weren't taking him seriously; they were making a fool of him. Fischer's response to this was that we had to pursue a dialogue and return to the negotiating table again and again.
SPIEGEL: But Fischer was right. What would have been the alternative?
De Winter: We could have told them: If you don't stop, we'll wipe you out!
SPIEGEL: You can't really mean that.
De Winter: Yes, I really do. I would have told the Iranians that if they don't halt their nuclear program today, we'll put the fear of God into them tomorrow. And they would have stopped because that's a language they understand. You can't go to these people and say: "Listen, if you renounce generating nuclear power, we'll help you produce something else. And if you don't do that, well, we'll be very, very sad." "Okay," is definitely what the guys in Tehran would say "That's a threat that we take seriously, and we'll meet your demands." What a ludicrous idea.
SPIEGEL: But Fischer was right. What would have been the alternative?Ohhhhh, yea. That is the German "elite" that I know. A little peak under the rug at the well varnished anti-Americanism;
De Winter: We could have told them: If you don't stop, we'll wipe you out!
SPIEGEL: You can't really mean that.
De Winter: Yes, I really do. I would have told the Iranians that if they don't halt their nuclear program today, we'll put the fear of God into them tomorrow. And they would have stopped because that's a language they understand. You can't go to these people and say: "Listen, if you renounce generating nuclear power, we'll help you produce something else. And if you don't do that, well, we'll be very, very sad." "Okay," is definitely what the guys in Tehran would say "That's a threat that we take seriously, and we'll meet your demands." What a ludicrous idea.
SPIEGEL: That is, with all due respect, the slightly simplified worldview of a novelist who lives in nice, little Holland and doesn't have to make such decisions. A foreign minister has responsibilities and has to be more cautious in his judgments.
SPIEGEL: Does your love for the States have something to do with your Jewish origins?I guess we would all be better in the world without Americans and Jews. Once they are done with then perhaps the focus could be back on what is really in the way of a better world ... the English and the French!
De Winter: That's certainly possible. But if that were the case, then I would feel most at home in Israel. I travel a lot to Israel, but I wouldn't want to live there.
SPIEGEL: Why not?
De Winter: Because of all the things that we have talked about. If I had lived during the 1920s, I would probably have also emigrated to Palestine. But today? I don't see it as the duty of every Jew to live in Israel. As far as I'm concerned, America is the Promised Land because everyone can live there as they please, no matter where they come from and no matter which god they worship -- as long as they work and respect the laws.
SPIEGEL: A fairly idealistic view of the United States.
De Winter: Please leave me with at least one illusion!
American - the new and improved Jews - hate and smear them with no guilt! Blame them for all your own failings ....
The interview was conducted by Martin Doerry and Henryk M. Broder - who German and ... Martin Doerry comes from both Jewish and Third Reich background - and Broder is of Polish/Jewish origins and his background almost comes across as "NeoCon" in the American context. Looks like Spiegel went in to be balanced, but it came out as a hostile interview.
Funny in that the authors, soaked in the German political stew, probably are tone deaf to it. My pro-Israeli American ears hear it quite well though - but - to cut them some slack, perhaps it is somewhere between where they think they are, and where I think they are. I'll meet them half way ... once the authors make the effort to actually visit the USA lie De Winter, if they haven't already - and they need to visit more than NYC and LA.
Either way - I am sure glad I hold a USA passport.
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