Bill SprichtJust another WordPress weblog

It’s interesting to go around “our” side of the blogosphere — where “we” is defined as those who generally support the current U.S. administration, particularly in foreign policy — and read the bloggers grappling over to what degree there is an islamist element to the French riots. Powerline’s Paul seems to believe that Islamist leaders may be directing disaffected foot soldiers. Captain Ed takes the suggestion further by noting evidence of planned Muslim attacks in France and other countries.

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I enjoyed the big parade today as Austria celebrated Nationalfeiertag, which is the office state holiday commemorating the anniversary of the declaration of Austrian neutrality. Today was the 50th anniversary of that event and is also considered the 50th anniversary of the modern-day (i.e., post-occupation) Austrian military. The military put on a great show: almost 100 aircraft, 4200 soldiers, 180 tanks, and heck of a lot more.

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The real “Gateway to Europe” is no more. As this article at European Command explains, the gateway mission will now be shared at two other U.S. air bases in Germany, Ramstein and Spangdahlem.

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The Left owns political and economic Germany. That’s my opinion, anyway. By saying this, I’m not ignoring the FDP’s suprising success in today’s election. What I’m suggesting is this: Germany is in a very difficult economic situation after seven years of the SPD and Greens, a leftist coalition. Yet no amount of misery seems enough to tilt people towards trying out a more free market economy.

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The outrageous coverage of Hurricane Katrina here in Austria and Germany has included many references to “third world” similarities. See, for example, Ray’s blog posting concerning Stern magazine’s editorial, “Somalia in America’s South.” The sneering arrogance, the gruesome Schadenfreude and the completely over the top moralizing reminded me of something that occurred two years ago in the United States, which also elicited “third world” references.

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You know that Germany’s Der Spiegel and others are convinced — or, probably more accurately, pretend to be convinced — that the U.S. media is gleichgeschaltet, meaning it tows the U.S. government’s line. They like to suggest that there is no opposition media in the United States. I say “suggest”, because these intelligent German “elites” know full well that there is more variety in the U.S. media than the Germans could even dream of having in their own country.

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From the excellent Kiev News Blog: “Poll Says Russian Spin Doctors Bracing for ‘Velvet Revolution’”. Snippet:

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Try not to cringe when you read this release from the Center for Applied Policy Research (CAP) titled “Non, Nee, Ne, Nie or No – Consequences, Options, and Recommendations if the Constitution is Rejected” (PDF). I know nothing about the CAP, though from a quick jaunt around their website I would say they look like a more than respectable European think tank. Here’s their “Key Points” summary, but you should read the whole thing:

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Isn’t this interesting?

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How left can a German Social Dem get? Apparently very, very left. The SPD’s former chairman, Oskar Lafontaine, is leaving his party after 39 years to join up with other lefties in what I cheerfully translate as a “Lefty League” (Linksbündnis). The central party in the Lefty League is the so-called “Party of Democratic Socialism” (PDS), more accurately called the German Communists or perhaps the “inheritors of the Worker’s and Farmer’s Paradise”.

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