Soccer Dad

Strudel eating surrender monkeys

Despite Don Surber's sensible quote of Angela Merkel
Germany, rather than France has been the European country working against any sort of sanctions against Iran. As Yossi Klein Halevi wrote in the Wall Street Journal (subscription required / h/t Daled Amos, the Shalem Center)

Business opportunities in Iran were the theme of a German government-sponsored conference last week in Darmstadt, Germany. "Iran is accustomed to crises," the conference invitation delicately noted, "but somehow always keeps going forward." In fact, Iran's resilience is made possible in no small measure by Germany itself, which remains one of Iran's largest trading partners. Now Berlin is balking at international attempts to intensify economic sanctions against the Tehran regime for its nuclear program.

Why would that be?

Still, however substantial, business interests alone can't explain Germany's refusal to seriously confront the Iranian threat. The men and women I met in Berlin are obviously concerned about the stability of the Middle East and the safety of the Jewish state, and recognize that a nuclear-armed and expansionist Shiite regime is a danger, ultimately, to Europe as well.

Perhaps another reason for German blindness on Iran is a misplaced sense of contrition. In insisting on engagement rather than confrontation with Tehran, Germans seem to believe they are keeping faith with the lessons of their history. All problems should be peacefully resolved; no aggressor is irredeemable. That was the message offered last week by German Foreign Ministry spokesman Martin Jaeger, who, even as he insisted that Germany was ready "if necessary" to confront Iran, quickly added that Berlin was prepared to give the Ahmadinejad regime "a chance to recover the international community's lost confidence in its nuclear program. If Iran is ready to do this . . . then I think we can spare ourselves future sanctions debates."

Gee I never thought that France would be tougher than Germany but that seems to be what's happening.

Maybe I shouldn't be surprised, 2 years ago Daniel Pipes wrote Weak Brits, Tough French. Maybe the French shouldn't be underestimated.

iran, europe.