Germans Love... Empty Rhetoric!?

Welcome to European politics as usual.

German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder has warned the US to back away from the possibility of military action against Iran over its nuclear programme.

His comments come a day after President Bush reiterated that force remained an option but only as a last resort.

Iran has resumed what it says is a civilian nuclear research programme but which the West fears could be used to develop nuclear arms.

Germany, France and the UK have led efforts to end the crisis peacefully.

Mr Schroeder's rejection of force came at the official launch of his party's election campaign.

The BBC's Ray Furlong - reporting from Hanover - says there was an echo of his last election campaign three years ago, when his steadfast opposition to the use of force against Iraq helped get him re-elected.

This is really, really pathetic, and I'm not ashamed to say it. It's politics as usual for Europe. Gerhard Schroeder is trying to get reelected by showboating to the German people. He's taking on the barbarian Americans to show that he's a big man, and it's all nonsense; in fact, it's the same nonsense that we've been watching from Jacques Chirac for several years now.

And check out this money shot quote:

"Let's take the military option off the table. We have seen it doesn't work," Mr Schroeder told Social Democrats at the rally in Hanover, to rapturous applause from the crowd.

Gee, I may be completely mistaken, but I'd say that the military option in Iraq has been infinitely more successful than the diplomatic option with Iran. For the sake of arguments, lets review. First, we have Iraq. What has the military option accomplished?

Twenty-five million people liberated and given true freedom

A brutal dictator ousted

A largely stable country, save for an unpopular terrorist insurgency in the Sunni triangle

One of the most successful military campaigns in history, despite biased media coverage

To date, less military personnel killed in two and a half years than in the initial hours of the liberation of Europe, or pretty much any individual battle in the Island Hopping campaign

A fraction of the civilian deaths and injuries in the past two and a half years that could have been guaranteed by a continuation of Saddam Hussein's rule

Now, for the sake of arguments, let's review what the diplomatic option has accomplished in Iran.

Nothing

Be aware, readers, that Gerhard Schroeder's economy is in the toilet, his foreign policy is a complete and total failure, and Germany is worse off than it was when he took office. If the German people buy this garbage, I have nothing but pity for them. If they know what's good for them, they'll fire Schroeder and elect a new chancellor who will show real leadership in both foreign and domestic policy decisions.

Unfortunately, I'm not holding my breath. However, there's hope at the end of the article.

Mr Schroeder is lagging well behind his conservative rivals in the German election campaign, but has been narrowing the gap in recent days.

We can only hope that he won't snatch victory from the jaws of defeat like he did in the last election, because Gerhard Schroeder is bad for Germany, and what's bad for Germany is bad for Germans.