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Obama meets German leaders before foreign policy speech (Roundup)
Jul 24, 2008, 15:59 GMT
German Chancellor Angela Merkel (R) meets designated presidential contender of US democratic party Barack Obama at the German Chancellery in Berlin, Germany, 24 July 2008. The Reichstag (parliament) building is pictured in the background. In the evening Obama will give a speech on his ideas of the future transatlantic cooperation in front of the victory column. EPA/WOLFGANG KUMM
Berlin - Barack Obama held talks with German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier in Berlin Thursday, before making a keenly awaited address on how he would conduct US foreign policy if elected president.
German government spokesman Ulrich Wilhelm described the talks, the first between Merkel and the senator, as 'very open and thoroughgoing and held in a very good atmosphere,' focusing on Iran, Afghanistan and Pakistan as well as the Middle East peace process.
Merkel and Obama posed smiling and shaking hands for photographers at the start of their meeting, which lasted about an hour.
Obama strategist Robert Gibbs said Obama had offered an overview of his trip to Iraq, Afghanistan and the Middle East, 'focusing, in particular, on the urgency of stopping Iran's pursuit of nuclear weapons.'
The senator had affirmed his pledge to pursue an 80-per-cent reduction in US green house gas emissions by 2050, Gibbs said.
The Illinois senator's next meeting was with Steinmeier across the city in the Foreign Ministry. Here Obama warmly greeted the foreign minister, with whom he had previously spoken by telephone.
The two discussed climate issues and disarmament in what was described by the German side as 'an open and trusting atmosphere.' Steinmeier outlined his ideas on a new transatlantic agenda.
Gibbs said Obama had expressed his appreciation for European efforts to end Iran's nuclear program. Germany has joined the five permanent members of the UN Security Council in a diplomatic effort to pressure Iran to halt uranium enrichment.
Obama had expressed his concern about rising tensions between Russia and Georgia, Gibbs said.
In line with government statements ahead of the visit, Obama made no statements to the press and answered no questions at either of the meetings.
After the meetings, the senator emerged from his hotel wearing sports kit to be driven to an unknown destination to work off the tensions of his trip.
As we worked out, thousands began gathering along the boulevard leading from the Brandenburg Gate to the Victory Column.
Here the Democratic Party hopeful was to make a key address on reviving the transatlantic relationship badly damaged under the presidency of George W Bush.
But European commentators warned the main purpose was to enhance Obama's foreign policy profile in the minds of the US electorate and that the entire European visit, which moves to Paris Friday and then on to Britain, was being carefully stage-managed for maximum effect in the US.
A small crowd of onlookers gathered outside the chancellor's office in central Berlin where Obama and Merkel held their talks and at the luxury hotel where he is staying.
Shortly after his arrival at the Adlon Hotel, which is close to both the US Embassy and Berlin's historic Brandenburg Gate, a suspicious package triggered a security scare at the hotel.
The hotel's lobby was cleared briefly before the package was declared safe. A security spokesman said it had turned out to be a book delivered by a taxi driver, with the sender requesting Obama to sign it.
A 40-year-old man driving a car breached the already cordoned-off zone late Wednesday and sprayed red paint around the area before being detained by police.
Obama is overwhelmingly more popular in Europe than his Republican adversary, John McCain. A recent poll put his German support at 76 per cent.
Before arriving in Germany, Obama visited Israel, the Palestinian territories, Kuwait, Afghanistan, Iraq and Jordan.
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Older Talkback
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Great photo op. The U.S. public will eat it up. The one thing the U.S. public wants to know the most is ... did an aide give him a blow job? Is he having sex in the back of his car?
Things like balancing a budget and justice have been on the back burner for at least 10 years now and it looks like the next 10 years will be more of the same.
Only in your mind, Lance - sex on the brain maybe? A candidate should meet with world leaders - better now than when leaving office with all the joyrides around the world like Bush is managing to do.
makes sense to me .
sp4 gave another great speech
'A candidate should meet with world leaders'
A candidate should propose substantive, meaningful, important and achievable goals. Like how to balance the budget and stop (ordering the) killing people they never met.
Photo ops are for hollywood actors and Britany Spears.
When was the last time Gordon Brown, Chancellor Angela Merkel or Nicolas Sarkozy campaigned in our country? They didn't! Who is this Barack Obama that he should speak on our behalf. He's not even president!! It's so blatantly obvious this man is a socialist which is why the Europeans love him. They know he's gonna bring down America so of course they cheer him on.
Lets look at the facts...
1. Obama is an appeaser of Islamic fundamentalists just like the Europeans.
2. Obama wants to raise taxes just like the Europeans.
3. Obama wants to regulate business which will kill innovation like the Europeans.
4. Obama does not want to drill for oil so we eventually end up paying $9/gal just like the Eurpeans.
5. Obama wants to socialize and ration our health care just like the Europeans.
6. Obama wants to cut and run in Iraq, just like the Europeans.
Hey Obama, don't run for president! Run for prime minister!!
Barack Obama as next President of The United States of America
The die is cast and for reasons that only a privileged few know, you Sir, will be the next President of the United States of America. Your next 4 years will be a turning point in US history and planet earth. CHANGE, your advisors and high stake investors offer the nation will undoubtedly be the same rhetoric and empty promises that make up a political campaign, that campaigns for appointment for any public office in America.
The White House will be the Black House to some, the Aryan Brothers of America will not be so happy, but yet will blame you and your staff if you fail, which will reinforce their belief that the Aryan Nation is the true leader for America. The religious zealots will be busy bees making nests to survive the onslaught of lies, corruption and deceit. Business enterprises and other competing nations will capitalize off of your inexperience in the art of corruption and murder. The organized crime organizations from different nations including our own will benefit from the lack of control over national crime.
Military governments including our own will test your tolerance to pain and deception and trick you into needless and profitable domestic and international conflict. You will no doubt attempt to colorize your staff to soften the race conflict once in office.
As President you will be President. Nations will respect you only for your title of office. Americans will soon see after your appointment as President that your intentions were manipulated by those that make the rules. You will fill the spot in history as planned, and nothing more.
You will never while in office be able to pull the troops from conflict in any land we are engaged in. As a matter of fact we as a nation will be engaged in a new conflict of war, which will galvanize Americans to seek a different form of government and a different and honest Congress.
You will attempt to shore up Americas problems with false promise and lies, because you cannot directly affect the CHANGE you promised.
Your frustration will be your downfall while in office, and your co-dependence on those that you trust will also add to your demise.
Our Armed Forces in rank will respect you as good soldiers they are, but those under them will not, and for good reasons, that only a good soldier knows.
America will not be America until its government respects the People, and tells the truth. America is a Republic, not a Democracy or Fascist Government or is it?
Until you can walk thru the streets and neighborhoods of America unaided by Secret Service or any other law enforcement agency you will not be respected by the many, only by the fearful and selfish few. Americans can protect their leaders if they are honest and respectful of the people they were elected to serve. Our Government has forsaken us for many hundreds of years, and now we will wait until your 4 years are finished for us to come to fruition.
CHANGE FOR AMERICA FOR AMERICANS!
The American Republic
A Sovereign Republic
I want a crystal ball like that!
...heil, bro...
his ignorance once again. The phrase is Sieg Heil. Being a rightwinger with suspected Aryan tendencies he exhibits the unremarkable stupidity of the American lunatic fringe.
this is going to be the worst of the worst it seems
He still is far more interesting, and better informed, than you will ever be. Personally, I like his quips. I show them at work and they just howl at the Bush dialog. If you read it out loud, it's twice as funny. Do more Bush dialog Spee! Make one up for Obama!
Are you perhaps working in the lunatic asylum ?
And now a few words on taxes and other stuff .It appears the repblicans have a probelem with things like income tax .It is regarded as an evil if your own government derives part of it's income from taxes .Spending on roads,infrastructure,governance,safety,street lightning,education ,levees,defense ,curbing climate change and other numerous tasks that are performed would probably be no longer needed then .Must be nice to live in republican USA then,without levees,roads,defense ( did I say that ?) and all the other things that make life enjoyable .or is it perhaps the 2 percent of your population that owns about 80 percent of it's assets (including the media ) thatare so succesful in telling you all that they don't realy need to pay for your needs .Why should they pay for the education of the poorest part of your own fellow americans .Let ignorance beget ignorance and so the good jobs will only pertain to the top notch rich kids .Creating opportunities for those left behind is looked upon as sociazlism by extremists in your country .I just call it giving equal opportunities in life .So much can be said about inproving life,including saving ten thousands of american lives every year by weakening the grip of corporate tycoons from your health care .they only care about maximum profit and are responsibe for the most expensive,most complicated system in the world,with a performance level that would rather belong to an emerging third world country .i'm not talking technology here,but performance .It should be evident that every americcan has the same access,he same chences ,the same treatment when his life is in peril .And that is exactly what you leave in the hands of a few private insurance companies .Let the richest part pay more taxes and the poorest part less,enjoy the benefits and don't be fooled by those that claim that suffering in silence is 'the american way' ,there is only such thing as universal standards .All the rest is decorative propaganda from your corporate world to justify their theft.You are all entitled to more...
At least Obama knows where Europe is and has an understanding of the 95% of the World outside america.
Contrast with the senile twitterings of McCain ! Just put, 'McCain gaffes', into Google to see the ignorance (which also pervades all republicans)
Interesting grasp the Marxist from Belgium has on the American tax system. More interesting is the fact that, by lowering these taxes, the Bush admin has achieved the highest tax receipts in history. Easily, we have produced almost a trillion more in the last fiscal year, directly due to the Bush tax reduction of 2001. As we can all plainly see, by the most recent GDP results, the rebate works too.
Arthur Laffer was the one who made this plain: when taxes get to a certain point, the earner begins to shelter income as opposed to investing it, thereby slowing the economy. Growth, as measured by GDP has a historic relationship with the tax environment. During the 1960's and 70's, when the tax environment was the most stifling, our growth was stymied. Once the Conservative tax environment was produced, we began to see the numbers we now take for granted.
Curiously, Europe has been the great teacher here, with tax haven nations like Switzerland, and Lichtenstein, and now Russia and the balkiins, a place for the wealthy euro ruling class to stuff earnings, while Americans in the same class re-invest in our economy.
This is the result of lazy euro politicians band-aiding, just like most of them do on health care, etc., to perpetuate the socialist society year after boring year. As time goes on, we see, in the socialized nations, les and less care for the same dollar, while in nations like Switzerland and Holland, a for-pay system keeps cost down through competition and ownership of insurance.
It shows too in growth and tax receipts. Now, as we head to what is likely a higher tax environment, we will be stripping the small business growth machine in the US of it's seed corn.
Interestingly enough, Ireland offers the best laboratory for ther lower tax message, as they have recently, dropped capital gains taxes there and their growth now matches the best western nations.
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jonny the fartJul 24th, 2008 - 17:14:36
I like how he was talking in Israel.
It was great show where he told a way into the future.
Being in a same place for the next 10 years.
USA should vote McCain. It just deserves this monster.
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