Merkel criticises Guantanamo Bay

Given that she has taken to plagarising from speeches by Ronald Reagan(see below) I was pleasantly surprised to hear that the German Chancellor was critical of the existence of Guantanamo. I had thought that she would be toeing the US line in anyway possible and become just another lapdog for the Bushcon's. But we'll watch to see how critical she is when she meets Bush at the end of the week, I do think she is playing up to the voters at home and as soon as she meets with Bush she will become very quiet..



In a live TV debate with Schröder a few days before the last German election Ms Merkel looked into the cameras with a warm smile and declared: "In two weeks you will make your election decision. Perhaps it will help if you answer a few questions when you make your decision: Is our country better off than it was seven years ago? Is growth higher? Is unemployment lower? Is there less bureaucracy? Are our pensions and health care system secure?'

"If you answer all those questions 'Yes', then I think it's obvious whom you've decided to vote for. But if you have doubts, if you don't want this course to continue, then you have a choice with the CDU and CSU [the CDU's Bavarian sister party]."

In the 1980 debate with President Carter, Reagan closed with the famous statement: "Next Tuesday all of you will go to the polls. It might be well if you would ask yourself: Are you better off than you were four years ago? Is there more or less unemployment? Is America as respected throughout the world as it was? Do you feel that our security is as safe, that we're as strong as we were four years ago?

"If you answer all of those questions 'Yes', then I think your choice is very obvious as to whom you will vote for. If you don't agree, if you don't think that this course that we've been on for the last four years is what you would like to see us follow for the next four, then I could suggest another choice that you have."