The countdown – From democracy to unconditional surrender
When Chancellor Angela Merkel surprisingly opened German doors for asylum seekers, overstraining the nation with her statement: "We can do it" The big question was "How?” and not just for many citizens and but for even more and more politicians.
Afterthe Chancellor had overridden the Dublin rules and canceled Schengen, another big question arises: Why did she do it? Was it intended or accidentally, or one of those moments facing even the coolest heads are not immune to, because the subconscious mind subdues awareness, being referred to as "historic" later on, just as Günter Schabowski on the 9th of November 1989, leading to the storm of the Berlin wall. That day one of the reporters asked when the regulations would come into effect. Schabowski assumed it would be the same day based on the wording of the note and replied: "As far as I know…effective immediately, without delay." He confirmed that the regulations included the border crossings into West Berlin, which he and nobody had not mentioned until then. The only difference is, that at that time people were united that belonged together and that were forcefully separated by two regimes, entire families and friendships; hence not in one millimetre comparable with what is happening now; the clash of completely opposite cultures.
The explanations, why she did so, kicking off her welcoming policy, offered by the Chancellor to Germany and Europe are self-contradictory, downright nebulous. The "We can do it!" is a bit like Obama’s statement lining up in the Book of Incantations written by politicians with his "Yes we can!" Their magic formulas have never solved a problem, especially not in a sustainable way. So the question, why so many refugees stream into the country is answered by the illusion magical spell. And people love magic, even they don’t know what awaits them or what comes towards them after the euphoria cools down to reality; when the treasure hunt for a better life and best benefits meets empty treasure chests.
Now Angela Merkel is fighting in Germany and Europe for cohesion; or is she really? The egocentric path she is taking is facing one crossroad, and that is either to become more powerful, or to fail completely. Her own party, the CDU (The German conservative centre right party) is starting to be churned, as she doesn’t lead the party and government as a democrat, but as a sole dictate, still successfully holding the Social Democrats, her coalition partner in Germany, and the French Socialists, on a short leach.
Let’s look at the six months timeline, to swing back the rope of tension
24th of April 2015 (Brussels): TheEU leaders gather for a special summit on the refugee policy, and part with disappointing results. In the Mediterranean Sea, hundreds of refugees drowned while trying to come to Europe. With that there more money was and more ships for sea rescue were released, but the delicate question about the equitable distribution of refugees into all EU member states was postponed. Merkel says it will not fail due to money. She already thinks that the EU has no choice, so either she helps these people, or they come to the EU.
15th of July 2015 (Rostock): Merkel experienced what happens when politics meets individuals. In Rostock she explains a refugee girl called Reem, that Germany cannot accept all asylum seekers. The child begins to cry. Merkel is deeply saddened and wants to console Reem. On the web, the Chancellor is denounced as cold as ice; exactly what she did not want to be.
17th of July 2015 (Berlin): It’s Merkel's 61st birthday. That day holds normally the traditional press conference, which is followed by the Chancellors vacation. However, the Bundestag held its special session on the Greece-aids. The traditional press conference was moved by Merkel to August 31, kick-starting a change of the country, yet at that time she didn’t know that yet.
25th of August 2015 (Nürnberg): The Federal Office for Migration and Refugees has announced that it intermits the so-called Dublin procedure for Syrians. The method provides the return of refugees to where they first entered EU soil. Some CDU leaders believe in a mishap. But Merkel says the Dublin procedure does not make sense, and refers to the for instance overstrained Greece. On the web she is hailed by the Syrians, sending her love messages.
27th of August 2015 (Vienna): The Western Balkans conference in Vienna is overshadowed by horrible news. The police had discovered a refrigerated truck with at least 50 dead refugees in Burgenland on a hard shoulder of the motorway A4. Angela Merkel is bewildered, and says: « We are all shocked by the appalling news. (...) These were people who were on their way to seek more security and protection (...). "She referred to the tragedy as a warning to Europe to tackle migration problems quickly and with solidarity. The next day the police corrected number of deaths to71.
31th of August 2015 (Berlin): Merkel is on her belated summer press and gives up any restraint in refugee policy. She speaks of a "great national task," wants a constant “yes” of the citizens to compassion and help, a no to xenophobia, more flexibility and openness. Confident and determined, she says: "We can do it, and where there is something in the way, it has to be overcome." The sentence “we can do it” remains unchanged with Merkel. The country knows how she was previously, but now she seems determined, emotional and leading. Hungary, on the same day, lets hundreds of migrants leave towards the West, and thus extends the refugee problem on to its neighbours.
2nd of September 2015 (Heidenau, Sachsen): For the first time in her chancellorship ever, she visited a refugee camp. In front, opponents are gathered and berate the distraught and disgusted looking Merkel with words as «Traitor» or "Piss off!”. She did not speak like the SPD leader Sigmar Gabriel did after, using the word "Pack", for all showing not to agree with Markel’s policy, but who knows what she thought.
5th of September 2015 (Berlin): The situation in Budapest is getting worse. Refugees are poorly supplied; they want to go to Austria or Germany. Merkel fears that there will be a tragedy, if the Hungarian police can no longer cope with the thousands of people. Together with Chancellor Werner Faymann they decided during the night, that Germany and Austria will take in the refugees, in consultation with the Hungarian Government, though an extraordinary agreement. Thus, they are allowed to enter without bureaucratic hurdles and controls. Upon arrival in Germany they are cheered by many citizens, with tears of joy flowing, as portrayed by main stream media, making it look like the entire of Germany is in tears. CSU chief Horst Seehofer feels ignored and as he warned already about the compromised situation.
11th of September 2015 (Düsseldorf): Merkel tells the "Rheinische Post" newspaper, that she is against a cap on the number of asylum seekers, because, according to her, this does not correspond to the Basic Law, nor could such a cap be held up anyway. Merkel's critics see it as a further invitation to overflow Germany.
12th of September 2015 (Berlin): Merkel is now leading the CDU longer than Konrad Adenauer did, Germany’s first Chancellor after WW2, but no celebration is held regarding this. At a congress of their party, Merkel seems worried and distracted, as there is a stirring and increasing resistance within the CDU against their policy. In Hungary, refugees keep on holding photos of her in the air, asking for help, whilst in Germany refugees ask Merkel for Selfies to send them home. The pressure on Merkel is growing.
13th of September 2015 (Berlin): Interior Minister Thomas de Maizière (CDU) announced that Germany reintroducing border controls because of the high refugee influx. Merkel herself did not appear. We may ask ourselves why. The tendency leans to her non agreement in the matter.
15th of September 2015 (Berlin): Merkel relies to the criticism of her policy: "I honestly have to say, if we now have to start to apologize that we show a friendly face in emergency situations, than this is not my country" Some believe to hear a threat of resignation. This assumption is denied by Merkel later, as she only wanted that citizens know who their Chancellor is. Now they know it, and in a way one would not expect from a democrat.
23th of September 2015 (Brussels): At a special summit in Brussels, EU leaders adopt a billion Euros increase in aid for refugees, a distribution of 160000 asylum seekers, better common external border controls and the establishment of registration centres, so called "hotspots" in Italy and Greece. Still this doesn’t look like a great relief for Germany, where the prognosis talk about over 800000 refugees to come this year 2015.
24th Federal Summit (Berlin): The federal government increased its aid to refugees on a massive, thus relieving states and municipalities, the handling of asylum seekers is exacerbated massively, the circle of safe countries of origin expanded.
25th till 27th of September 2015 (New York): Where ever Merkel appears at the United Nations, she is surrounded by diplomats. They also want Selfies with the Chancellor and photographers draw parallels to a pop star status. U2 singer Bono said: “The world had not experienced such a leader for long.”
“Are the alarm bells ringing, latest at this point? The media, suddenly a famous musician pops up out of nowhere, giving totally one sided statements and reflections of praise to the leader.”
7th of October 2015 (Berlin): Merkel answered the television journalist Anne Will issues about the Nation. Merkel did not waver, remaining with her former statement: "We can do it." She acts as if she was risking nothing, and couldn’t be dethroned at any time.
9th of October 2015 (Munich): Bavaria threatened Merkel with an action before the Federal Constitutional Court, in order to enforce a limit on the number of refugees, if Berlin would not take the initiative themselves. Mr. Seehofer (CSU sister party of Markel’s CDU) puts pressure on Merkel for weeks, provoked by the invitation of the Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban and the demanded for her a signal that the absorption capacities are limited. He does not get the wanted result.
13th of October 2015 (Berlin): CDU MPs demand stronger action on the German border. Yet Merkel warns about signalling towards refugees that Germany could soon seal the borders, as then they would try to get in all at a time. The CDU dropped to 38 percent in a recent survey, compared to a support in 2013 of 41.5 percent of the voters. Still questions about a successor for Merkel are not raised in this phase. There seems to be no alternative to her.
15th of October 2015 (Berlin/Brussels): The Chancellor is again heading a long day and a night session. There is still a disagreement with Seehofer from the CSU. The Chancellor holds a government declaration in the Bundestag, the Bavarian Prime Minister in the Bavarian Parliament. After that, Merkel flies to the EU summit in Brussels, where she will advertise again: "We can do it." For Merkel, there is no way back from her will and line, her policy and dictate.
So the flow of the refugees, illegal immigrants and economic migrants does not stop, because the Chancellor has stated that it is impossible to close down the borders of Germany. One hence cannot control the 3000 km of rural German border according to Merkel. Well if a country cannot do that then the base of national existence, the sovereignty and self-preservation is in question; and on top of that the countries security and military capabilities to secure borders.
The government knows that they, with their "Refugees welcome!" policy, have maneuvered into a situation from which there is no reasonable or possible exit without tough measures. The stream of refugees will not subside.
The pressure on Merkel is strongly growing, and the only country that could slow down the influx is Turkey. Yet the price is high, as it’s not just about money, as Ankara is asking for 3 billion Euros, three times the amount offered by the EU, yet good one third of what it will cost Germany alone to accommodate 800000 refugees. But as Merkel has played the poker game hard; Europe will have to pay a price that Merkel always opposed; accession talks with Turkey to become an EU member. The start has been made by Jean-Claude Juncker saying that both sides agreed to accelerate negotiations on visa facilitation for Turkish people. Either way, be it legal or illegal, the doors opening towards Islam entering Europe seem no longer to be able to close, just to lean a bit.
In addition to more financial support and a fast visa-free regulation,Turkey also calls for the classification of being a "safe country of origin". Although the accession negotiations will soon likely increase significantly in speed, still the question of whether in Turkey there is no political persecution and human rights are respected, among Europeans remains highly controversial. But that is the trick; Turkey is safe, so no reason for refugees to continue their trip to the EU, but knowing that Turkey is not fit for being part of the EU, due to the present migrant crisis, European politicians will maybe disregard that, just to slow down the refugee influx. So if Turkey leaves their borders open as pressure tool, the only defense is for the EU to close borders, something they are not doing, they are choosing the higher price.
Catering to the Muslims and Islam, the West is comforting a belief system that claims to be perfect and with a god of ultimate truth above human minds. Allowing Islam to enter Europe without rejection may be seen as “gods will” from the Muslims perspective, as many videos have shown when entering Europe, with praises for the god of Islam. A sudden rejection, may now lead to a religious fight, for or against. The tendency to self-criticism does not belong to the cultural DNA of the Arab-Islamic societies. If something goes wrong, always the others are to blame, like America, Europe, Israel, the infidels and heretics, and soon also Germany and the Germans, if they do not meet the expectations of the Muslim migrants.
The question about how it can be, that such a perfect faith leads to the formation of many defective countries and societies in the Middle East, should not be better placed, according to the main stream, the do-Gooders and many politicians. The answer would simply be "Shut up, you Nazi!".
By Thomas Fleckner
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