tapmag

“These people” are Guantanamo inmates, and Berlin’s Senator for the Interior, Ehrhart Körting, is not a fan. They went to Afghanistan believing it to be the promised land, the Social Democratic Senator told the Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung, at a time when the stoning of women was a common occurrence. “It speaks volumes as to  mindset of these people, even if you can’t proof they’ve engaged in terrorist activities.” Körting added himself to a growing list of German politicians who debated whether to admit some of the soon to be released Gitmo detainees into Germany.

Frank-Walter Steinmeier, the Foreign Minister, Vice-Chancellor,  Social Democratic candidate for Chancellor and all around Obama fanboy started the discussion by preemptively offering to accept some detainees even though the new U.S. administration hadn’t even asked (although they are expected to). This deeply offended Wolfgang Schäuble, Christian Democratic Minister of the Interior, who wasn’t consulted beforehand.  He apparently considers them to be a security risk to Germany, but then, people in general are a security risk in the eyes of Schäuble.

Schäuble got cover from his nerdy sidekick Wolfgang Bosbach, vice chair of the CDU caucus,  who essentially told the United States., and I’m paraphrasing here, “you break it, you own it” on the Gitmo situation. (Karl-Theodor Maria Nikolaus Johann Jacob Philipp Franz Joseph Sylvester Freiherr von und zu Guttenberg, General Secretary of the Christian Social Union, also offered words of  support for Schäuble, but I’m only mentioning him so I can drop his incredibly hilarious name. Thank God we kicked the Kaiser out a long time ago!)

The debate exemplifies the difficulties Europe has in dealing with a post-Bush America. While the Europeans condemnation of Guantanamo Bay was nearly universal, they were equally glad that the U.S. was doing all the dirty work when dealing with captured terrorist suspects. For example, German Special Forces operating in Afghanistan were ordered to “restrain” captured individuals instead of arresting them because the latter would result in them being subjected to German law, which prohibits extradition when the individuals face torture or the death penalty. So when U.S. troops arrived at the scene, the Germans were supposed to “release” the captives for the Americans to arrest.

Now that President Obama by ordering the closure of Gitmo is actually doing what countless politicians in the Old World with good reason demanded, Europeans are mostly playing duck and cover. They don’t feel responsible for the 50 or so detainees that can’t be repatriated to their native countries for various reasons, never mind that many European governments participated in the war in Afghanistan and quite a few turned a blind eye to extraordinary rendition flights. Austria is hiding behind its laws, saying they limit asylum to refugees — and regrettably the Guantanamo inmates do not qualify. Great Britain says it has already done its share, by taking back British citizens held at Gitmo. Instead it graciously offered its expertise in dealing with the detainees.

But still, up to seven EU countries might be willing to accept a few inmates. At least some are doing their part. Others need to follow or Europe will once again show that it chickens out when things become difficult.