IanPooley

HI all,

as many of you know I am not german (greek) but I live in munich/germany. I want to ask you if the US citizens really wanna boycott german produts b/c of the german government who is not supporting any military actions against the iraq. Are there any known cases of people who aren´t supporting the german companies anymore?

I am just asking cause there is many propaganda in both directions (pro iraq - contra iraq) and I just wanna know how you feel about it and the reasons of your way of thinking.

I dont want to start a big politic discussion in here! Everyone has a different view about world politics and that is good b/c thats democracy.

In my eyes I wouldn´t start to boycott american products. I like the US and like the europeans. Everyone of us supports the disarming of the iraq - there are just discussions about how to act.

Please feel free to post your opinion and position without discriminating or hurting each other

Thank you!

PS: If the mods of this forum don´t like this discussion, feel free to delete it! I really got no problem with that

Regards,

Stealth01Stang

I for one know that I will not boycott anything German just b/c they happen to disagree with US policy. Just not too terribly practical and Germany and France are not our enemies in the situation.

I believe that the original purpose of re-naming things (ie: hamburger- victory steaks, frankfurter- victory sausage) was during WWI when the US was sore over the German U boat sinking the Lusitania, and the government actually commissioned these names. Although calling them "victory fries" is pretty clever IMO

Mark08859

I will not be actively boycotting German products. Although they are in disagreement with the US, no real harm is being done. Therefore, a boycott is certainly not warranted.

MTI

In the build up to WW 1 (the war to end all wars) the term "hot dog" picked up popularity from the backlash against "franfurter" during the war. Dachshunds were renamed liberty dogs, German measles were renamed liberty measles, and the City University of New York reduced by one credit every course in German. Fourteen states banned the speaking of German in public schools.

Boycott German and French goods? Okay, when Chevron, Shell, BP and Haliburton stop buying Iraqi oil, I might consider not getting another bottle of Moet or Leitz-Wetzlar optics!

karl k

There is a LOT of pour reporting and lack reporting of the facts regarding the German support and involvement in the Iraq conflict.

There are Special German Commandos training with US Special Forces in Kuwait right now, practicing retieval/rescue tactics.

Germany is providing logistical support for all of our forces stationed in Germany and beefed up security for ALL US military bases/activities in Germany.

Additionally, there are many German soldiers in Afghanistan.

NOW - what about the French?

They do not have a single soldier in Kuwait or Afghanistan. They jeopardize the Western Alliance and it's solidarity!!

I'll boycott their ecargots and skip this year the bi-annual Paris Air Show.

As for Freedom Fries -- I do NOT eat junk food.

...and what about TURKEY? Why are they in NATO anyway?

Turkey is great for a Thanksgiving feast!

IanPooley

----> Yes there are german special forces ["KSK - Krisen Spezial Kräfte"] in Kuwait and the ABC-Tanks ["Fuchs-Spürpanzer"]. The KSK is well trained to rescue any US and UK forces. A high military speaker of the US said that they are as good as the seals.
The ABC-Tanks [Nuclear-biologic-chemical defence tanks] will defend the US bases in Kuwait and Katar in fact of a biologic or chemical attack from the iraq.
I hope noone would say that german forces are not supporting the USA. But everyone got to know that the german "Bundeswehr" forces are not allowed to rearm in that way like the US forces can do since the WWII. There are contracts for that which where signed by the alliances. For example: germany is not allowed to have nuclear weapons. But the germans don´t need them. There is no real threat here...
Germany still is and will be a big partner of the USA and noone here "hates" the US people like they say in some newspapers. Everyone here is US friendly.


----> hm... the french. I don´t like the french people b/c of their snootiness. The french government allways wanted to be the second power next to the US. They have great forces and they know that they can´t keep up with the US.
So they started to be the strongest economic engine next to germany in the european union.
But don´t forget: both (germany and france) want the same as the US: to disarm the iraq (if he really has weapons of mass destrucion). The only difference is the way to disarm saddam.

BTW french fries is not a meal from france, it´s from belgium


Turkey: hm... they want to get into the EU and the US government is trying to apply pressure. But turkey has too big economic probs, the human rights have no "EU standart" and the difference between the EU christian culture and the turkish islamic culture is to heavy right now. Last but not least there is a big conflict between turkey and greece. As long as the cyprus problem is not solved there will not be any acceptance in the european union for turkey.


Tanks to everyone for the answeres!

Regards,

karl k

A couple more points:

Once STARBUCK's coffee is introduced widely in the EU, Turkish coffee will be history as well.

...and Now -

hormone-injected beef is for the French w/Dubonnet, Citroens and Peugots. :o

IanPooley

Hehe

you gotta know that specially germany has big probs with turkish people. The government allways talks about "our turkish" friends. But there are so much illegal immigrants here you can´t imagine.

Berlin is the biggest turkish city ouside turkey....

karl k

Ja, too bad that the "Ruhrgebiet" is inactive. Otherwise, there would be a warm and cozy place 1,000 m deep in the "Kohlenpott" -- for our "friends".

IanPooley

Wow Karl - that sounds really hard...

Regards

GrepAwk

I do not plan to cancel my S55 order.

And hopefully my AMG Engine-Builder /new-best-friend in Affalterbach is not bothered by working on an order destined for USA.

I expect Germany will find other ways to apply pressure to Iraq that support our mutual goal.

But, France....? We sold our LVMH stock this week!