Important celebrations are coming up in Germany. They mark the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall, the historic event that started the reunification process of East and West Germany. The fall of the Berlin Wall – a new beginning in Germany and Europe – will be celebrated with a huge Festival of Freedom on both sides of the Brandenburg Gate starting November 7 to 9, this year.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel invited the leaders of Russia, Britain, France and the United States to the ceremony on November 9 as the four victorious World War II powers signed the treaty that paved the way to German unity.
Berlin is going all out for the anniversary, with such luminaries as Kofi Annan, Mikhail Gorbachev and Lech Walesa expected to be in attendance. Chancellor Merkel said other invited guests including presidents Nicolas Sarkozy of France and Dmitry Medvedev of Russia, and British Prime Minister Gordon Brown had confirmed their attendance. Merkel is pushing hard to complete ongoing coalition negotiations soon so that her government is fully formed in time for the festivities.
White House Spokesman Robert Gibbs said that President Obama’s schedule will not allow for a visit to Germany. “Obviously, we have a lot to work on here and we have commitments for an upcoming Asia trip,” Gibbs said.
The anniversary festivities are scheduled for November 9, and the president leaves for his ten-day tour of Asia on November 11.
Merkel and Obama have repeatedly denied reports that their relations are strained, but a headline in Germany’s Spiegel which said “Barack is Too Busy” may give an impression of true German feelings.
This is yet another terrible decision by the Obama White House. Scheduling for the President’s time should have been arranged to allow for an appearance in Berlin prior to, or perhaps while enroute to the Asian meetings.
After months of campaign rhetoric about President Bush ignoring our European allies, Obama has acted more like a snob who cares little about trans-Atlantic relationships. I would suggest that it would have taken him little more time than it did to make a trip in his failed attempt to bring the Olympics to Chicago.
