Did Chancellor Schröder let German-Americans Down?

The terrorist attacks on the US have turned many critical Americans into flag-waving patriots. Germans in the US have also been caught up in the mood. Many are proud of Germany's outpouring of sympathy for America.

However, some Germans are disappointed that Chancellor Gerhard Schröder did not join world leaders in personally travelling to Washington to express condolences. This is a noteworthy point for the simple fact that about a quarter of all people in the United States have German forefathers. "The Germans" form the biggest ethnic group among all white Americans.

Schröder’s promise not enough

"The German chancellor should have been here," said US-based Eric Braeden, the only German actor to have won an Emmy. "Tony Blair was here, Jacques Chirac was here, the heads of other countries were here; Japan, Korea, you name it. And why didn't Schröder come? That's something I really can't understand."

Germany has offered its support to the US. But it has yet to receive a call to action. "If there will be such a concrete request, then what I've already said will apply: unrestricted solidarity," Chancellor Schröder said. "And if I say unrestricted, that's what I mean." Many critics feel that these words are not enough.

Political alliance against terrorism

Meanwhile, Germany's Chancellor has been meeting with leaders from various countries to form a strong alliance against terrorism. Discussion partners included Russia's President Vladimir Putin during his much publisized visit.

Most recently, Chancellor Schröder met with Spanish Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar at the German-Spanish summit in the eastern German town of Quedlinburg. They met for talks with their top cabinet members in the town hall. Not surprisingly, the fight against terrorism was high on the agenda. They agreed that European countries had to increase their coordination of anti-terrorist measures. Afterwards, both sides made clear that the United States had not yet made any specific requests for military support.