Nechirvan Barsani, State Governor of Regional Government of Kurdistan, left, and German Vice Chancellor and Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs Frank-Walter Steinmeier open the German general consulate of Erbil, Iraq, on Feb. 18, 2009. Thomas Koehler-Pool/GettyFrom Time Magazine:
"Old Europe" famously declined to join the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq. But six years on, countries such as France and Germany are eager to get in on the cleanup process in Iraq — and the hundreds of billions of dollars in business that effort is expected to generate.
The most recent European move to woo Iraq came this week when German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier made a surprise visit to Baghdad. In addition to discussing diplomatic issues, Steinmeier made it clear that restoring the bustling business that Germany Inc. was doing in Iraq before the war is a key priority for Berlin. "Germany wants to assist Iraq in reconstruction," declared Steinmeier, who was accompanied by a delegation of German business leaders. "My visit demonstrates that we want to support this new Iraq on the path of democratic consolidation."
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My Comment: This is so typical of Europe. They do not want to get their hands dirty .... always espousing morals and sanctimonious higher callings. But given the chance to make a lot of money .... they hustle their way to the front of the line.