This is hard to believe. Bashar al-Assad, with the support of Russia, uses chemical weapons against his own citizens. Rather than holding Russia and the murderous regime in Damascus to account for this war crime, German citizens blame the United States:
More than 79% of Germans consider United States President Donald Trump to be a greater threat to world peace than Russian President Vladimir Putin, a poll by the Forsa Institute revealed.
Over 90% of respondents said they wanted better relations than Russia, and 83% said they are not afraid of it.
Half of all respondents outright blamed American policy for tensions between the West and Russia.
Russian fighter planes can bomb civilians – hospitals, primarily – in Syria, and very few in Germany voice any criticism. But when the US, France and UK target chemical weapons facilities – and avoid civilian casualties – the Peace Movement suddenly mobilizes.
Die Bombenangriffe auf Syrien waren nicht „erforderlich und angemessen“ (Merkel) sondern ein gefährlicher Bruch des Völkerrechts! Wir sagen: Nein zum Krieg! Deeskalation ist das Gebot der Stunde! Kommt morgen um 18 Uhr zum Brandenburger Tor. #NeinZumKrieg #Friedenskundgebung pic.twitter.com/jUJ2WREcDL
— Sahra Wagenknecht (@SWagenknecht) April 17, 2018
Why this widespread sympathy in Germany for the corrupt regime in Moscow? The simple answer is anti-Americanism.
So gesehen ist es auch nicht erstaunlich, dass bei allen Umfragen zurzeit mehr Deutsche vor dem amerikanischen Präsidenten Donald Trump Angst haben als vor dem Russen Wladimir Putin, dass sie Russland mehr vertrauen als den Vereinigten Staaten. Die Befragten beweisen damit viel Geschichtsunkenntnis und vergessen völlig, wer Deutschland nach 1945 überhaupt wieder einen Anfang ermöglichte.
Sie verdrängen auch, wer Deutschland und vor allem Westberlin schützte und schließlich die Wiedervereinigung ermöglichte. Gleichzeitig schimmert bei diesen Umfrageergebnissen immer noch ein Misstrauen gegenüber einer Demokratie, gegenüber einer freiheitlichen und deshalb komplizierten Gesellschaftsordnung durch.
What astonished me was after the nerve gas attack in Salisbury, followed by the deployment of chemical weapons in Syria, high officials in ALL of the major political parties in Germany called for the reduction – or even elimination – of all economic sanctions against Russia. Why? To reward Putin? Fortunately, Heiko Maas, Germany's new foreign minister, advocates a tough stance against Russia But can he withstand the pressure to appease Putin coming from all sides?
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An interesting question indeed, how come the different perception of the US and Russia?
It might have something to do with the same mechanism, which makes people sympathize with an underdog when watching a sports match:
Russia is seen as a political power massively declined after the Cold War and thus its acts of aggression are perceived partially as a nation struggling to regain is proper place. You might call it honorable ambition.
The US on the other hand, just like the British before them, is seen as having the capability to operate its military around the globe, and since it makes ample use of it, the US is considered the major threat to world peace.
Such a power makes its influence felt on many theaters and people are saturated by its mere appearance, wishing it gone.
As a result, they will criticize it, wherever its impact becomes visible.
It’s looking more like the “chemical attack” was fake or a deep state attempt to trap the U.S. in the region. How odd that both times there was a “chemical attack”, it occurred shortly after President Trump declared he wanted to pull American troops out of Syria… There’s more going on here than what you see on the surface.