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Reactions to Bush's State of the Union Speech

German Politicians Praise Bush's Climate Change Initiatives

German politicians reacted positively on the whole to Bush's State of the Union address, welcoming what they saw as a new pragmatism and praising his climate change initiatives.

Sympathetic and positive: that sums up the reaction of the foreign policy experts of Germany's governing coalition to US President George W. Bush's State of the Union address on Tuesday night. After all, expectations weren't high; Bush had already outlined his new Iraq strategy just a couple of weeks ago. So it was the other issues addressed -- many of which have made few appearances in German headlines recently -- which stood out.

Karsten Voigt, the German government's coordinator for German-American relations, welcomed Bush's announcements about energy-saving initiatives. "The fact that the American president is recognizing climate change as a problem is an unambiguously positive development," Voigt told SPIEGEL ONLINE on Wednesday. He said that Bush had realized that energy-saving measures are relevant not only from an environmental perspective but also in terms of security policy. Even when differences of opinion as to the Kyoto Protocol remain, Bush's energy policy is "a step in the direction of Europe," Voigt said.

In terms of his policy on Iraq, Bush is sticking to his current line that a victory in Iraq remains possible and is thus sending additional soldiers. This "not very successful policy" will continue to cause tension between the US and Europe, Voigt predicted. However the German government will refrain from giving military advice, seeing as it did not take part in the war, he said.

Andreas Schockenhoff, the German government's commissioner on Russian affairs and deputy floor leader for the Christian Democrats, also observed that Bush had made it clear in his speech that he would resolutely continue with his current Iraq strategy. "Everyone will just have to get used to the idea that Bush will continue to consistently follow this strategy," Schockenhoff told SPIEGEL ONLINE.

Schockenhoff points out that, Bush once more expressed in his speech -- albeit indirectly -- the importance of expanded diplomatic efforts in the Middle East. "Nothing is more important at this moment in our history than for America to succeed in the Middle East," Bush said. This line, says Schockenhoff, underlines the close relationship between efforts toward a Palestinian-Israeli peace agreement and the stabilization of Iraq.

"I now expect that the US government -- as foreshadowed by US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice's recent trip to the Middle East -- to re-intensify its diplomatic efforts in the region and to use its substantial political weight and influence with the Palestinians, Israelis and other countries in the region to attain an agreement in the conflict in accordance with the Road Map," Schockenhoff said. Missing from the address, though, was a signal to Syria and Iran that they should become a constructive part of such efforts, he said.

Schockenhoff found Bush's comments on climate change even more to his liking -- even if he "would have liked to have heard them much earlier." Now, though, it comes down to whether "these proposals will be acted on in full and whether the US will commit itself to international obligations to radically cut its CO2 emissions."

Gert Weisskirchen, foreign policy spokesperson for the Social Democrats in parliament, likewise welcomed the passages of Bush's speech relating to climate change. "When an oil man turns himself into Al Gore at the end of his presidency, it is an important step forward," he told SPIEGEL ONLINE. Unfortunately, he adds, Bush's insight comes far too late and the proposals he announced fall far short of what the US could bring to the table. But for the first time, Bush verbalized a "realistic analysis" of climate change, he feels.

Weisskirchen also said that he could see a "realistic shift" in Bush's Iraq policies as well. Bush's speech, he says, was a "desperate call for the opposition and the people of the United States to give him another chance."

For Eckart von Klaeden, the foreign policy spokesman for the conservatives -- made up of the Christian Democrats and Christian Social Union -- in the Bundestag, the president's speech was "on the whole quite reserved." While much of it focused on domestic issues, even those parts dealing with foreign policy were notable for their moderation -- avoiding such terms as "axis of evil," he said. "In justifying the war in Iraq and the continuation of an American presence, a slight shift was noticeable that indirectly distanced him from earlier explanations," Klaeden said.

He emphatically supported Bush's assessment of the Iraq situation. In his opinion, Bush made it clear that an uncontrolled and over-hasty withdrawal from Iraq would increase the danger of an implosion and a regional war. The CDU politician referred to the passage in which the president talked about the dangers of Shiite extremism. "We really have to keep an eye on that with growing concern," Klaeden said, citing the situation in Iraq, the Hezbollah-led protests in Lebanon, and the dangers ensuing from Iran's nuclear program.

However the speech and Bush's situation make it clear that the US president "doesn't have much time left to put his agenda into practice," he said. Bush is relying on a quick success in Iraq, he believes. Bush still has the support of the majority of Republicans, but if the situation in Iraq does not markedly improve, then not only will pressure from the Democrats increase, but support in his own camp will decline in the run-up to the 2008 presidential elections, von Klaeden believes. However, people in Germany should not "make the mistake of completely writing off the US president," he said. "He still has his own power center."

However Jürgen Trittin, the foreign policy spokesman for the Green Party, felt that Bush in his speech remained "obstinate when it comes to foreign policy." "Instead of urgently-needed diplomatic initiatives, he comes up with slogans about 'hanging in there' and places his bets on more soldiers, even though that approach has been sharply criticized even in his own ranks," Trittin said in a press release. Bush's rhetoric towards Syria and Iraq is so heated that "we almost have to talk about a second front," Trittin said, adding that Bush still obviously believes in the axis of evil.

It was only in environmental policy that Trittin saw a welcome shift. "The commitment to reducing US dependence on oil is the right approach and makes trans-Atlantic cooperation easier," he said.