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Germany's Incompetent Leader

Written by Subject: Germany

Germany's Incompetent Leader

by Stephen Lendman

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz is a real life Lt. Cmdr. Philip Francis Queeg — the fictional USS Caine commander in Herman Wouk's 1951 Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, The Caine Mutiny.

Based on Wouk's personal experiences aboard two US Pacific Theater vessels during WW II, it explains how crew members dealt with an incompetent captain who endangered them and the ship he commanded.

In the Hollywood version of Wouk's novel, Humphrey Bogart starred as captain Queeg.

By allying with the Biden regime's hot and sanctions war on Russia, Germany Scholz is wrecking the nation's economy and immiserating its people.

Its energy crisis is self-inflicted, notably by not permitting Russia to export vitally needed natural gas through its Nord Stream II pipeline.

Liquified natural gas (LNG) can't make up the difference, and what's imported from the US and elsewhere is about 40% more expensive.

Commenting on the growing fiscal burden affecting Germany and other European economies last week, Bloomberg News said their economic outlook is "bleak."

According to Brussels-based Bruegel researcher, Simone Tagliapietra:

What's going on "is clearly not sustainable from a public finance perspective."

Separately, Bloomberg reported "conflicts in Scholz's ruling coalition over over financing the (regime's) effort to stave off collapse of Germany's energy sector" for good reason.

A stopgap measure — as in Britain and other European economies — it's unsustainable beyond the short-term.

During winter months ahead, things are likely to unravel, according to Germany's Bundesbank, its central bank, saying:

"Economic activity (will likely) shrink markedly (ahead as evidence grows) of a clear, broad-based and prolonged decline in economic output" into recession, what's likely to be deep and protracted.  

"High inflation and uncertainty with regard to energy supply and its costs affect not only the gas and electricity-intensive industry and its export business and investments, but also private consumption and the service providers dependent on it."

Interviewed by the NYT last week while he was in New York to address the UN General Assembly, Scholz crowed about what he called "delivering a huge mass of very effective weapons to the Ukrainians."

Ignored was how he depleted the nation's supply of arms in the process while supporting a lost cause — along with steering the nation toward possible economic collapse because of his regime's harebrained anti-Russia policies.

And he sounded delusional telling the Times:

"Leadership is about taking the right decisions (sic) and to be very strong (sic). And this is what I'm doing (sic)."

"It's obvious that Putin does not know how to get out of this (sic)."

"It's obvious that Russia will not win the war (sic)."

It's "obvious" that's he's oblivious to reality on the ground.

His incompetence at a time when Germany needs effective leadership is especially "obvious."

Even the Times mocked what it called his "robotic manner that long ago earned him the nickname 'Scholz-o-mat' (while describing its interview as) sometimes tense."

When asked why Germany hasn't increased military spending, he snapped:

"Asking that question is not serious, to be very honest."

The Times interview focused on Ukraine with Russia-bashing in mind.

Nothing about Germany's troubled economy was discussed — nor how Scholz is steering it on rocks.

Along with calling him Scholz-o-mat, he's operating like a real life captain Queeg.

Here's more evidence fro Germany's Der Spiegel International days earlier.

Asking: "How Bad Will the German Recession Be," it reported the following:

"…German companies have begun throwing in the towel, and consumption is collapsing in response to the fallout from exploding energy prices."

"The economy is sliding almost uncontrolled into a crisis that could permanently weaken the country."

To understand growing crisis conditions, "talk to executives in the automotive industry and scholars of the economy."

"(S)tudy inflation data and (equity) share prices."

"Bad news from companies all over the country is piling up."

"Fertilizer Producer Facing Shutdown."

"Arcelor-Mittal Suspends Production at Two German Sites."

"Shoe Retailer Görtz Is Insolvent, with 2,500 Jobs at Risk."

"Company CEOs and union leaders are now speaking openly about their fears." 

" 'The worst is yet to come,' " says CEO Klaus-Dieter Maubach of the German natural gas import giant Uniper, referring to energy prices."

"And Yasmin Fahimi, head of the powerful DGB union, warned in an interview with DER SPIEGEL that if the (Scholz regime) doesn't take swift countermeasures, there is a risk of domino effect that could lead to the de-industrialization of Germany."

"That would be a disaster."

"The question is no longer whether the crisis will come."

"The question is how bad it will be and how long it will last."

Lots more gloom and doom followed.

Harebrained Scholz regime policies bear full responsibility for steering the German ship of state toward economic collapse.

And much the same is happening to other European economies.

What's going on was made-in-the-USA — to benefit from convincing Germany and other European countries to self-inflict harm.

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