Enjoying a moment of Schadenfreude
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Oluşturulma Tarihi: Haziran 09, 2009 00:00
As a rule, the style and manner of America’s new President Barack Obama has been greeted warmly by those of us at the Daily News. Yes, he might have been a little too clever at the mausoleum of Kemal Atatürk, acknowledging in the visitors’ book the adage "Peace at home, peace in the world," in a way that struck as an appeal for Turkish troops in Afghanistan. And yes, breaking up a meeting with students here in Istanbul in time for afternoon prayers we thought a bit of a stretch. But by and large, most that he says and does is refreshing in comparison to his predecessor. And most of what he said and did during his visit last week to Cairo, including an unambiguous call to Israel to reverse its settlements policy, struck us as spot on.
So we are inclined to be supportive of his explanation of his briefest of brief visits to Paris on Saturday.
"I think it’s very important to understand that good friends don’t worry about the symbols and the conventions and the protocols," Mr. Obama said, explaining why he only found four hours to spend with Le President, declined a dinner invitation, but still found time to visit a museum and a few other sights.
Surely he did not mean to snub Sarkozy. We are also sure that his declining an invitation earlier in the week from German Chancellor Angela Merkel to meet in the capital, instead arranging a quick tete-a-tete on his visit to Dresden, was also not a snub. The German media that speculated Merkel’s discomfort at Obama’s Berlin visit during the campaign, and her requirement that he make his speech in a park, had prompted "pay-back" time. Just about every leader in the world relishes the political capital to be derived from proximity to the popular American. And Obama has been thrifty in sharing that capital. Surely this is, as Obama said, just a matter of a tough and demanding schedule.
But it's certainly no secret that Sarkozy’s and Merkel’s small-mindedness toward Turkey, and their efforts to sabotage Turkey’s long quest for full membership in the European Union, is a continuing annoyance to us. So if Sarkozy and Merkel even wrongly imagine that they have been snubbed by Obama, then we must confess we are a wee bit pleased. What do the Germans call it? "Schadenfreude?"
And if Sarkozy or Merkel are offended that Obama used a Paris press conference to challenge Sarkozy on his stance toward Turkey, then we are all the more pleased.
"I have said publicly that I think Turkish membership in EU would be important," Obama said. Sarkozy quickly responded with his standard defense of "privileged partnership." He then repeated what many in Turkey consider an insult: "We want Turkey to be a bridge between East and West."
Well, we are not interested in being anybody’s bridge. Obama is right. Merkel and Sarkozy are wrong. Please forgive us if we enjoy a moment of "Schadenfreude."
"I think it’s very important to understand that good friends don’t worry about the symbols and the conventions and the protocols," Mr. Obama said, explaining why he only found four hours to spend with Le President, declined a dinner invitation, but still found time to visit a museum and a few other sights.
Surely he did not mean to snub Sarkozy. We are also sure that his declining an invitation earlier in the week from German Chancellor Angela Merkel to meet in the capital, instead arranging a quick tete-a-tete on his visit to Dresden, was also not a snub. The German media that speculated Merkel’s discomfort at Obama’s Berlin visit during the campaign, and her requirement that he make his speech in a park, had prompted "pay-back" time. Just about every leader in the world relishes the political capital to be derived from proximity to the popular American. And Obama has been thrifty in sharing that capital. Surely this is, as Obama said, just a matter of a tough and demanding schedule.
But it's certainly no secret that Sarkozy’s and Merkel’s small-mindedness toward Turkey, and their efforts to sabotage Turkey’s long quest for full membership in the European Union, is a continuing annoyance to us. So if Sarkozy and Merkel even wrongly imagine that they have been snubbed by Obama, then we must confess we are a wee bit pleased. What do the Germans call it? "Schadenfreude?"
And if Sarkozy or Merkel are offended that Obama used a Paris press conference to challenge Sarkozy on his stance toward Turkey, then we are all the more pleased.
"I have said publicly that I think Turkish membership in EU would be important," Obama said. Sarkozy quickly responded with his standard defense of "privileged partnership." He then repeated what many in Turkey consider an insult: "We want Turkey to be a bridge between East and West."
Well, we are not interested in being anybody’s bridge. Obama is right. Merkel and Sarkozy are wrong. Please forgive us if we enjoy a moment of "Schadenfreude."