The Dutch minority government plans to ban Muslim face veils such as burqas and other forms of clothing that cover the face from next year. The ban would make the Netherlands, where 1 million out of 17 million people are Muslim, the second European Union country to ban the burqa after France, and would apply to face-covering veils if they were worn in public.
"People should be able to look at each other's faces and recognize each other when they meet," the interior affairs ministry said in a statement Friday.
We should at least be able to recognize the encountered as a human being...
The ban will also apply to balaclavas and motorcycle helmets when worn in inappropriate places, such as inside a store, Deputy Prime Minister Maxime Verhagen told reporters, denying that this was a ban on religious clothing.
Geert Wilders' anti-Islam Freedom Party (PVV), which helps give the Liberal-Christian Democrat coalition a majority in parliament, has set considerable political store on getting the so-called burqa ban passed into law.
Few Muslim women in the Netherlands wear the Arabic-style niqabs which leave the eyes uncovered and Afghan-style burqas that cover the face with a cloth grid. Academics estimate the numbers at between 100 and 400, whereas Muslim headscarves which leave the face exposed are far more common.
The coalition has agreed to submit a new law to parliament next week stipulating that offenders would be fined up to 390 euros ($510), the ministry said.
GRAFENWÖHR, Germany -- Two Army heavy brigades based in Germany will return to the United States as part of the new defense posture in Europe, the Department of Defense confirmed Thursday.
The move will send the 172nd Separate Infantry Brigade, based out of Grafenwöhr and Schweinfurt, and the Baumholder-based 170th Infantry Brigade, back to the States.
Yet the expectation that one, or possibly both, brigades might leave Grafenwöhr has generated hand-wringing in neighboring German communities, where economies depend heavily on the garrison. And cheers in US communities where they would very much like to benefit from money spent by those same units.
I remember the Germans being very upset in the mid-nineties as the reality of the oh-so-desired downsize hit (literally) home. If I recall correctly, our house rented for about 50% less to the next tenant after we left the Frankfurt area, and the owner subsequently sold what had been intended to be their retirement home -- they were from Zurich, so to them German house prices actually had looked like a reasonable investment.
Posted by: Mike Ramsey ||
01/28/2012 00:00 ||
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#1
Dare the FRANCO-GERMAN BRIGADE = future FRANCO-GERMAN-RUSSIAN BRIGADE [etal.]???
#2
When it was announced that the US was going to be leaving Germany, the Germans, to their horror, quickly calculated that these Americans were a big chunk of their economy.
Therefore, they pleaded with the US to not pull out all at once, or it would be an economic disaster.
#3
There is no reason to subsidize first world countries with military welfare. Should have pull out when the wall came down - mission accomplished, instead old interests and institutional inertia has thrown money down the drain just as much as failed green programs at home.
#4
US military units are no longer in Germany to protect Germany, but because this presence suits US strategic purposes.
US troops enjoy the benefits of a perfect infrastructure, friendly locals and much more. They do not "subsidize" anything.
Of course withdrawals will affect local communities which have enjoyed US presence for half a century, but on a national level the economic impact would be minimal.
Posted by: European Conservative ||
01/28/2012 10:22 Comments ||
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US military units are no longer in Germany to protect Germany, but because this presence suits US strategic purposes.
Please elaborate, this needs to be mentioned every time US military forces in Europe are described.
#6
If I recall correctly, our house rented for about 50% less to the next tenant after we left the Frankfurt area "Supply and demand" once again strikes back!
#7
I too would like to know what the "strategic purposes" are for keeping US infantry brigades in Germany. I sure as heck can't find any, not today.
The EU is a first-world nation. It has a larger population than the U.S. It has wealth. If it needs an army, raise one.
Posted by: Steve White ||
01/28/2012 11:17 Comments ||
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#8
European Conservative has a valid point. Frankfurt to any point in the middle east is a lot shorter than (pick a base in any of the 50 states) to the middle east. Russia under Putin is not a friend to the west and deterrence is still a good thing.
Still, the EU can do more to shore up its own defense. Libya caused problems? What if that had been Putin's armies pouring across the Fulda Gap? OK, not now. But in 20 years?
Posted by: Mike Ramsey ||
01/28/2012 11:48 Comments ||
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...you know if we didn't have those 'Frankfurt' type installations it would have effected decisions about getting involved in the ME to the degree we have.
#12
They are not coming home, so much as they are being transferred then likely cut - there is a plan to cut 8 brigades over the next decade, I think I just found the first and Second ones to be cut.
#13
Personally my extended family has enjoyed excellent relations with U.S. troops in Germany, and we maintain high level contacts as well.
I won't go into any details here but you'd be amazed to learn about the amount of planning and coordination that is done from German soil.
Infrastructure in Germany is well established and you won't find any better bases closer to the ME.
How many troops you actually want to keep here is entirely your business and requirements may change but their presence have little or nothing to do with defending Germany from Russia or supporting local economies.
Even if Russia could, they'd have zero interest in a military conflict with Europe. They will have their hands full with keeping the Chinese out and the Islamists down.
Personally I believe that the U.S. will come to regret Obama's defense cuts.
Posted by: European Conservative ||
01/28/2012 15:49 Comments ||
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"Personally I believe that the U.S. will has come to regret Obama's defense cuts."
FTFY, EC. No charge.
Posted by: Barbara ||
01/28/2012 15:51 Comments ||
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#15
Of course no charge Barbara. Blinding obvious.
That said I'm not thrilled with the current selection of Republican candidates.
Posted by: European Conservative ||
01/28/2012 15:53 Comments ||
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#16
I thoroughly enjoyed my time in Germany - it felt like "Home" in Bad Tolz, Munich, Augsburg and Nurberg. Graf sucked, but then again its because were tactical there, never really got a chance to get off base. They should move the 2nd Cav to Graf permanently - after all it was the "Constabulary" unit that controlled and patrolled most of post-war Germany, and has a long history there. Its also highly deploy able, since its a Stryker Brigade. That should be sufficient - plus being based at Graf means it can remain highly trained, as well as hosting other units that pass through there for training.
#17
You go to the election with the candidates you've got, European Conservative. The next generation has not yet got the experience they need to take n the responsibility. The next several presidential elections should be more pleasing to us all.
#18
Loved my time in Babenhausen. Small knit community, Volks-Fests and Marches, Oktoberfest, 30 minutes from Frankfurt. Watch the wall fall. A wonderful Four years.
#19
What the youngins don't recall is that in 1973 the US was denied landing rights by the Euros in resupply the Israelis. Only Portugal, then a dictatorship [the revolution would come the next year], permitted American aircraft the ability to get to their destination. The more recent example of Turkey also denying passage of troops to the northern flank of the UN authorized response to Saddam's Iraq should remind everyone that even though you have treaties, troops and resources, they might as well be locked up if the locals don't support your actions. They get a veto.
[Iran Press TV] Fitch rating agency has downgraded the debt ratings of five eurozone states including Spain and Italia, pointing to the growing vulnerability of their economies.
On Friday, Fitch downgraded the economies of Italia, Spain, Belgium, Slovenia and Cyprus, while cutting its outlook on Ireland.
According to the agency, "near-term economic outlook highlight(s) the greater vulnerability to monetary as well as financing shocks faced by these sovereign governments."
Fitch cited that Italia faced "too-low" growth in comparison with its debt, while Spain faces "a significantly worsened fiscal and economic outlook." Italia, Spain, and Slovenia were cut by two notches.
Earlier, the European Central Bank released eurozone data suggesting that loans to the private sector fell by 1.0 percent in December in comparison with the 1.7 percent in the previous month.
Meanwhile, ...back at the mall, Clarissa spent the day shopping for new underwear. Tonight was going to be a special occasion... Spain's unemployment rate has soared to 22.85 percent-- the highest in 17 years as more than half of the country's youths remain without jobs.
There are fears that more delays in resolving the eurozone debt crisis, which began in Greece in late 2009 and infected Italia, Spain and La Belle France last year, could push not only Europe but also much of the rest of the developed world back into recession.
Posted by: Fred ||
01/28/2012 00:00 ||
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#1
Things will have to become a lot worse, before they'll become any better.
A multi-volume chronology and reference guide set detailing three years of the Mexican Drug War between 2010 and 2012.
Rantburg.com and borderlandbeat.com correspondent and author Chris Covert presents his first non-fiction work detailing
the drug and gang related violence in Mexico.
Chris gives us Mexican press dispatches of drug and gang war violence
over three years, presented in a multi volume set intended to chronicle the death, violence and mayhem which has
dominated Mexico for six years.
Rantburg was assembled from recycled algorithms in the United States of America. No
trees were destroyed in the production of this weblog. We did hurt some, though. Sorry.
GRAFENWÖHR, Germany -- Two Army heavy brigades based in Germany will return to the United States as part of the new defense posture in Europe, the Department of Defense confirmed Thursday.
