True Friends

In his decision to close Guantanamo, President Obama is getting support from Silvio Berlusconi and Nicolas Sarkozy, of all people. And from Germany? Nothing!

The phrase comes easily to U.S. diplomats these days: “A friend in need is a friend indeed.” All of America’s allies around the world hear that as Washington tries to find countries willing to accept prisoners from the universally ostracized and disgraced Guantanamo prison camp.

Europeans had always disapproved of the Caribbean concentration camp with the deepest revulsion and lofty moral tones. It was a part of George W. Bush’s nauseating world that was met with disgust, not only internationally, but also by many Americans as well.

It was easy to criticize back then because Republican President George W. Bush never made a serious attempt to close it. Now, however, when Barack Obama seeks to keep his campaign promise and transfer the 226 remaining Guantanamo prisoners to other locations so he can close it, a lot of Europeans have suddenly gotten very sheepish.

He’s getting help from only two leaders, both of whom are generally scorned in European Union circles as loudmouths because of their chronic pomposity. First, Nicolas Sarkozy agreed to accept Guantanamo transferees and now Silvio Berlusconi has offered to match words with deeds and accept three Guantanamo inmates in Italy as well.

And from Berlin? Nothing! Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier wants to make that trans-Atlantic (not to mention humanitarian) gesture, but Minister of the Interior Wolfgang Schäuble balks at it while mumbling something about security concerns. Concerns about a few Uighurs who will now be sent to Bermuda or perhaps the Pacific island of Palau. Angela Merkel apparently feels the issue isn’t important enough for her to get involved. But that’s precisely what she should do. She’s scheduled to make an appearance at the White House next week. Between now and then, she needs to give some thought to just how much her friendship, as well as that of the German people, is actually worth to the United States.