The World Economic Forum couldn't have found a more suitable keynote speaker. Leading the charge in efforts to save the euro, German Chancellor Angela Merkel has become the most powerful politician in Europe, and the person expected to save its currency from collapsing and wreaking financial havoc worldwide.

As the country with the deepest pockets in Europe, expectations are high when it comes to Germany's role in the currency crisis. But even though the world is talking about Germany, when Merkel took to the podium in Davos on Wednesday, she talked about the rest of the world instead.

The first part of the chancellor's speech focused on global issues, such as the sluggish progress in climate protection efforts and World Trade Organization talks. But then she got around to Europe, praising the reforms made so far in the crisis-stricken countries. She also urged more European integration. Without it, she said, "we will remain an interesting holiday destination for a long time, but we won't be able to produce prosperity for the people in Europe anymore."

When she turned to Germany, Merkel insisted that the country was prepared to do what it takes to save the euro, but the comments that followed showed she wasn't ready to get overly ambitious on that front.

"Germany is thought to be especially strong," she said, adding that this is not entirely wrong. But when Germany makes a promise "that through tough attacks on the market is also not redeemable, then Europe has a totally open flank."

The comment echoed another she made in an interview she gave on Wednesday to six European newspapers, including German daily Süddeutsche Zeitung, when she warned about placing too many financial burdens on Germany. "Amid all the billions in aid and rescue funds, we Germans also must watch that we do not lose our strength in the end -- because our possibilities are not endless either, and that would not help Europe as a whole," Merkel added. "We show solidarity, but must not forget (countries') own initiative."

Ample Criticism

Merkel's speech, during which she also stressed the need for European unity, seemed to be an effort to turn the focus away from Germany's role in the euro crisis. But the attempt is unlikely to be successful. Somewhat paradoxically, Berlin is being accused of both stubbornness in its reform demands and timidity in its leadership role.

Speaking to journalists on Wednesday in Davos, former investor and philanthropist George Soros accused Germany of acting like a strict disciplinarian over the rest of Europe, relegating its neighbors to "the status of third world countries" that must pay back their debts in a foreign currency. "The problem is that the austerity that Germany wants will push Europe into a deflationary death spiral," he said. "The economy will contract and tax revenues will fall. So the debt burden ... will actually rise, requiring further budget cuts and setting in motion a vicious cycle."

Soros is not alone in his criticism of Germany. In an article for the Financial Times on Monday, World Bank president Robert Zoellick also urged the country to take a greater leadership role in combating the crisis.

On Thursday afternoon, UK Prime Minister went as far as calling the Europe-wide financial transaction tax proposal supported by Merkel "madness," saying it was a distraction and European leaders would do better to concentrate on dealing with the debt crisis.

"Tinkering here and there and hoping we'll drift to a solution simply won't cut it anymore," Cameron said of the euro crisis. "This is a time for boldness, not caution."

Meanwhile, European leaders and the International Monetary Fund want Germany to increase its contribution to the European Stability Mechanism, the recently finalized permanent euro bailout which is already worth some €500 billion. Merkel has refused this repeatedly. She has also rejected two other suggestions which others think might ease the crisis, now moving into its third year. Neither jointly backed eurobonds nor more stimuli that would see the European Central Bank print more money are acceptable options for Berlin.

Instead, Europe needs deeper integration, growth and job creation, Merkel said during her speech. And after she attempted to distract focus to the entire Continent's role in the euro crisis, she pointed to world issues once again. Other countries have problems too, she said. "That comforts me. That means we can all work well together."

Merkel, however, may be the only person feeling comforted at Davos.

Ahh, Your-a-peon unity. It will work as long as Germany's boot is on the throat of the untermenschen.

Europe needs deeper integration, growth and job creation, Merkel said during her speech.

methinks

Pinky

fake

OldLyme wrote:

methinks

Pinky

fake

Damn Limey, can't you pour a lil' tea without getting it all over the saucer and tray? Is that Pippie over to the right? You Brits sure do love buggery, dontcha?

Once again, Germany rises to the top of the compost heap.

Gee, I wonder what's next.

Better wait until Obama's gone if you expect the yanks to save you a third time.

Less than a hundred years since the treaty of Versailles, the rest of Europe is trying to saddle Germany with debt, again. You know what happens when Germans have to load wheelbarrows with cash to buy bread.

Neither the Krauts nor the Flinch really strike me as being 'heroic'. Zeropeons need to look elsewhere for their messiah.

How many of these idiots converted to Pisslam last year?

GhostDivision wrote:

Neither the Krauts nor the Flinch really strike me as being 'heroic'. Zeropeons need to look elsewhere for their messiah.

How many of these idiots converted to Pisslam last year?

the Waffen SS would have made you shit your pants

The Waffen SS that was fleeing certain execution on the Russian front, or the one that was decimated on the Western front after the Allied landings?

Keep it up, and you'll be back in time out again, troll-boy.

LTKilling wrote:

GhostDivision wrote:

Neither the Krauts nor the Flinch really strike me as being 'heroic'. Zeropeons need to look elsewhere for their messiah.

How many of these idiots converted to Pisslam last year?

the Waffen SS would have made you shit your pants

GhostDivision wrote:

The Waffen SS that was fleeing certain execution on the Russian front, or the one that was decimated on the Western front after the Allied landings?

Keep it up, and you'll be back in time out again, troll-boy.

LTKilling wrote:

GhostDivision wrote:

Neither the Krauts nor the Flinch really strike me as being 'heroic'. Zeropeons need to look elsewhere for their messiah.

How many of these idiots converted to Pisslam last year?

the Waffen SS would have made you shit your pants

While I'm no fan or defender of the nazis, the waffen ss was the most diverse, well equipped and best trained fighting force ever assembled in yurp.

Their troops hailed from all the countries of yurp and they were the best fighters the your-a-peons ever had bar none, even when facing overwhelming odds.

Truth be told, Hitler won the europeon war.

He lost the world war.

FrogBites wrote:

While I'm no fan or defender of the nazis, the waffen ss was the most diverse, well equipped and best trained fighting force ever assembled in yurp.

Their troops hailed from all the countries of yurp and they were the best fighters the your-a-peons ever had bar none, even when facing overwhelming odds.

Truth be told, Hitler won the europeon war.

He lost the world war.

The Krauts were pussies compared to the Japs. It's easy to be a bad-ass when the enemy is fleeing. Once the tide turned against the Nazis and they had a little adversity, they fled. The Japs fought their best when they knew they were losing.

FrogBites wrote:

GhostDivision wrote:

The Waffen SS that was fleeing certain execution on the Russian front, or the one that was decimated on the Western front after the Allied landings?

Keep it up, and you'll be back in time out again, troll-boy.

LTKilling wrote:

GhostDivision wrote:

Neither the Krauts nor the Flinch really strike me as being 'heroic'. Zeropeons need to look elsewhere for their messiah.

How many of these idiots converted to Pisslam last year?

the Waffen SS would have made you shit your pants

While I'm no fan or defender of the nazis, the waffen ss was the most diverse, well equipped and best trained fighting force ever assembled in yurp.

Their troops hailed from all the countries of yurp and they were the best fighters the your-a-peons ever had bar none, even when facing overwhelming odds.

Truth be told, Hitler won the europeon war.

He lost the world war.

They were diverse in that they had divisions made up of different nationalities exclusively like the muzz handschar which had a terrible fighting record but were known as rapists and murderers. The Dutch and Norwegian divisions were good fighters. Croatians were so-so. There were a few Ukrainian SS units, but they turned tail when they realized Kursk had decimated the panzers. Most of the German SS units were fierce fighters and rabid nazis , especially the HJ Division. The SS Panzer divisions made up exclusively of the best Heer tankers and original Waffen SS recruits were unequaled.

The Japs fought their best when they knew they were losing.

Also called, fanaticism... you heard that word before, don't you Poopsy? Japs soldiers were too brainwashed and scared to question the legitimity of their actions, simple as that! That said, some SS units were called "Crack Babies" by the allies. They were young, many of them boy soldiers of the SS Hitlerjugend armored division who fought hard with complete disregard for their lives, like fanatics again...

Bat2 wrote:

FrogBites wrote:

GhostDivision wrote:

The Waffen SS that was fleeing certain execution on the Russian front, or the one that was decimated on the Western front after the Allied landings?

Keep it up, and you'll be back in time out again, troll-boy.

LTKilling wrote:

GhostDivision wrote:

Neither the Krauts nor the Flinch really strike me as being 'heroic'. Zeropeons need to look elsewhere for their messiah.

How many of these idiots converted to Pisslam last year?

the Waffen SS would have made you shit your pants

While I'm no fan or defender of the nazis, the waffen ss was the most diverse, well equipped and best trained fighting force ever assembled in yurp.

Their troops hailed from all the countries of yurp and they were the best fighters the your-a-peons ever had bar none, even when facing overwhelming odds.

Truth be told, Hitler won the europeon war.

He lost the world war.

They were diverse in that they had divisions made up of different nationalities exclusively like the muzz handschar which had a terrible fighting record but were known as rapists and murderers. The Dutch and Norwegian divisions were good fighters. Croatians were so-so. There were a few Ukrainian SS units, but they turned tail when they realized Kursk had decimated the panzers. Most of the German SS units were fierce fighters and rabid nazis , especially the HJ Division. The SS Panzer divisions made up exclusively of the best Heer tankers and original Waffen SS recruits were unequaled.

I was referring mainly to the Balkans and Nordic countries like Finland, Estonia and the like who were more afraid of Stalin and the Bolshavics than they were of the nazis and Hitler.

What a choice huh?

The lesser of two evils I guess.