• StinkyFingerItchyBum@lemmy.ca
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    2 days ago

    Merz is just jealous. How many FIFA Peace Prizes and Undisputed Champion of Beautiful Clean Coal awards does he have, hmmmm?

    • B-TR3E@feddit.org
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      2 days ago

      He’s just to cheap to buy any - and not aggressively corrupt enough to get them for free.

    • D_C@sh.itjust.works
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      2 days ago

      None, but he does have a few no belt peas prizes.
      And we all know how much the murderous war mongering orange child rapist wants one of them!!

  • ExLisperA
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    2 days ago

    And Germany squandered the claim to EU leadership by pretending Russia is not a threat as long as it can provide cheap gas.

      • ExLisperA
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        1 day ago

        The war in Ukraine had no economical impact on Europe? Russia is not using hybrid warfare to destabilize Poland and the Baltic States? It’s not attacking infrastructure across Europe? It’s not funding extremists in order to destabilize EU? You’re either blind or not very smart.

        • B-TR3E@feddit.org
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          1 day ago

          Idk why I am answering to you at all as you know what I mean. Russia is not a threat to Europe. Feel free to feel threatened. I just don’t buy it.

          • rajano@lemmy.world
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            1 day ago

            On what continent is the nation of Ukraine? How can you say Russia is not a threat to Europe when it is literally attacking Europe right now?

          • MadhuGururajan@programming.dev
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            20 hours ago

            oh look b_tr3e is not threatened! That’s it guys we are wasting time convincing European government leaders when all it took was for b_tr3e to be brave! Of course, b_tr3e is the person that needs to be convinced… as they make policy from portugal to Ukraine. Nobody cares about this comedian Zelensky or Polish parliament.

          • ammonium@lemmy.world
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            1 day ago

            Depends on what you do mean by Europe. Yes Russia is not a direct threat to Spain or Italy. But for the Baltics it’s an immediate threat. They might invade by next year. Yes, that would be utterly stupid, but so was invading Ukraine and they still did it. Poland will be next if they are successful in the Baltics and Ukraine. (Which they will if we don’t support them)

            The worst thing we can do is ignore the threat just because it would be stupid for them to do it. When someone threatens you, take them serious. Especially if they have done something similar before.

  • MrSulu@lemmy.ml
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    2 days ago

    “Squandered” is so imprecise. Perhaps more accurately described as “nuked.”.

    • B-TR3E@feddit.org
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      2 days ago

      By Merz’ standards “squandered” is hell of a statement. He really dared to critisize his American overlords and employers. Actually that’s nothing I’d have expected even remotely.

  • Unruffled [they/them]@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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    2 days ago

    I totally agree Trump has largely destroyed US influence (for the moment), but then again Merz is part of the Israeli genocide club, so he’s hardly a paragon of leadership himself.

    The German government has consistently denied that a genocide is taking place in Gaza. In December 2024, after Amnesty International released a report accusing Israel of genocide, Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Sebastian Fischer stated that “genocide presupposes a clear intention to eradicate an ethnic group. I still do not recognize any such clear intention.”

    In early December 2025, Merz visited Israel and met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Isaac Herzog. The discussions focused on solidifying German support for Israel, the ongoing Gaza conflict, the peace process, and a major arms deal.

    […]

    Another point of contention appears to have eased. While Merz acknowledged that certain Israeli military actions in Gaza put Germany in a “dilemma” and urged Israel to respect international law, he stressed that the decision to suspend arms deliveries was a one-time measure.

    Germany suspended the delivery of some arms to Israel in August amid growing concerns over civilian casualties in Gaza. The suspension was lifted in November following the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas.

    Defense cooperation remains a cornerstone of German-Israeli ties despite the war in Gaza, which a UN committee has labeled genocide — a charge rejected by Israel.

    Notably, Israel has outright rejected Germany’s preferred two-state solution, continues to kill Palestinians at an alarming rate despite the so-called “ceasefire”, and continues turn a blind eye to Zionist settlers murdering Palestinians living in the West Bank. But Merz went ahead and lifted his 4-month long arms embargo so that weapons and profit could keep flowing.

    • ThrowawayOnLemmy@lemmy.world
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      2 days ago

      He’s billions richer. But he’s also caused what feels to me like the fastest devaluation of the dollar and rapid loss of purchasing power for Americans.

      So we all lose and he makes a small fortune.

      It’s only been 1 year too.

      • School_Lunch@lemmy.world
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        2 days ago

        I had a thought the other day that I’m not nearly financially literate enough to know how true it is, but with all the talk about stocks going up, couldn’t that be an effect of the dollar going down?

        • twack@lemmy.world
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          2 days ago

          That was my take as well. Anyone with large real estate or other investment portfolios is treading water while those who don’t are sinking without directly realizing why.

    • Gordon Calhoun@lemmy.world
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      2 days ago

      It seems like he’s quite bad at keeping a fortune once made. Wouldn’t surprise me to see those billions evaporate from whence they came.

      • Lembot_0006@programming.dev
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        2 days ago

        Don’t worry about him. He’s quite good at doing whatever he wants and avoiding responsibility for that. He will take another few billions if these would “evaporate”. Just will come to the treasury and say: give me a few billions and a big cup of icecream. And a pony.