German-American Ties: A Rocky Friendship

The two leaders lauded one another in speeches before reporters on Thursday. President George W. Bush called Germany an "incredibly important ally".

Chancellor Gerhard Schröder for his part promised to continue to stand by the United States. There was even a half-hug for photographers following the question and answer period.

With their words, the two leaders sought to heal a German-American relationship currently going through a rough period. Disagreements on trade, establishing an international court and expanding the war on terrorism have led to some heated rhetoric in past months.

European fears

Fears that the US would pursue a unilateralist course following the September 11 terrorist attacks failed to materialize. Germany’s government even staked its political life by supporting the Afghanistan war with German soldiers.

Rifts began to develop soon after that decision, however.

Rumors that the Bush administration was eager to extend the war into Iraq caused furor among German politicians and their voters. Subsequent transatlantic trade disagreements over steel and agricultural subsidies created even more tension.

But there seemed to be a hesitancy to let the rhetoric spin out of control.

A meeting of change

One situation has played a central role: the first time Bush met Schröder, on March 29, 2001.

That meeting, at the White House, took place as the US was pulling out of the Kyoto Protocol. The decision by the three-month old Bush administration created quite a stir in Europe.

Schröder, whose country had championed the agreement, made a last ditch effort to personally try and convince Bush to reconsider.

Bush didn’t and the two agreed to disagree.

A necessary alliance

Subsequent Bush-initiated plans to build a national missile defense system also caused an uproar in Europe, which suspected its fears of a unilateralist Bush adminstration had been confirmed. Bush pulled out of treaties the Clinton adminstration had signed onto.

The transatlantic cooperation of the Clinton adminstration, peppered with visits by the then-President to the old country to visit with Schröder and British Prime Minister Tony Blair, seemed to be a thing of the past.

Then came September 11 and Germany’s promise of "unlimited solidarity".

Allies that had drifted apart came together again. The US looked specifically to Germany when it looked to the European Union for support in their war on terror.

Observers both in Europe and the United States have emphasized the importance of maintaining such alliances in the face of terrorism. If Bush wants to continue such cooperation, he will have to let the Germans know how important they are to him.