Joschka Fischer's Secret Love of America

Mrs. T. over at A Fistful of Euros links to a nice farewell tribute to Joschka Fischer in Slate by Michael Moore (that is, Michael Scott Moore the writer, not MM the big fat filmmaker). Not only is it unusual for a US news outlet to publish anything positive about Joschka Fischer, Moore goes much further by presenting a revisionist view of Fischer as a good friend and admirer of the United States:

Fischer was, in other words, the kind of intelligent and principled European politician America needs—not a lap dog, but a loyal critic. He lost a lot of support within his own party when he pushed to send German troops to Kosovo in 1998. Like the United States, but unlike many Germans, he favors Turkish membership in the European Union. He looks insufferably liberal to the right and like a right-wing sellout within his own party; but he expresses a clear and thoughtful German position that's no longer in lock step with the United States.

And Mrs. T. has some additional thoughts on this in A Fistful of Euros:

One can argue plausibly, as Moore does, that after his long march through the institutions, Fischer ended up a better ally to the Americans than Adenauer or Strauss or Kohl, if only the Americans knew it. Certainly Fischer’s admiration for America seems more genuine than that of many a member of Germany’s rightwing establishment, who are realist enough to recognise the postwar balance of power but apt to snigger up their sleeves about the ’kulturlose American barbarians’.

This is certainly counter to the prevailing vilification of Fischer that one encounters in the German Bush-Blogs.  It would be nice if Moore (or Mrs.T) could provide some further examples of Fischer's pro-American sentirments from his speeches or writings. I have not read enough of his speeches to comment, but I always admired him for pointing out to Rumsfeld that "the emperor has no clothes" in the bogus evidence that was presented to justify the invasion of Iraq.  Fischer remains a controversial figure, as is abundantly apparent in the comments to the post on Fistful of Euros. 

Moore cites an episode from President Bush's visit to Germany that captures Fischer's humor (and Bush's woeful ignorance of foreign affairs):

When President Bush came to Mainz last February to shake hands with Schröder for the cameras and pronounce a new day in German-American relations, he was introduced to a tart-looking but not-quite-familiar man.

"Hello, what's your name?" Bush said to Joschka Fischer.

"My name is Mr. Fischer," deadpanned Germany's then-foreign minister. "What's your name?"

UPDATE: I fould this fine speech concerning the US-German Fulbright Scholar exchange program that Fischer delivered in 2002.  My friends at the Atlantic Review should take note (I'm actually a former DAADer myself- we always felt second-class).

Comments

[ludwig]

Nice article. Fischer was the key factor that made a left-liberal like myself hope red-green would stay in power. Over the last few years, he was the only voice in international politics I felt I could consistently trust. And there seems little hope that his successor will tackle world affairs with the same energy and independence of thought, though I am glad the Aussenminister will indeed be SPD.

Years ago I was impressed by his discussion of the German-American relationship in his programmatic book Fuer Einen Neuen Gesellschaftsvertrag, and to this day I think his insight on this matter has been overlooked. Fischer represents, I think, the pro-American side of the New Left, yet Bush sycophants like Medienkritik are blind to such distinctions.

That Bush didn't know who Fischer was seems emblematic of his presidency.

[David]

Ludwig,
Thanks for the recommendation. Yet another book I need to add to my reading list.

[Joerg]

In case some of your readers prefer to read the English translation of Joschkas speech:
http://atlanticreview.org/archives/112-Foreign-Minister-Fischer-celebrates-the-50th-anniversary-of-the-German-American-Fulbright-Program.html

It was a great speech indeed, therefore we've put a link to his speech at the bottom of our About Us page: http://atlanticreview.org/archives/116-ABOUT-US.html

DAAD is a great program! As a former DAADer you could join the Fulbright Alumni e.V., which is open to all participants of a (university) US-German exchange program.
http://fulbright-alumni.de/national/association/history/

"Not only is it unusual for a US news outlet to publish anything positive about Joschka Fischer"

Usually they do not publish something negative about Fischer either, do they?

I got the impression that Schroeder was (is) blamed for everything evil, while Fischer was ignored.

Fischer and Powell got along and worked very well. Fischer and Albright as well. I got the impression they were constantly kissing each other. Fischer and Albright that is ;-)