Poll shows many Germans see U.S. behind Sept 11

[Steven Edwards]

This is somewhat interesting. I wonder how many other countries feel the same way?

23 Jul 2003 15:18:43 GMT
Poll shows many Germans see U.S. behind Sept 11

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BERLIN, July 23 (Reuters) - Almost one in three Germans below the age of 30 believes the U.S. government may have sponsored the September 11, 2001, attacks on New York and Washington, according to a poll published on Wednesday.

And about 20 percent of Germans in all age groups hold this view, a survey of 1,000 people conducted for the weekly Die Zeit said.

It also said 68 percent of all Germans felt the media had not reported the full truth behind the attacks, in which some 3,000 people were killed when hijacked planes were crashed into the World Trade Center and the Pentagon.

After the September 11 attacks, there was an outpouring of sympathy from Germans for the United States. Despite misgivings, Germany joined a military campaign against the al Qaeda network that Washington blamed for the attacks.

But as the United States geared up for war against Iraq, relations soured bady as Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder expressed vocal opposition to the plans.

Although the United States took strong offence at Berlin's attitude, Schroeder's anti-war stance was popular in Germany and helped him to snatch victory in last September's elections.

Asked whether they believed that the U.S. government could have ordered the September 11 attacks itself, 31 percent of those surveyed under the age of 30 in the poll answered "yes", while 19 percent overall gave the same answer.

Die Zeit said widespread disbelief about the reasons given by the United States for going to war in Iraq and suspicion about media coverage of the conflict had fostered a climate in which conspiracy theories flourished.

"The news is controlled," 17-year old Kenny Donaubaur was quoted as saying. "You could see that in the Iraq war. It doesn't seem to me thet you get the full truth."

-Steven

[Jeff]

The Germans think we hired Al Qaeda to kill our own people and sabotage our own economy? Then how frigged up are they? Pretty warped if you ask me.

"Oh, but what did we do to cause this perception in the world?"

Nothing. And gag me with a friggin spoon.

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[Steven Edwards]

Good question, but does it really matter what we did to make them perceive it? The point is that they believe it and that's not a good thing for our country. Especially if others around the world feel the same way.

-Steven

[DA]

yeah since they believe this, then how can bush get germany permission to go to war?


ofcourse germany does not need our permission to go to war. right liberals.

[Jeff]

Steven - The real point is that there are idiots all over the world who are going to believe what they want to believe regardless of the facts and regardless of what we do. There is no way to please everybody. You can suck up and kiss ass all you want. But at the end of the day all you've done is lose more respect. The US has to do what it knows to be right. And world opinion be damned. The only way to make France and Germany happy would be to make them the two superpowers in the world today. And the same goes for about every other country. Frig 'em. And thank God for a few smart leaders out there like Tony Blair.

~See you at the SCIWire-used-to-be-paralyzed Reunion ~