The variety and tone of opinions, beliefs, plain gossip, press declarations speculating on the true intention(s) of Angela Merkel's visits to Greece, Spain and Portugal make an explosive cocktail for any person to measure and mix.
Favouring the German electorate, pushing for further southern austerity and/or reform, seeking cheap brown and green field acquisitions, 5l% joint venturing in emerging continents, looking for a personal retirement home ...... I think the only conspiracy theoratical observation that has not been made through media is that maybe Merkel's quick visits serve to test each of these countries' military readiness in the event necessary.
A lot has changed since the times when Ian Fleming, John le Carré, and the like, sneaked into neutral Lisbon as a prime stage of international espionage and intrige in the midst of the last century. Or hasn't it ? In today's internet age, nations need not physically place intelligence officers in a long term stand off against other nations or intermediaries inside street café's or midnight casinos and information can easily be released, re-routed or intercepted from any distance.
Possibly the best modern manner to get an executive feel of a foreign and sovereign country's (social, economic and military) ability is to come in over the red carpet in perfect daylight and look its leaders in the eye.
Germany is not Angela Merkel, Germany is not a young nation, Germany is not new to programming the financing and integration of foreign territory and their populations in despair, Germany does not typically operate on impulses.
The facts are that Mrs M.'s stirring into what once were sovereign matters have shaken up entire populations in the EU's outmost corners into a reflection and internal debate on their do's and don't's for the next 5 or so years, long enough to commence causing some permanent behaviourial changes whilst gradually setting their domestic politicians aside.
Many people in southern Europe proudly use and rely upon quite a league of Germany designed and generally also manufactured goods, quite a few are employed direclty or indirectly by a German enterprise, some will have their children in German schools or in apprenticeships according to German models, an increasing number is studying the German language and will go on more or less finite assignments in Germany.
It would seem that the only aspect these countries are missing is a similar level of secured quality in public governance, but then again, southern Europeans are not famous for their patience.
A brilliant plan, I would have to admit, and wonder by when visits on similar terms to Italy, France and the UK have been scheduled. How does "Geschüttelt ... nicht gerührt", sound ?
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