Obama's trumpet sounds an uncertain note - bringing down the walls .. or putting them up ?

The Victory Column in Berlin commemorates the Prussian victory in the Danish-Prussian war, the defeat of Austria in the Austro-Prussian War (1866) and France in the Franco-Prussian War (1870/1871), in what came to be called the Unification Wars. Hilter had it moved (and thereby saved it from Allied bombing) as part of his grand plan for Berlin.

As an Ambassador for Erutz USA , Obama must have felt at home with this as his podium and a backdrop ... however his admonition reported by AP was best kept for Berliners, more used to tearing walls down, rather than building them ...."The walls between the countries with the most and those with the least cannot stand. The walls between races and tribes, natives and immigrants, Christians and Muslims and Jews cannot stand." he said. Brave words. Braver than those of his tawdry, craven warm up act in Jerusalem , by Zionist lickspittle Gordon Brown. see - Stop the Wall Latest News

For those who think Obama wants to shrink the US military footprint, read Renewing American Leadership by Barack Obama -From Foreign Affairs, July/August 2007 ournal of Foreign relations , especially the section "Revitalising the Military" ...

"We should expand our ground forces by adding 65,000 soldiers to the army and 27,000 marines. Bolstering these forces is about more than meeting quotas. We must recruit the very best and invest in their capacity to succeed. That means providing our servicemen and servicewomen with first-rate equipment, armor, incentives, and training -- including in foreign languages and other critical skills. Each major defense program should be reevaluated in light of current needs, gaps in the field, and likely future threat scenarios. Our military will have to rebuild some capabilities and transform others. At the same time, we need to commit sufficient funding to enable the National Guard to regain a state of readiness."

No doubt when he appeared in front of 100,000 Berliners , after having bent Angela Merkel's ear about sending some more NATO troops off to a certain death in Afghanistan he must have felt his trip worthwhile.

Unfortunately the citizens of Europe don't vote and the most concern US TV viewers have had this last week, has been the fate of Greg Norman in the British Open.

Meanwhile McCain called into a German restaurant , waiting for his moment.

UPDATE Friday : 'Siegessäule', victory column, where Obama appeared is also the name of the premier gay magazine in Berlin. The mayor of Berlin, Wowereit, is openly gay.