Germany’s reliably left of center Der Spiegel offers up an interview with German political scientist Herfried Munkler who criticizes America’s celebration that Osama Bin Laden has been killed. Munkler joins the chorus of criticism from the German Left direct at Chancellor Angela Merkel who simply expressed that she was “glad” Bin Laden is dead. Munkler also goes on to compare America’s reaction to Bin Laden’s death to the cheering by some Muslims after 9/11, as if there is no difference between killing a terrorist mastermind and 3,000 innocent civilians. Unfortunately, his attitude is too common in Europe. An excerpt:
SPIEGEL ONLINE: At Ground Zero in New York, people openly rejoiced about the death of bin Laden. The images were reminiscent of Muslims celebrating in the Gaza Strip after the 9/11 attacks. Do you think that is acceptable?
Münkler: For European observers, these kinds of public gatherings are indeed somewhat embarrassing, because they demonstrate a kind of unthinking naïveté, and also because there is something provocative about them. But it was only a small number of Americans who demonstrated their feelings so openly, just as in 2001 it was only a few Muslims who were happy about the thousands who were killed in the terror attacks. Nevertheless, the photos of the revelers at Ground Zero have now become the definitive symbol of the entire nation’s mood. That is something that cannot be changed, unfortunately.
You can read the full interview here.
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