Empire’s Tone-Dead Ambassador Hits Out at Germany Over Huawei, Accuses Berlin of Insulting US Troops

Insists observation US companies pose a similar security threat to Chinese is ingratitude toward US troops in Germany

Still doing his best to devastate relations and get himself expelled

Editor’s note: A German economy minister suggested that since Germany did not boycott the US in the NSA spying scandal, it would neither ban Huawei. That is a strange statement only in as much NSA spying on Germany, including its Chencellor, is 100% proven, Washington has not been able to back its accussations against Huawei with evidence. Nonetheless it was the US Ambassador to Germany who took issue with the statement saying equating the US with China in this way was for some reason an insult to US troops who in the Ambassador’s opinion “help ensure Germany’s security”.

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The US ambassador to Germany has slammed comments by officials in Berlin suggesting US companies posed just as much of a security threat as Chinese ones, describing them as an “insult” to US troops stationed in Germany.

Richard Grenell, an outspoken champion of Donald Trump’s policies, was speaking after German economy minister Peter Altmaier defended Berlin’s decision not to ban the controversial Chinese telecoms group Huawei.

Mr Altmaier said on a TV talk show on Sunday evening that Germany had “not imposed a boycott” on US tech companies in the wake of the National Security Agency affair, when it was revealed that US authorities had tapped Chancellor Angela Merkel’s phone.

“The US demands from its companies that it passes on certain information needed for fighting terrorism,” Mr Altmaier said during the Anne Will programme on Germany’s ARD TV channel.

In a statement issued by the US embassy, Mr Grenell did not name Mr Altmaier, but said recent comments by “senior German officials” equating the US with the Chinese Communist party “are an insult to the thousands of American troops who help ensure Germany’s security and the millions of Americans committed to a strong western alliance”.

He added that they were also an insult “to the millions of Chinese citizens denied basic freedoms and unjustly imprisoned by the CCP”.

“There is no moral equivalency between China and the United States and anyone suggesting it ignores history — and is bound to repeat it,” he added.

Since taking up his post as US ambassador to Germany Mr Grenell has proved to be a big irritant to Berlin, frequently intervening to criticise German government policy in ways that have enraged his hosts.

Echoing Mr Trump, he has repeatedly criticised Berlin for not spending enough on defence. He also told German companies to pull out of Iran after Mr Trump took the US out of the Iranian nuclear deal, and repeatedly threatened sanctions over Germany’s backing for the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline.

Earlier this year, the one-time Fox News contributor said the US would scale back intelligence-sharing unless Berlin blocked Huawei, the Chinese equipment maker, from taking part in the development of Germany’s 5G network.

Washington claims that Huawei could be used by Beijing to conduct espionage or cyber sabotage and has called on allies to formally exclude the company from their 5G programmes.

Ms Merkel has eschewed explicit bans on individual companies, preferring to toughen up security requirements for all participants in the 5G programme regardless of which country they are from.

Mr Altmaier said the government’s aim was to “ensure in a verifiable manner that the Chinese state cannot exert influence [over the digital network] and every single component must be certified to make sure it is not manipulated in any way”.

The fear in Berlin is that a tough approach towards Huawei could trigger retaliation in Beijing against German companies, for whom China is one of their largest markets.

But Ms Merkel’s approach is controversial, even within her own party, the Christian Democratic Union. The CDU passed a motion at its annual conference last week placing tight restrictions on which suppliers Germany should allow into its 5G network.

It said that only those companies “which demonstrably fulfil a clearly defined catalogue of safety requirements” could be considered trustworthy. One of the aims of these requirements would be to make it impossible “for foreign states to exert influence over our infrastructure”. The motion did not single out Huawei or China.

Norbert Rottgen, a CDU MP who chairs the Bundestag’s influential foreign affairs committee and was one of the motion’s sponsors, said it applied to “all companies where the state exerts an influence over their business”. “[But] in fact, what we’re talking about here is China,” he told the FT.

On Monday a French government minister said Paris would not bar Huawei from its planned 5G rollout. The country’s parliament passed a law this year forcing network operators to obtain prior authorisation from the cybersecurity agency before installing equipment.

Source: Financial Times

17 Comments
  1. Padre says

    USA always had it’s own version of history, based on Hollywood “blockbusters” and comic book heroes!

  2. CHUCKMAN says

    He’s almost the perfect representative for America in Germany.

    Every time he opens his mouth, he is commenting on Germany’s internal affairs, something traditionally you are never supposed to do in diplomacy.

    Such a thoughtful way to build relationships, not altogether dissimilar to the way Trump builds relationships with Venezuela or Bolivia or China or Iran or Syria.

    America’s current definition of a relationship with any country pretty much boils down to, “We say, you do!”

    America has reached the point in foreign affairs where it no longer even pretends.

    The corruption and sense of privilege just bulge from its diplomatic eye sockets.

  3. John Mason says

    What security does the US ensure; the Berlin Wall has been down since 1989 and the USSR left and then ceased to exist in 1991. US is an occupier and Germany hasn’t the will power nor the fortitude to throw them out and as long as Merkel and her type are in power the longer the US will stay.

    1. CHUCKMAN says

      When is an occupier not an occupier?

      When it’s the United States, pretending to defend you.

      And now, it has added a new twist to its occupations.

      The occupied country must pay more, a lot more.

      When the Mafia did that, it was called a protection racket.

  4. SFC Steven M Barry USA RET says

    “There is no moral equivalency between China and the United
    States and anyone suggesting it ignores history — and is bound to repeat
    it…”

    Can you think of anything more Jewish? He should have said that in Yiddish.

  5. Vish says

    “There is no moral equivalency between China and the United States and anyone suggesting it ignores history — and is bound to repeat it,” he added.

    America’s esteemed Pro-Consul to Germany is correct .. but not in the sense that he believes.

    America’s global NSA surveillance system is a much greater threat than anything they have accused China of.

    Indeed, as revealed by Ed Snowden’s revelations, America’s NSA has penetrated the computer networks of civilian Chinese institutions like hospitals, universities, and even Huawei itself!

    Hypocrisy doesn’t even begin to describe America’s allegations against Huawei.

    Edward Snowden exposes NSA spying against Chinese telecom firm Huawei
    https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2014/03/24/huaw-m24.html?view=print

    P.S. Richard Grenell’s whining that Germany has insulted America’s colonial stormtroopers there is funny as hell. America is such a militaristic empire that it expects that non-Americans must naturally grovel and genuflect before US troops like Proud Amuricans do on instinct.

    Support the Troops–or else!

  6. Ronnie&MargaretInDementia says

    Well I think that if the poor over sensitive US troops, currently drunkenly raping their way along the Rhine, feel insulted they are very welcome to go the **** back home. I’m sure the Germans would like their sovereignty back. The idea of NATO is that once you’re in the club the US will protect you, well the current reality is that due to Russian cutting edge missile tech the US can no longer protect themselves let alone anyone else. Which is why Turkey has bought Russian S400 is very happy to be seeing the back of the F35 and will be purchasing SU35 in the near future. Turkey will be out of NATO by 2025 at the latest. Times up uncle sam.

  7. JustPassingThrough says

    Empire’s Tone-Dead Bonehead Ambassador Hits Out at Germany Over Huawei, Accuses Berlin of Insulting US Troops.

    This narcissist is just another pitiful example of the US demise. He is a very ignorant person that is totally ignorant that he is ignorant.

  8. Canosin says

    geeeezuz. … he is the perfect representation of the American ar*shole…. in attitude…. in hubris…. and ignorance……
    this american disease needs to be eradicated and that comes sooner than this “pearl” of the american diplomacy will ever understand …. thanks to his fantastic contributions. ….

  9. John Rourke says

    Germany is an occupied country..benefiting from US Military $ by the occupying force and savings of their own military expenditures..Either get some “balls” and stand on your own or forever “bend the knee”.

    1. JustPassingThrough says

      There was some “scuttlebutt” on the net, at one time, that claimed that as a condition of surrender in WW2 the US would occupy DE until 2050 (i think). Anyone know more about this?

      1. John Rourke says

        Never heard that before but then the US breaks it’s own treaties it signs anyways..If the Philippines sent the US military packing at one time then one would think Germany certainly can..so I am guessing the German government likes the arrangement of US troops on their soil..I wouldn’t like it and I’m sure most Germans don’t either..but since when do Government listen to their own people?

      2. Séamus Ó Néill says

        The US won’t exist in 2050, if it does it will be a third world cesspit….It’s on its way already with people openly defecating in the streets and searching through the bins for scraps of food !

    2. RedBaron9495 says

      How about getting OUT OF EUROPE once and for all…..most Europeans would cheer!

  10. RedBaron9495 says

    Send that American b’um bandit back to the U.S

  11. Mary E says

    The Germans – and most Europeans – are not dummies as the US likes to think of them…
    they are not easily controlled any longer. The US, with the Trump administration in charge of US foreign affairs, has totally decimated any goodwill that Washington’s previously in charge ever garnered…. The US is now universally known as a Rogue State -the Evil Empire….and no country would be dumb enough to give them any latitude with their governments. Germany- it is time to get rid of the evil that the US has brought upon your country…it does not defend you! But you must defend yourselves from Them!

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