Germany has introduced temporary controls on its border with Austria to cope with the influx of migrants, the interior minister has said.
Politically this is a shrewd move by Thomas de Maiziere. His announcement comes just a day before he travels to Brussels to meet other EU interior ministers to discuss the migrant crisis. The measure will help him put pressure on other European countries to do their bit. It highlights just how much Germany is struggling to cope.
The move could also serve as a useful threat; after all, Mr de Maiziere said Germany was controlling the border with Austria “first”, the implication being more could follow. The possibility that Germany might suddenly decide to control its other borders could well help jolt EU partners into action.
It would be nice to see other countries take their share. That many people are hard for any few nations to take alone. Of course, it would have been better had the US not caused the crisis in the first place (people blaming climate change do not understand our destabilization of the area).
While I don’t deny that the incompetence of our government has certainly aided and abetted this crisis, first it is not the U.S. alone that had a hand in this, and two, one has to wonder what the Germans were thinking by opening up the doors and sending out the invitations. That other EU countries have been warning that they could not (and would not) handle this many “refugees” (and also pointed out that many of them definitely do not belong to that category) should probably have been noted by Germany. And now Germany enacts border controls, with a great many of these refugees within Europe…I don’t think that bodes well for EU unity (nor good thoughts towards the Germans, which is probably not a good thing in the long run at least in regards to the stability of Europe).
As for America: there is a push for us to take “our share”, but the general mood towards immigration is turning mighty ugly here, across the spectrum but it is an especially popular populist cause right now — any politician who even so much as talks it up risks much politically (and possibly more than that — the mood here could quickly become quite ugly). And the EU asking the U.S. to take on more, well, Europe is already pretty unpopular with all but the “smart” set…this will just raise the stakes (which means Europe will truly have to be burning to the ground before you can get the American populace to give a rip, and maybe not even then, which is also probably a bad thing in regards to global stability).
Just got back from a trip to Italy. The Italians have had to put up with the seaborne refugee route to Europe for over two years now. If you visit any popular tourist spot in Italy, whether the Vatican or the Canals of Venice, there will be a dozen “refugees” trying to sell you a “Selfie Stick.” Good luck Germany!
Observing Hermann 
It would be nice to see other countries take their share. That many people are hard for any few nations to take alone. Of course, it would have been better had the US not caused the crisis in the first place (people blaming climate change do not understand our destabilization of the area).
I would love to see my country, the USA, take Her share!
While I don’t deny that the incompetence of our government has certainly aided and abetted this crisis, first it is not the U.S. alone that had a hand in this, and two, one has to wonder what the Germans were thinking by opening up the doors and sending out the invitations. That other EU countries have been warning that they could not (and would not) handle this many “refugees” (and also pointed out that many of them definitely do not belong to that category) should probably have been noted by Germany. And now Germany enacts border controls, with a great many of these refugees within Europe…I don’t think that bodes well for EU unity (nor good thoughts towards the Germans, which is probably not a good thing in the long run at least in regards to the stability of Europe).
As for America: there is a push for us to take “our share”, but the general mood towards immigration is turning mighty ugly here, across the spectrum but it is an especially popular populist cause right now — any politician who even so much as talks it up risks much politically (and possibly more than that — the mood here could quickly become quite ugly). And the EU asking the U.S. to take on more, well, Europe is already pretty unpopular with all but the “smart” set…this will just raise the stakes (which means Europe will truly have to be burning to the ground before you can get the American populace to give a rip, and maybe not even then, which is also probably a bad thing in regards to global stability).
Just got back from a trip to Italy. The Italians have had to put up with the seaborne refugee route to Europe for over two years now. If you visit any popular tourist spot in Italy, whether the Vatican or the Canals of Venice, there will be a dozen “refugees” trying to sell you a “Selfie Stick.” Good luck Germany!