It’s time to roll up those sleeves, Germany. Your dream team Vice President Joe Biden himself has now made it official (in Munich of all places): He (as in Obama as in we as in US-Amerika) now expect you and all your other EU brothers out there to now, right now, begin shouldering heavier burdens, from fighting international terror to fighting economic instability at home and abroad.

Oh yes you can (we always knew you could), especially now that Biden said this in the “new tone” you have all been clamoring for all these long years, hallelujah, amen. And this wonderful new tone (and message?) not only echoes serenely through European air and media waves in ever-broadening circles of Realpolitik revelation, infecting all listening to it with enthusiasm and conviction (just think, you’ll be able to tell your grandchildren that you were there when the new American tone started ringing), it appears to be quite a contagious one, to boot.

NATO boss Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, for instance, a well-known European himself, took Joe’s queue and is now pressing European allies to finally step up the commitment to the war against the Taliban in Afghanistan. He’s saying that the Obama government has already taken care of one of Europe’s biggest complaints by closing Guantanamo, Saints be praised, so now it’s time for Europe to reciprocate.

 “When the United States asks for a serious partner,” he said in Munich. “It does not just want advice. It wants and deserves someone to share the heavy lifting.”

What wonderful words, don’t you think? Yes, that’s music in my ears, too, my European friends. It’s so uplifting to know that the change that came to America overnight some eighteen days ago has now reached the shores of your continent, too. Heaven knows you deserve it. A little change, I mean.

 So like I said before, roll up those sleeves Germany, and start practicing that heavy lifting. I’m sure the first flight of fresh German combat troops will be flying off to Kabul by early next week. Or late next week at the latest, right?

“Amerika wird mehr tun, aber Amerika erwartet auch mehr von seinen Partnern.”