Chancellor Merkel’s Visit

Scott Nason / June 06, 2011

German Chancellor Angela Merkel will be in town this week for a visit to the White House, where President Obama will present her with the Medal of Freedom. Her visit comes at a time when the United States and Germany are struggling to find common ground on a variety of issues. The two world leaders will have much to discuss besides the global economy, and neither should substitute style for substance.

For starters, Merkel will need to explain why her government is pursing further cuts to Germany’s already small defense budget. And why, just this past week, Berlin decided to shutter all of its nuclear power plants over course of the next decade without a good plan for how to fill the gap that it creates. (more…)