Donald Rumsfeld had a taste of his own medicine in Germany
Thumping his hand on the table, his voice rising to a squeaky pitch, Germany's Foreign Minister, Joschka Fischer, delivered the most memorable performance of his career as he took on the might of the United States administration. Reports the
Telegraph
Joschka Fischer stunned the chandeliered hall at an international security conference in Munich into silence as he slipped into English to ensure his message would be understood by Donald Rumsfeld. Mr Fischer discarded a speech which had been written for him, and referred instead to his own brief notes.
"My generation learned you must make a case, and excuse me, I am not convinced. " the Green politician shouted in English while directing his gaze, teacher-like, over silver half-moon frames, at the United States defence secretary.
Mr Rumsfeld maintained a grim-faced look throughout, gazing at Mr Fischer.
The confrontation could go down as one of the defining moments of this crisis. But it was also, said commentators, a moment that ensured that American and German relations have little chance of recovering soon from their chronic post-war low.
Donald Rumsfeld had a taste of his own medicine in Germany
Thumping his hand on the table, his voice rising to a squeaky pitch, Germany's Foreign Minister, Joschka Fischer, delivered the most memorable performance of his career as he took on the might of the United States administration. Reports the
Telegraph
Joschka Fischer stunned the chandeliered hall at an international security conference in Munich into silence as he slipped into English to ensure his message would be understood by Donald Rumsfeld. Mr Fischer discarded a speech which had been written for him, and referred instead to his own brief notes.
"My generation learned you must make a case, and excuse me, I am not convinced. " the Green politician shouted in English while directing his gaze, teacher-like, over silver half-moon frames, at the United States defence secretary.
Mr Rumsfeld maintained a grim-faced look throughout, gazing at Mr Fischer.
The confrontation could go down as one of the defining moments of this crisis. But it was also, said commentators, a moment that ensured that American and German relations have little chance of recovering soon from their chronic post-war low.
