MSNBC hosts ridicule Elon Musk after SpaceX mistake 
#Germany #shakyfoundations #imperilsupport
BERLIN – To imagine trains are constantly late in Germany is as jarring as to imagine that good food is scarce in France or Ireland’s peat bogs are covered with dust. But German national railway Deutsche Bahn is so unreliable that its Swiss neighbors are considering banning them, lest they cause delays on Switzerland’s famously punctual trains. German carrier DB has recently issued record refunds to customers whose trips were canceled or postponed. The WB’s meltdown, after decades of underinvestment, is a symptom of broader problems that are undermining Germany’s faltering economic prospects, deepening its political dysfunction, undermining its confidence and raising doubts about whether Europe’s largest country can emerge at a critical moment. The risks are rising as Republicans’ declining support for Ukraine increasingly threatens to endanger U.S. weapons and funds destined for Kiev. If Washington turns its back, Europe will need to fill the leadership vacuum. What if Germany withdraws from this role? Fast forward 20 months and Scholz has made some progress. Likewise, it is clear where it falls short. Berlin, which has largest economy in the West after USA, has taken steps to become Ukraine’s second largest arms supplier. In August, Germany announced plans for $5.3 billion in annual military aid to Ukraine through 2027, an important lifeline. But Germany also failed to lead at key moments, suggesting that its fear of Moscow outweighed its determination to help Ukraine push back Russian forces. Scholz continued to oppose a path towards Ukraine’s membership in NATO, although many European countries, including France, supported it. Meanwhile, Ukraine’s ammunition is dangerously low. Last winter, Scholz was hesitant about giving Kiev top-of-the-line battle tanks until President Biden did so first. Now, in an apparent repeat, the White House is stalling on equipping Ukraine with US-made cruise missiles while holding out on sending German-made Taurus cruise missiles, even though the British and French have sent their own versions. Germany has nearly 600 Taurus missiles. No conventional weapon will be a game changer, but the Taurus will provide Ukrainian forces with powerful firepower. Unlike British and French missiles, which can punch holes in large targets, the Taurus’ warhead can collapse the Kerch Bridge connecting Russia and Crimea, which Putin cherishes as a symbol of Moscow’s annexation. The German economy, besieged by inflation, labor shortage and high energy prices, is expected to shrink in 2023. It is expected to grow slower than economies of United States and major European countries, including United Kingdom, France and Spain, over next five years. There was also a digital lag due to slow Wi-Fi and spotty cell phone reception. Berlin taxis lack devices that generate electronic receipts. According to surveys, Germans are pessimistic about the future. In no other major European country are people so worried about the influx of immigrants on
The Pulse of Washington D.C.
