George Bush’S Great America [EN]: Chapter 294

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Without a doubt, Germany suffered the most significant damage after the war. This was largely because the air defense system in western Iraq was of German design, and Germany had dispatched the largest contingent of troops.

It wasn’t just Germany; every member state, to varying degrees, saw their promising young people and military resources senselessly wasted in the Middle East. ‘Senselessly’ is indeed the correct term. It might sound harsh to those who died in this war, but that was the reality.

At least for the European Union, led by Germany, this was a completely pointless war. The operation’s objective seemed more like a retaliatory strike against the rebels in western Iraq than a genuine effort to reclaim the region. All they gained was a city even more devastated than it had been during the days of the Iraqi Republic.

The most valuable resources in western Iraq, the oil drilling and refining facilities, were still engulfed in flames from the previous conflict. The people of western Iraq felt betrayed by the European Union, vividly remembering how they had been treated as mere pawns in an effort to artificially inflate the region’s economic importance.

“Europeans, get out! We have our own way forward!”

Now, even if they could occupy western Iraq with the powerful military force that had twice conquered Iraq, the plan to use it as a Western outpost in the Middle East had vanished like a fleeting dream the moment they alienated the local population. Their strategy had completely fallen apart.

Securing local cooperation in this situation was utterly impossible, which meant that the coalition could no longer fully project its influence without enduring further losses. Simultaneously, this raised serious questions about the ethical implications of their actions.

It also prompted a reassessment of the enormous budget that had already been invested, and the coalition began to contemplate how many more resources would be needed to maintain their presence in the future.

Above all, the biggest problem was the refugee crisis created by the devastation of western Iraq. The coalition decided to ‘actively’ accept refugees from western Iraq. However, the problem was the lack of consensus on how to distribute them among the member countries. It wasn’t as if there were no existing guidelines for accepting refugees.

Over the past few years, they had grappled with refugee influxes and had been, to put it mildly, at each other’s throats while trying to refine these guidelines. Thus, the administrative procedures for determining each country’s refugee quota and financial contribution, as well as the European Constitution [likely referring to a proposed framework for governance], were already in place.

The problem was that the sheer number of new refugees from western Iraq far exceeded those established standards. Everyone was stunned by the staggering figure of 2.15 million people, a consequence of the stated willingness to actively accept them.

It turned out that Germany’s refugee acceptance capacity, which it had confidently reformed in the past, was more inadequate than expected. In reality, they had secured an additional capacity for 200,000 people, which was by no means insignificant. However, when faced with the prospect of accommodating more than ten times that number, reluctance quickly set in.

In truth, this many people shouldn’t have gathered in the first place.

Originally, these refugees were supposed to seek refuge in Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Israel, Turkey, and other countries in the region. Only a small fraction would have arrived in Europe, including Italy. Germany wouldn’t have had to exhaust its entire ‘additional 200,000’ capacity, which was already nearing its limit.

It was only because the European Union confidently advertised its open-door policy that this mess occurred. The European Union had planned to filter them out first using Turkey as a buffer, but Turkey firmly refused, stating that it had already borne its share of the burden.

Turkey had been forced to cede territory and make concessions as a condition for EU membership [a likely exaggeration for dramatic effect]. Turkey could hardly tolerate any more of this perceived injustice, and public sentiment was increasingly turning against the EU.

Moreover, because the war was officially over, it was ambiguous in many ways to continue treating them as refugees. All countries bordering western Iraq, as well as EU member states, had virtually entered a state of emergency and had to convene emergency meetings.

“Western Iraqis back to western Iraq! Our jobs! Our cities! Our streets!”

“The irresponsible government must take responsibility! How long will you let refugees roam the streets?”

A protest was underway, demanding the return of refugees to western Iraq. It was an escalation of other refugee-related protests. Refugees are certainly deserving of sympathy. However, feeling compassion and directly spending money are two different things. How could they afford to help others when they were barely making ends meet themselves? What kind of misfortune was this?

This was not an exaggeration. Feeding the refugees was being funded by their taxes, and the decline in neighborhood safety, where they should be able to walk without fear, was also attributed to the refugees. They created self-governing associations, established their own rules, and implemented their Middle Eastern worldview, and anyone who violated it, whether they were western Iraqi or German, faced violent consequences.

Of course, this was illegal.

“German companies must legally stipulate prayer times!”

“Germany must accept the excellent teachings of the Quran! Amend the constitution in the Arab style and guarantee our legitimate rights!”

If they were only being provided with basic necessities, there would only be some grumbling and small-scale protests, but they would not neglect their livelihoods and hold large-scale demonstrations.

If they were simply taking advantage of the existing social safety net, they could be considered slightly bothersome neighbors. However, the fact that these refugees were advocating for self-governance within the country and even attempting to infringe on the country’s sovereignty drove all the people, regardless of their political leanings, to a frenzy.

The prevailing opinion was to expel all refugees in stages, and there were frequent calls for refugees to be killed and forcibly removed from the country by any means necessary.

Throughout Europe, not only against Middle Easterners but also as if reverting to the barbaric 19th century, racial discrimination intensified, and it became difficult to stop it with mere anti-discrimination laws unless police force was mobilized.

However, the difference from then was that at least the government was not instigating the violence but was trying to regain control of the situation and somehow manage this chaotic situation.

Even if the people were rioting, the government should never resort to such measures. It was truly ironic to be reminded that the government should be the voice representing the people, but the term ochlocracy [rule by mob] was not far away.

Of course, the state could abandon the anti-discrimination law if the current situation escalated, but if that day ever came, at least the common moral values that dominate the world today would be greatly undermined.

Experts who liked to appear in the media were all saying the same thing about this.

“A sign of the collapse of the European Union.”

There was no way that could happen.

“Huh, that’s ridiculous. There’s no way the union will fall apart because of a problem like this.”

The union could be greatly shaken by problems originating from outside, but it could not be dismantled. However, Chancellor Schröder’s political career was definitely over. She chuckled softly. The opportunity that had been flickering like a mirage had now clearly materialized.

Finally, her era had definitely arrived. The era of ‘Angela Merkel’.

However, she couldn’t simply rejoice at this opportunity. This was an opportunity born from Schröder’s mistakes, but at the same time, it also indicated that her beloved homeland, Germany, was in crisis.

And there was another reason that darkened her complexion.

‘There really is no easy solution to this problem.’

That’s right. Even she couldn’t find a clear answer to this situation. She also felt compassion for the western Iraqi refugees and supported the current government’s refugee policy, but the result was, as you can see, disastrous.

‘The most realistic option is to accept only as many as we can reasonably handle and establish refugee camps inside western Iraq. In that case, it would be more like a displaced persons camp than a refugee camp.’

However, that alone would resolve the problem of the enormous number of refugees suddenly flooding into Europe. The current refugee problem will permanently plague Germany until a leader with exceptional strength and vision emerges in the future, but perhaps that day will also mark the end of the Germany she knew.

Anyway, the problem is how to send them back. Western Iraq and Europe have been steadily interacting for several years. During this period of exchange, some people naturally settled in Europe, and around this time, Europe was encouraging this to some extent, regardless of the specific country.

It’s a completely different situation to arrive empty-handed with no resources and to have established connections in the area you’ve come to. Western Iraqis living in Germany actively sponsored their families to join them in Germany.

Above all, the most troublesome aspect at this point was that they were not illegal immigrants. If they were illegal immigrants, they could be deported, but they had legally entered Europe. Europe had even invited them.

In other words, there was no legal justification for expelling them.

In Merkel’s view, this was a complete contradiction. If she came to power in the future, she would likely be attacked by her political opponents for having actively supported the acceptance of refugees from western Iraq.

‘Come to think of it, the UK, which is usually the most vocal on refugee issues, is unusually quiet.’

The actions of the UK and the Commonwealth were unusual. They were relatively quietly and calmly accepting refugees in this situation. Of course, the public sentiment was no different from that in Germany, but the government’s approach was definitely the opposite of her political rivals. This was something that should never happen.

‘There must be something going on behind the scenes.’

It was certain that the US and the UK were plotting something, but she didn’t know what it was. At best, there was only the fact that something bad had happened between the Prime Minister and the President. Even that was just a ridiculous rumor that the US President had physically assaulted the British Prime Minister with a wrestling move.

‘Is this even something that can be discussed openly? What the hell are our diplomats doing in the 21st century, the so-called age of information? What about our intelligence sources?’

The only rumor that was gradually gaining credibility from the most absurd sources was the rumor that the UK would soon withdraw from the EU, so it was no exaggeration to say that this was all there was to it. How could the UK withdraw from the EU?

In short, the only news that a politician in one country was receiving was only ‘rumors’. This was both a sign that the UK was keeping its cards close to its chest and evidence that Germany’s diplomatic capabilities were at an all-time low.

Whatever the truth, Merkel was at least thinking that way. And at the same time, she thought this.

“But is it still better than France?”