Subtract It From What You Owe Us

Apparently the same Germans who required two ass kickings in the first half of the last century followed by millions of dollars and 45 years of economic and security assistance, now feel entitled to compensation for the inconvenience and economic loss caused by security measures taken during President Bush's visit to Mainz.

I did 3 tours in Germany. One during the Cold War; Reagan was President and Pershing II missiles were the hot issue. 100,000 Americans were stationed there. I was there when the wall came down. Democracy was on a roll and West Germans were terrified of the cost of unification with their socialist cousins. I was there for Bosnia-Kosovo. The Europeans didn't lift a finger until the Yanks took the lead.

When we'd land at a German airport and were obligated to pay landing fees, it would be charged off against the war debt. As far as I know, they still owe us. The Marshall Plan and Cold War security don't come into that.

OK we'll pay for your inconvenience. Compensate us for the expenditures under the Marshall Plan and don't forget to compound that at a modest rate, say, 6% per year.

By one estimate, the cost of Marshall Plan to the United States was approximately $13 billion over four years or approximately about 1.5 per cent of the American Gross National Product.

Across 55 years the $13Billion would double to $26B then $52B then $104B.

So as soon as you Germans come up with the rest of the war debt and your share of the $104 Billion, subtract what we owe you from what you owe us. We'll be waiting for the bank wire.