Why does Germany's Chancellor Merkel not stand-up against Putin?

I've had it! Everywhere I read that the German chancellor Angela Merkel stands-up against Vladimir Putin in the Georgia crisis, but honestly, I don't see it.

Germany traditionally has close ties to Russia, and although they gotten a bit slippery with Schroeder on Gazprom's payroll, they are still excellent. Because of those good relations the countries of Europe trust that, "Germany is the one country that can warn Russia," as James Sherr, director of the Russia and Eurasia Program of the Royal Institute of International Affairs in London, points out. "Russia does listen to what Germany says. If Germany can make clear statements about the consequences facing Russia over Georgia and whatever else it might decide to do, it will have an impact on Russia." But does Merkel deliver on that?

No. So far Merkel has done everything to avoid being a mediator between Russia and Georgia. Although this might be understandable, it shows, that all the times before, when she talked to Putin over Kosovo, failings in the Russian presidential elections, and human rights, it was nothing but lip service. Looking at Merkels upbringing this does not surprise me.

Angela Merkel was born in Hamburg and moved with her family to Templin in Eastern Germany, where her father was pastor in a Lutheran church. Interestingly the family was always able to travel freely to Western Germany, she was able to attend university and they had other privileges that were unusual for Families who were active churchgoers (which a pastors family is). According to Gerd Langguth, author of a book about Angela Merkel, the family's ability to travel freely from East to West Germany, as well as their possession of two automobiles, leads to the conclusion that Merkel's father had a 'sympathetic' relationship with the communist regime, since such freedom and perquisites for a Christian pastor and his family would have been otherwise impossible in East Germany.

This is the same regime, that for decades suppressed individual freedom, and human rights, incarcerated people for their faith and did not allow those, who stood up for their beliefs to get a higher education. Angela Merkel never had any problems during the times of the GDR and I guess, she still has to learn to stand up for what's good and right for country and people.

Now is the time!

Georgia into the NATO?

The German chancellor, Dr. Angela Merkel, is vehemently supporting a membership of Georgia in the NATO and urges Russia to get its troops out of the region. But the Russian troops are not budging, and that makes you wonder if they don't care what's going to happen next. Will Europe act in any way? Will Georgia be Russia's Iraq? What will the US do?

Peace in the Caucasus?

Russia and Georgia agreed to end the hostilities and return to the conference table. But don't be fooled - peace is far away, if not impossible, in the current situation.
Russia wants to maintain control in the region, and will not sit back and accept independence for the two breakaway Georgian provinces. Georgia on the other hand will continue to fight for South Ossetia, that it considers part of Georgia.
Obviously the Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili took a big gamble with his military offensive against South Ossetia, which began last Thursday evening. He must have believed that Europe and especially the USA, who have been a big supporter of the Georgian independence movement, will come to the rescue, and support Georgia in it's fight against the Russian army. But the West's solidarity has so far been limited to words. Now a negotiator, who has the trust of both sides, is necessary to develop an agreement that is acceptable to Russia and Georgia.