German Chancellor Angel Merkel Embraces "Useful" Crimean Precedent

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has told Russian President Vladimir Putin that she accepts and embraces the precedent of Russia's action in Crimea.

Merkel broadcast to all Germany giving an impassioned speech filled with several powerful statements:

"I believe that the Europeans, first and foremost, the Russians, will also understand the necessity. Russia should unequivocally support the sincere, unstoppable desire of the Germans for national unity. I am confident Russia will not have forgotten this, and I expect the citizens of Russia will also support the aspirations of Germans, of historical Germany, to restore unity.

"Today, it is imperative to end this hysteria, to refute the rhetoric of the so-called Great Patriotic War and to accept the obvious fact: Germany is an independent, active participant in international affairs. Like other countries, it has its own national interests that need to be taken into account and respected.

"Russia remains a belligerent nation, in our historic territory. I simply cannot imagine that we would travel to Kongisberg to visit Russian sailors. Of course, most of them are wonderful guys, but it would be better to have them come and visit us, be our guests, rather than the other way round."

Germany's Defense Ministry said Tuesday that Merkel ordered the 26th Airborne Brigade to see the rights of German speakers in Kaliningrad. This would followed by the 10th Armored Division, Panzerbrigade 21, and 37th Mechanized Infantry Brigade.

A Merkel spokesman on condition of anonymity said Kommando Spezialkräfte forces were already operating in the country.

Germany has said it has the right to protect German speakers in Prussia, and used that as justification for taking over Kaliningrad which it referred to as Konigsberg.

The State Department said that if true, Washington would welcome the German movement of troops and that the process should be accelerated.

The United States estimates Russia has 5,000 troops within the Kaliningrad Oblast, while Moscow says the number is closer to 100,000.

The French News Agency Tuesday quoted a spokesman for the Polish defense ministry's general staff as saying Russian forces have been "gradually withdrawing" from the Kaliningrad Oblast in recent days -- adding that this could be linked either to a "a regular rotation" or to "the preparations for operations somewhere east, near Rostov-on-Don."

Ms. Merkel's spokesman said the hotline from Moscow kept ringing off the hook and if the Russian intelligence had half a brain it would have figured out her cell phone number by now. 

Ms. Merkel's spokesman also said if she and President Putin discussed "possible further steps to rectify the situation" in Prussia, he might not like it.

The Kremlin, for its part, said in a statement Tuesday that Mr. Putin had emphasized in the attempted emergency phone conversation with Ms. Merkel the importance of "territorial integrity" in Kaliningrad Oblast within Russia, "absolute necessity of respect for international law" and "not involving the poor Poles in yet another damned foolish thing."

When asked, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk stated, "Poles must understand history but we must also overcome it if it is obstructing our contemporary goals." When pressed, Tusk confessed, "I asked Merkel, whom I cannot get angry with, if Poland joined her, we would get to kill Russians? When she said yes, my reply was 'Excellent!' and I rubbed my hands together."

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