Stardate 20040105.0041

(Captain's log): Sometimes when I check my referers, I don't recognize the article here that was linked to, and so I'll go back and reread it. Which is how I ran into this article I wrote last year in February.

At the time, Rumsfeld had seriously zinged the Germans:

Rumsfeld was asked at the congressional hearing what kind of cooperation the Bush administration could expect from other nations in the event of a war. He listed several he considered supportive and others he thought might come around to backing the operation.

"And then there are three or four countries that have said they won't do anything. I believe Libya, Cuba and Germany are the ones that I have indicated won't help in any respect," Rumsfeld told the House Armed Services Committee.

And in response, the Germans were outraged. I almost busted a gut laughing when I saw what Rummy said.

Had I known what the future would bring, I'm not sure I could have survived the laughter. 11 months later, Libya is being more cooperative and helpful than Germany.