Part Iron, Part Clay
(Signs of the Time - March 2000)
In Daniel chapter 2, the kingdom of men in the last days is depicted as being part iron and part clay: "As you saw the iron mixed with miry clay, so they will mix with one another in marriage, but they will not hold together, just as iron does not mix with clay" (Dan. 2:43 RSV). During February, 2000, events occurred in Austria and the European Union which mirror the condition depicted by Daniel.
The Austrian election
In October, 1999, the Austrian people went to the polls to elect a new government. The
results of this election were inconclusive with the votes being split three ways. The
Social Democrats -- who had dominated Austria for nearly 30 years -- remained the majority
party, but received only 33% of the votes. The conservative People’s Party and the
far-right Freedom Party each garnered approximately 27% of the popular vote. Five months
after the election, the People’s Party and the Freedom Party decided to form a
coalition government and begin ruling Austria. It was this coalition government, and in
particular the leader of the Freedom Party, Jörg Haider, who created much turmoil and
diplomatic furor.
Haider, who has been leader of the Freedom Party for close to a decade (but currently does not hold a formal post with the Austrian government) has stated his position clearly over the past several years. His record and remarks were chronicled in the New York Times on January 31, 2000:
"The SS officers and soldiers were not criminals; at most they were victims" (October, 1990).
"In the Third Reich they had an orderly employment policy" (June, 1991).
"Concentration-camp inmates had been guilty of crimes, and thus punishment was rendered" (February, 1995).
"There are still decent people of good character who also stick to their convictions, despite the greatest opposition, and have remained true to their convictions until today" (September, 1995, remarks made to former Waffen SS members.)
"The Waffen SS was a part of the Wehrmacht and hence it deserves all the honor and respect of the army in public life" (December, 1995).
It wasn’t until after the October, 1999, election that Haider attempted to make amends for his past remarks. Haider was quoted in November, 1999, as saying: "In the past, some remarks have been attributed to me in connection with Nazism which were certainly insensitive or open to misunderstanding." For the most part, however, the damage was done and no matter how Haider tried to make amends, the EU and the rest of the world was certain they were dealing with a supporter of the Third Reich.
Divided response
It took very little time for the 14 other members of the EU and the rest of the world
to raise opposition to the new coalition government. The New York Times reported
February 1, 2000: "The European Union said all its member states would downgrade
their diplomatic relations with Austria if Mr. Haider’s party, which they regard as
xenophobic and extremist, was allowed into government." The United States
responded that the coalition government, "would affect our bilateral
relationship."
The nation of Israel reacted with the loudest voice. In Jerusalem, Foreign Minister David Levy said Israel’s ambassador to Austria was being recalled immediately "for consultations for an undetermined time." He added, "In a country where a government symbolizes and backs opinions that would upset any Jew and non-Jew, there cannot be an Israeli ambassador."
Within the EU, France and Belgium have taken the most vocal stance against Austria’s new coalition; their ministers walked out on a speech by Austria’s social affairs minister at an EU gathering in Lisbon, Portugal, on Friday. However, other EU nations were not as adamant in punishing Austria. A prominent German conservative, Bavarian state Governor Edmund Stoiber, criticized EU measures against Austria on February 11, 2000 as "completely exaggerated." During a visit to the Bavarian capital, Munich, by Austrian President Thomas Klestil, Stoiber said the EU must respect democratic decisions of a sovereign member state.
Opposition hurts moderate
International measures to punish Austria for handing power to a far-right party may
have backfired, giving an unwitting boost to the party’s leader and threatening the
EU’s ability to conduct business as usual. Instead of weakening Freedom Party leader
Jörg Haider, who holds no official government post, the furor has undermined support for
the country’s moderate chancellor, Wolfgang Schuessel, whose presence at the top
offers a counterbalance to the right-wing party. In effect the EU’s supposed action
against Austria has managed to help bolster the cause of the extreme right wing in Austria
while at the same time fractionate the EU itself.
Iron and clay
The scriptures are quiet as to which sector of the feet will be made from iron and
which from clay. However, we do know iron and clay can’t form a cohesive substance.
Happily, in the near future, we believe the Stone (Christ) will crush the image by
striking its feet. Let us pray that that day may come quickly.
George Rayner