Aw, Quitcherbitchin

Americans whine too much. Whether it's gas prices, domestic surveillance, illegal immigration, or a "culture of corruption," there is little to complain about in America that isn't considerably worse in Europe.

France, Italy and Germany sanctioned the payment of $45 million in deals to free nine hostages abducted in Iraq, according to documents seen by The Times.

All three governments have publicly denied paying ransom money. But according to the documents, held by security officials in Baghdad who have played a crucial role in hostage negotiations, sums from $2.5 million to $10 million per person have been paid over the past 21 months. Among those said to have received cash ransoms was the gang responsible for seizing British hostages including Kenneth Bigley, the murdered Liverpool engineer.

The list of payments has also been seen by Western diplomats, who are angered at the behaviour of the three governments, arguing that it encourages organised crime gangs to grab more foreign captives.

Europe has it worse in two additional ways: The World Cup and Nazis.

Neo-Nazis reportedly plan to hold a series of rallies during the month-long World Cup, which kicks off in Munich on June 9. One is planned for 10 June in the Ruhr area town of Gelsenkirchen, another for 21 June in the eastern city of Leipzig when Iran and Angola meet.

The magazine Der Spiegel said the neo-Nazis wanted to use the Leipzig rally to demonstrate their sympathy for Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who has been widely condemned by the international community for casting doubt on the Holocaust and denying Israel's right to exist.

. . . The current debate about hostility towards foreigners was triggered by a former spokesman for the German government under Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder who warned World Cup visitors to avoid parts of the state of Brandenburg because of racial attacks.

"There are small and medium-sized towns in Brandenburg and elsewhere where I would not advise anyone with a different skin colour to go," said Uwe-Karsten Heye. "There is a chance they might not get out alive," Heye said in an an interview with German radio.

Brandenburg, which surrounds Berlin, has the highest per capita rate of violent neo-Nazi crime in all of Germany's 16 federal states.

It's not clear what the skinheads actually want, seeing as they enjoy beating up Muslims, yet also side with them against Jews and America. Le Pen (France) and Haider (Austria) take a similarly incoherent position. One hopes these idiots will simply get caught in the crossfire, since they don't have the balls to pick a side.