With her third federal election triumph on Sunday, Sept. 22, German Chancellor Angela Merkel demonstrated that her preferred foreign policy direction is, well, inward -- or at least one of non-intervention. Current crises around the globe -- from the Syrian regime's use of chemical weapons to Iran's nuclear program to Egypt's military coup -- were scarcely mentioned in the campaign, and the German electorate awarded her introspection with nearly 42 percent of the vote. In short, in Germany today, domestic issues trump foreign policy. But as the main economic engine of Europe, can -- and should -- Germany remain aloof from worldwide power politics in the coming years?
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