Wherein an adjective is applied to Germany that is rarely applied to Germany

SecWar Robert Gates was just in Europe, or Old Europe as his predecessor called it when he went there to make friends and influence people. Gates is bitching about the Europeans’ unwillingness to send troops into combat in Afghanistan, because if there’s one thing that’s always effective with Europeans, it’s being hectored publicly. When Germany objected to his tone, he accused it of being “a little overly sensitive”.