U.S. warns Germany on World Cup sex workers

[PatGund]

http://edition.cnn.com/2006/US/06/05/human.trafficking.ap/index.html

"The German government, while defending its policy of legalized prostitution, emphatically denies that it condones human trafficking and says it has intensified efforts to combat it.

Rep. Christopher Smith, R-New Jersey, chairman of the House subcommittee on global human rights, urged Germany last month to recriminalize prostitution and suggested that it should be reclassified as an "egregious violator" of human trafficking.

Prostitution is legal in Germany, with about 400,000 registered sex workers who pay taxes and receive social benefits. However, the government says forced prostitution is not tolerated and it denies Smith's claim that it is helping build brothels."

Gee, Rep. Smith must really hate his colleagues from Nevada. Wonder if Australia, New Zealand, the Netherlands, or any other country with legalized prostitution is going to find themselves classed as an "egregious violator" as well? Or is this an attempt to punish Germany for not taking part in Shrub's little sandbox adventure??