WaPo: Germans forcing Greece to accept reforms sort of makes it seem like the Nazis are back, huh?

I don't even know what to do with this. If you ever help anyone with a problem, don't expect to get credit for it from the Washington Post. Because it might be necessary for you to make the recipient of the help shed some bad habits, and if you do that . . . hey, remember how cruel Hitler was? Anthony Faiola and Stephanie Kirchner of the Washington Post actually put their names to this piece. I do not know why:

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In Greece, those actively supporting the austerity deal are being heckled by their countrymen as “Nazi collaborators.” Another image making the rounds on social media shows a doctored version of the European Union flag, its circle of gold stars against a blue background reshaped into a swastika. France’s Le Figaro declared that “conditions were imposed on a small member state that would have previously required arms.” In a commentary that sneered at Merkel’s “half smile” after humiliating the Greeks, Britain’s Guardian argued that rather than being cruel to be kind, the deal was simply “cruel to be cruel.” In its online edition, even Germany’s own Der Spiegel decried the Berlin-led demands as “the catalogue of cruelties." In a country that can be highly sensitive about its brutal past, some Germans are beside themselves. On Friday, the German Parliament is set to vote on whether to green-light the rescue talks with Greece under the new onerous terms. It is expected to vote yes. But even if it does, some argue, the damage to Germany’s image has been done.

So let me see if I have this straight. Greece wildly overcommits in spending on its welfare state, spending the country to the brink of collapse and then failing to live up to the terms of not one but two IMF bailouts, both of which were heavily financed by Germany. Then, when the Greeks come back hat-in-hand for a third bailout and the Germans demand serious reforms that Greece's socialist government resists, this is bad for the image of . . . Germany? So bad, in fact, that people are hanging references to German's Nazi past around its neck and the Washington Post is reporting about this as if it isn't the most absurd thing anyone ever said or did? I wonder what would have happened to Greece if Hitler had been the chancellor when they defaulted on their last bailout. I'm sure he would have just extended the line of credit unconditionally. Or invaded. Or rounded up all the Greeks and put them in gas chambers. Just like Angela Merkel, who's . . . oh, wait, she's giving Greece yet another chance in spite of their continued nonsense, although she is demanding a little less nonsense as part of the deal. That, according to the Washington Post, makes her fair game for Nazi references. And you wonder why I think we've had it.