German Export Machine - A Threat to the Global Economy?

Businessweek piece on the topic

http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2013-11-05/why-germanys-export-machine-is-under-attack

Der Spiegel has a piece arguing that Germany is being unfairly criticized:
http://www.spiegel.de/international/business/complaints-about-export-surplus-of-germany-unfounded-a-931607.html

Caroline Baum offers her opinion on the topic:
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-11-06/drunk-on-debt-u-s-tells-teetotaler-to-sober-up.html

“How is it the U.S. is so good at advising other countries and so lousy at running its own? The advice on stimulating domestic demand comes from a country that overconsumes and borrows beyond its means to support its habits. As a nation, we refuse to forgo current consumption -- in fact, spending is a policy goal -- for future consumption. U.S. real personal consumption expenditures exceed 70 percent of GDP, compared with 58 percent in Germany.”

Paul Krugman’s critique of German economic approach

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/04/opinion/krugman-those-depressing-germans.html

Martin Wolf offers a critique in the FT

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/291a5ca6-42ec-11e3-8350-00144feabdc0.html