I think the Star Alliance Frankfurt reservations group are either having fun at my expense or it is staffed by trainee travel agents or something. I am trying to be persistent but polite, but it is hard not to lose my temper when i get responses like the most recent one - direct quote:

"As your journey does not originate in the United States, any transfer attempted to take place in the US is counted as an international transfer. Thus the number of allowed transfers is exceeded."