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US has failed in Iraq, says Fischer
German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer asserted Wednesday that US policy in Iraq had failed while calling for German-American ties to be redefined on the basis of equal partners. Heâs still digging. "The American domino theory under which a liberated Iraq was supposed to stabilise the Middle East and democratise one country after another has not proven right," said Fischer in an interview with the news magazine Stern. Weâre just getting started. He added: "The decisive question now is whether a strategy which has not worked will be replaced by one that can." And your plan is? Fischer said Germany wanted a swift handover of sovereignty in Baghdad to Iraqi nationals and the United Nations. We are giving more and more authority to Iraqis every day. As for the U.N., forget it. Moderate Arab and Islamic states must also be involved in stabilising Iraq, he said. What moderate Islamic state???? European states would hammer out a new plan for Iraq within the coming two months, Fischer said without giving any further details. We have European states helping us in Iraq, Herr Fisher, just not any weasel states. While insisting transatlantic ties remained important, Fischer said in a separate speech to parliament that things would have to change between Berlin and Washington. "This means we must approach one another as partners," said Fischer, adding that Germany needed to hold a fundamental debate about the future of transatlantic ties. We held that debate, you lost. Berlin would insist on a new multilateralism in global politics, said the minister. Insist all you like, weâll turn out the lights and leave the keys to the bases under the doormat. Goodbye, it used to be great. Posted by: Steve 2003-09-10 |
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