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Germanyâs ruling coalition says Rumsfeld should go
Leaders of Germanyâs ruling coalition called for the resignation of US Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld today, warning the West would be held collectively accountable for the abuse of Iraqi prisoners.But no members of Chancellor Gerhard Schroederâs centre-left government joined in the chorus urging Rumsfeld to step down. Franz Muentefering, chairman of Schoederâs Social Democrats, and the SPDâs foreign policy expert in parliament, Gernot Erler, said Rumsfeld should leave office. Erler told German Radio it was ââcompletely warrantedââ for Rumsfeld to resign. ââIn any case the whole chain of command has to be held accountable,ââ Erler said. Muentefering, speaking on N24 television, said:ââI know that if this involved Germany I would see to it that a personnel change would be made.ââ The leader of the SPDâs junior coalition partners, the Greens, had demanded Rumsfeld quit last week. The remarks from the SPD and Greens leaders are a break with the usual diplomatic protocol of not interfering in the internal politics of a close ally, although neither Schroeder nor Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer have made any comments on Rumsfeld. Rumsfeld has taken responsibility for the abuse of prisoners by U S troops and offered his ââdeepest apologyââ, but said he would not resign just to satisfy his political enemies. Posted by: TS(vice girl) 2004-05-12 |
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