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| Iraq |
| German Minister Sees NATO Role in Iraq |
| 2003-08-10 |
| In an apparent softening of Germany’s stance on Iraq, the defense minister said he could see a role for NATO in the country and did not exclude the possibility of German troops participating, according to remarks released Saturday. Schroeder must really want that invitation to the ranch. The remarks, to be published in Sunday’s Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, come after President Bush on Friday praised Germany’s efforts at the head of peacekeeping forces in Afghanistan, thanking Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder for providing support that was "more robust than we would have anticipated." Schroeder was among the most vocal opponents of the U.S.-led war on Iraq, a stance that cooled relations between the two countries. In the newspaper remarks, Defense Minister Peter Struck said he could see a possible role for NATO and Germany as peacekeepers. He still emphasized Schroeder’s previous assertion that Germany would only consider sending troops to Iraq if there were both a U.N. mandate and a request from the United Nations or the interim Iraqi government. "If U.N. resolutions are present and NATO is asked to take over a larger responsibility," then Germany would not have "a reason to contradict the commitment of the alliance to Iraq," Struck told the newspaper. No real movement yet, but they’re at least talking about it. Good. He did not exclude the deployment of German troops, adding that if "NATO resolutions are present, it could mean that we are asked" to send peacekeepers and it would then be up to "the government to give an answer." |
| Posted by:Steve White |
| #4 TGA Isn't Fischer a compromise candidate for the position? Can Schroeder get rid of him? And would he to mollify the US? |
| Posted by: Not Mike Moore 2003-8-10 10:56:22 PM |
| #3 America cannot wait for a new chancellor, and Germany not for a new president. why not? life will go on, and a tigers' stripes don't change. I see no reason to forget. Forgive? Sure, but that implies a request for forgiveness, and I'm sure Fischer feels absolutely no need for that. NATO is effectively a dead alliance with the French, Belgians French Poodles, and Fischer in place. |
| Posted by: Frank G 2003-8-10 11:52:00 AM |
| #2 Zhang Fei, the German papers do not say that. They say if the U.N. ask NATO to assume a bigger role in Iraq, Germany doesn't exclude taking part in that NATO role and that includes sending troops. Nowhere can I read a demand for UN administration of Iraq. They key to it is U.N. "legitimizing" NATO action. I do see this as a rather important shift of opinion. That does sound different to Schroeder's "no troops under any circumstances" a year ago. Call it German pragmatism: "We toldya so" won't help much. Even leftist German politicians seem to wake up to the fact that Iraq MUST NOT FAIL... for our own good. You might notice the deafening French silence... Steve, it doesn't have to be Crawford, the White House would do. Bush and Schroeder won't become friends but they need to get it going. And both seem to realize that. America cannot wait for a new chancellor, and Germany not for a new president. |
| Posted by: True German Ally 2003-8-10 11:22:21 AM |
| #1 He still emphasized Schroeder’s previous assertion that Germany would only consider sending troops to Iraq if there were both a U.N. mandate and a request from the United Nations or the interim Iraqi government. They've been talking about this since day one. There's no change in the German position - they're just restating it. A UN mandate means the UN takes over the administration of Iraq. I don't think so. |
| Posted by: Zhang Fei 2003-8-10 10:55:44 AM |