Germany Softens Stance on Sending Troops to Iraq

[jbfam4]

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&ncid=721&e=1&u=/nm/20041013/wl_nm/iraq_germany_dc

Germany Softens Stance on Sending Troops to Iraq


By Erik Kirschbaum

BERLIN (Reuters) - Germany said Wednesday it could not rule out sending troops to Iraq (news - web sites), dropping its firm refusal to consider any deployment to the country whose invasion last year it staunchly opposed.



Defense Minister Peter Struck said in an interview with the Financial Times newspaper that Germany might deploy troops if conditions in the country, now riven by insurgency, changed.


"At present I rule out the deployment of German troops in Iraq," Struck told the paper. "In general, however, there is no one who can predict developments in Iraq in such a way that he could make such a binding statement."


He also welcomed U.S. Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry (news - web sites)'s call for an international summit on Iraq.


Kerry has maintained during his campaign for the presidency that he would have more success getting traditional U.S. allies and Iraq war opponents like Germany and France to help in Iraq.

[Englander]

1. Here is the interview from the FT...

http://news.ft.com/cms/s/0b76459e-1c80-11d9-8d72-00000e2511c8.html

[freeplessinseattle]

2. UN members could make the winning PSA

could you imagine if even just a few publicly said that they would be willing to meet with Kerry, that it's not a popularity contest-he respects them, they respect him, they work as a team for the greater good.

"It is the militaries' job to win the war, it's the President's job to win the peace"

edited to ask-what country plainly gave their support to John Kerry just the other day? This is interesting timing a few days after the last debate!! now popularity looks more appealing to 'ol georgie now, I'll bet, heh, heh.

[FlemingsGhost]

3. Nice little "fuck you" to BushCo.

Unfortunately, the only difference I see between Bush and Kerry regarding stealing Iraqi oil, is Kerry seems more willing to share.

[reorg]

5. absolutely

and their wish to "share" is the reason why the German government has made the exact same sounds exactly one year ago towards Bush&Co.

This thread is a dupe, see here:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x900689#900787

[moondust]

4. Bush has been mocking the summit idea.

Saying he knows those people, he works with them.

Ha! How sweet it is.