Kopfschmerze - The German government,

Kopfschmerze - The German government, under Social Democrat Helmut Schöder, just can't win. It barely squeaked back into power in last fall's elections, it ticked off the Social Democrat base by sending troops (their elite HSK commandos) to Afghanistan, and now they're trying to split the difference between involvement (allowing US overflights and use of bases in Germany) and detachment (providing no material support for any invasion) - and getting hammered from both sides in the process.

Recent days have seen the Schröder government playing a delicate balancing act, attempting to improve damaged relations with the United States by pledging logistical cooperation in any campaign against Iraq, but continuing to insist Germany will not offer active military support.
One measure of the strains the issue is putting on the cabinet came on Thursday when Development Minister Heidemarie Wieczorek-Zeul accused the United States of “pure cynicism“ in its Iraq policy.

Watch the German Green party implode the same way the DFL just did, once war actually begins.

Posted by Mitch at December 5, 2002 03:41 PM