How can you not be wishy washy about the war on terror ?
Can you explain who's gonna be a terrorist and what exactly 'war' means these days ?
germany was often critized in a very rude and under the belt manner for it's 'passive' role in the conglomerate of not further denoted actions - some of military nature - some of structural nature - some of not furhter disclosed nature but having to do with detaining people because they are on a list of unknown nature - against certain groups in various countries to be named in the future.
Germany answered that it will under no circumstances deploy troops other than those who are not members of the german bundeswehr (like a large GSG9 detachment - special federal police forces build with the SAS counter terrorist units in mind and training together with these people) to Iraq. Certainly we send troops to afghanistan in larger ammounts so units are freed for Iraq.
Now what's your opposition against german actions exactly ?
I think the battles in the WOT should be expanded. Iraq is just one front or battle. Just as the wars like Korea Vietnam and countless smaller engagements (Grenada, Latin America etc.) were part of the larger Cold War. IMO we should have bombed and gone into Saudi Arabia and Iran as well as Iraq. (North Korea should be thrown in just for kicks.)
There are many non military fronts like economic (which the NYT's is currently trying to undermine). Democrats are going full bore trying to lose the WOT on the Political front. The Courts are another front. Germany is still treating terrorists as criminals and releasing them see previous link. Germany's politics seems to mirror the Liberals of this country. Godless, Secular Humanism etc. Hopefully I am wrong. You seem to be a conservative (I assume you are German from some of your statements. You also mention the changing climate between our leaders which I think are good things. Perhaps I am wrong or being overly judgemental of Germany. But from this end it looks like Germany has left us hanging in the wind.)
Can you explain who's gonna be a terrorist and what exactly 'war' means these days ?
Sun Tzu's book is a good start to define War. The actual Battles are a small part of the total Front (chiefly political in nature). He explains it way better than I can. Bush has given plenty of definitions of how the WOT will be different from the Cold War.
"Terrorism: The Newest Face of Warfare" is a great book that talks about different levels of warfare and discusses similarities and differences between warfare and terrorism. Do you disagree that the nature of warfare has changed?
Terrorist= Anyone that wants to kill me or my children.
There are more accepted PC and un-PC definitions talking about the nature of the enemy and whether they wear uniforms or use the media. Or using brutality against an indivudal to induce vicarious fear in the target or intended population etc. You can look them up on the web. I like my definition better.
germany was often critized in a very rude and under the belt manner for it's 'passive' role
This ship went both ways.
Germany answered that it will under no circumstances deploy troops other than those who are not members of the german bundeswehr (like a large GSG9 detachment - special federal police forces build with the SAS counter terrorist units in mind and training together with these people) to Iraq.
Blah Blah, hide behind technical legalisms.
Now what's your opposition against german actions exactly ?
Wussing out on Iraq.
You are making the point that Iraq is "my" war and seperate than the WOT. I disagree. Iraq is one of the fronts on the WOT.