Posted on 09/18/2003 5:13:52 AM PDT by Pikamax
Germany's Schroeder to offer Bush help in Iraq 2 hours, 9 minutes ago Add Mideast - AFP to My Yahoo!
BERLIN (AFP) - Germany is prepared to help train Iraqi police and soldiers in a sign that its differences with the United States over the US-led war are over, Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder revealed.
AFP/DDP/File Photo
Schroeder told Thursday's edition of the Handelsblatt business daily that the offer stood independent of any UN resolution on Iraq (news - web sites)'s post-war reconstruction.
Schroeder is expected to meet US President George W. Bush (news - web sites) next week on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York.
It would be the first time they have held face-to-face talks in more than a year because of their acrimonious dispute over the invasion of Iraq.
A German government spokesman said talks, although not officially confirmed as yet, are "very likely" to go ahead.
Asked if he would make an offer to Bush at the meeting, Schroeder replied: "Yes, Germany is ready to help with the training of Iraqi police.
"Iraqi military could also be trained in our army colleges. And of course, we would also pay for this, as we do everywhere we are present."
Training could take place in Germany or elsewhere, he said, but it might be dangerous within Iraq.
"I have indicated that we are ready to help with training independent of a UN resolution."
And CONGRATULATIONS on becoming a U.S. citizen.
If you had to guess, what would you think Schroeder's approval rating was in Germany?
I ask because I'm convinced him and ChIRAQ are nothing but devious little perverts who, with the EU Constitution and other similar nonsensical tactics, are determined to go nose-to-nose with the U.S. one day. I'm afraid far too many of my countrymen don't see this threat.
If Schroeder were replaced with a German "conservative" -- if there is such an animal -- ChIRAQ wouldn't have the gonads to take us on alone.
Again, congratulations. There is never too many GOOD Americans.
LOL. Me either. I've only recently mastered the "Reply" option.
Ill believe it when I see it. Whats in this for Germany?
France and Germany have failed to stand by their long time and generous ally and have taken a purely mercenary stand in Iraq.
France and Germany wouldnt help the Iraqi people throw off a brutal murderous dictator. They havent seen their way clear to help Iraq in any way unless they are well paid with oil, rebuilding contracts or highest on their list, political power over Iraq and the US. They have refused to help at every turn.
I would prefer the US continue working with the Brits and the rest of the coalition of the willing, and tell Germany to keep kissing Frances
The last I read the SPD was around 29% in opinion polls. The Union doesn't seem to be capitalizing on the sag, though.
Strong, trans-atlantic consrvatives like Schäuble have been marginalized. Stoiber and Merkel seem to have too different of personalities to pull the party together.
The SPD sag doesn't mean the Germans disagree with Schröder's anti-American position, AFAIK. It is more economy / unemployment related. I consider the the German media to be fiercely anti-Bush. Any meeting of the two will be played off as Bush giving in to Schröder. Any offer of help by Germany will be viewed as Germany bailing the U.S. out of a jam Germany told them would happen.
That's my opinion from scanning articles in "Spiegel", "Welt",etc., and watching the dpa wires. I think the German media is obnoxiously sanctimonious.
My 2 Cents.
longjack
Everything seemed to change after 9/11. We ended up bringing my daughter back, staying in the US, and choosing to move to Maine. I'm glad we did.
I'm really appalled at the way the German media portrays events.
I remember one incident in the recent war when two women, one pregnant, were forced to drive a car loaded with explosives into a a US checkpoint. All the German accounts I read left out the 'pregnant' when the describing the women, except, (of all things), CNN (Germany) / N-TV. That brutal detail, testifying to the bestiality of the Iraqi resistance, was withheld from many German readers.
It's not a Bush friendly media.
longjack
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