[Atlantic Friend]

That's partly because the German constitution forbade the sending of troops to exterior theaters until 1999 (IIRC), partly because of the bad blood accumulated during WW2, and partly because the German troops were slated for first-line defense against the Soviet Bloc. Michael81Dus could be more specific about it.

[Michael81Dus]

How many Poles are engaged in NATO operations?
Right now, several thousand German soldiers are in Afghanistan (NATO-led ISAF) and Bosnia as well as Kosovo.

By the way, Atlantic Friend (who must stand this heavy French-bashing here *sigh*), is right when he says that our constitution forbids attacks on other countries. Our constitutional court has decided in 1994 that we may engage in humanitarian missions outside NATO area and in 1999 that we may participate in a war if accepted by NATO or the UN.