[MavKikiNYC]

So these passages seem to make John Kerry look like a fool for thinking he would be able to persuade a European ally like Germany into supporting the liberation of Iraq with troop support.

Interesting. And not surprising.

[quote]
SPIEGEL: Mr. Minister, members of the red-green coalition have voiced their astonishment at statements made by your fellow cabinet member, Peter Struck, who has said that he can only rule out Germany's sending troops to Iraq "for now, but not forever." What prompted him to say this?

Fischer: I think Peter Struck has since made it clear that his comments did not justify the flurry of headlines they generated. The federal government has not changed its position: There are no German troops in Iraq now, and there will be no German troops in Iraq in the future.

SPIEGEL: The Chancellor has made similar statements, but has nevertheless been unable to stop his defense minister from issuing these kinds of statements about now and forever.

Fischer: These issues are beyond the scope of the federal government; they are the business of churches and religious communities. The big problem, as I see it, is that our options in Iraq are being reduced.

I do not consider simply exchanging Western troops in Iraq to be a constructive option! In my view, that is simply thinking in the wrong direction.

SPIEGEL: Does this strict rejection on the issue of troop deployment also apply if there is a change in the US administration? The Democratic candidate, John Kerry, has already announced that he intends to return to multilateral approaches to resolving conflicts.

Fischer: I will not speculate on a potential new political majority situation in the United States. My comments relate exclusively to what is necessary in Iraq.

After all, we opposed the war in Iraq for good reasons. And now the debate surrounding the original justification for the war has only confirmed our skepticism. My position, and that of the federal government, remains unchanged in this regard.[/b]