RED-GREEN-YELLOW-FADE TO BLACK:

Confusion over arms sale: Cabinet shows strains of pressure on Iraq issue / U.S. accused of 'pure cynicism' (Michael Gavin, 11/29/02, Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung)

German Defense Minister Peter Struck accepted the blame on Thursday for an embarrassing mix-up over a possible armored vehicle sale to Israel, which saw Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder forced to withdraw an announcement indicating that the deal could go ahead.

The episode followed a difficult week in which the government yielded to pressure from Washington and declared that it would allow U.S. overflights of Germany for purposes of an attack on Iraq, while continuing to insist that it would play no direct military role in such a campaign.

Critics said Germany's insistence that it would remain a non-combatant in a war it has deemed a "reckless adventure" was contradicted by its own vote last Friday, along with its NATO allies, in support of the recent United Nations resolution on Iraq. U.S. President George W. Bush claims the UN measure gives his country the right to attack Iraq if it is deemed not to be cooperating with weapons inspectors.

Once the Bush Administration determined to force the contradictions, Germany couldn’t end up otherwise than looking foolish. Schroeder gave them a sword and they used it, with apparent relish. Posted by Orrin Judd at November 29, 2002 1:59 PM