US calls on Germany to join the military operation in Syria
The United States urges the Bundeswehr to participate in a military strike in response to the use of chemical weapons by the Syrian army. “Speeches are not the best way to demonstrate political support but showing military solidarity is,” US Special Envoy for Syria Jeffrey James said on September 13 during his visit to Berlin.
James said that the United States would try to get the maximum contribution from NATO allies for this operation. According to him, the internal political situation in the United States is the reason for Washington’s persistence in rallying for military support. “We have an internal policy and it helps when the President can demonstrate that others are ready to help us,” he explained.
Drawing parallels between the current situation and the events of the Iraqi campaign in 2003, the American representative admitted that the refusal of Germany and France to support the US military operations in Iraq were a “big internal political problem” for Washington.
The German tabloid Bild previously reported that the German Defense Ministry is considering participating in the "military alliance" of the United States, France and Great Britain, due to the expected attack of Syrian government troops on the province of Idlib. This announcement sparked an intense internal political debate in Germany.
Germany’s ruling coalition remains divided about the possible involvement of the Bundeswehr in Syria. Chairman of the Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD) Andrea Nahles is strongly against Germany’s participation in the international military operation. Chancellor Angela Merkel is pushing for it in the face of the Syrian army’s use of chemical weapons.
Deutsche Presse-Agentur said that participating in military actions in Syria would be legally problematic for the Bundeswehr. The Research and Documentation service of the Bundestag classified these actions as contradictory to international law and the Basic Law of Germany.