Analysis: Germany's Opposition To U.S. War Against Iraq

Morning Edition: February 7, 2003

BOB EDWARDS, host:

This is MORNING EDITION from NPR News. I'm Bob Edwards.

Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld is in Europe today to argue President Bush's case for a possible war against Iraq. After visiting US troops at Aviano Air Base in Italy, Rumsfeld travels to Germany to take part in the annual Munich Conference on Security Policy. His visit occurs at a low point in US-German relations. The Bush administration is angry about Germany's outspoken opposition to an Iraq war. German leaders, in turn, are upset by Rumsfeld's comments about their government. NPR's Tom Gjelten reports.

TOM GJELTEN reporting:

It's Germany's turn to preside over the United Nations Security Council, so German Foreign Minster Joschka Fischer had a center seat on Wednesday to hear Secretary of State Colin Powell argue the time was coming for the Security Council to back military action against Iraq, but Fischer was apparently unmoved. When it was his turn to speak, Fischer restated his government's firm opposition to war.

Mr. JOSCHKA FISCHER (Foreign Minister, Germany): The dangers of a military action and its consequence are plain to see. Precisely because of the effectiveness of the work of the inspectors, we must continue to seek a peaceful solution to the crisis.

GJELTEN: Rarely has a German government challenged a US administration so openly as Gerhard Schroeder's Social Democrats are now doing. Yesterday Germany joined forces with France and Belgium to block NATO planning for a possible alliance role in the event of an Iraq war. Germany has generally been a loyal US ally, and, in some ways, Bush administration officials are more upset by Germany's opposition to US war plans than they are by France's defiant attitude.

Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld has had withering words for Germany. First, he dismissed it as being part of old Europe, and on Wednesday, Rumsfeld made another jab. In testimony before the House Armed Services Committee, he listed how various countries are willing to help a US war effort in Iraq by sending their own troops or even just by allowing US forces to fly over their territory.

Secretary DONALD RUMSFELD (Defense Department): Then there are three or four countries that have said they won't do anything. I believe Libya, Cuba and Germany are ones that have indicated they won't help in any respect, I believe.

GJELTEN: In fact, Germany is the home of the US military's European Command, and the German government has already made clear the United States can freely use its bases there during any military action against Iraq. So Rumsfeld's placement of Germany in the same category as Cuba and Libya was curious, to say the least. German Defense Minister Peter Struck has said he'll talk to Rumsfeld during the Munich Conference about US-German military cooperation, but for the moment, neither side is backing down. A government spokesman yesterday reiterated Germany's opposition to military action against Iraq. And when Secretary Rumsfeld this week was asked to characterize US-German relations on the eve of the Munich Conference, he hesitated to say anything.

Sec. RUMSFELD: Well, I guess I'll have a little better sense of it when I return. Thank you very much.

SOUNDBITE OF LAUGHTER

GJELTEN: The Munich Conference will bring together government leaders and security policy experts from Europe, the United States, Canada, Asia and Russia. Along with Secretary Rumsfeld, there'll be a US congressional delegation, led by Republican Senator John McCain of Arizona and Democratic Senator Joe Lieberman of Connecticut. Tom Gjelten, NPR News, Washington.

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