There's this expectation that the Americans have currently.....over Assad of Syria and his expected actions in the next week or so.....to use chemical weapons in some scenario. Don't ask how this comes up....but it does.
So, for a couple of days....it's been discussed in Germany. Chancellor Merkel and the CDU Party....believe that if chemical weapons are used....then a major action needs to occur, and the Germans should not only support the anticipated US attack on Assad's forces, but to participate as well.
So, it's being discussed today in the Bundestag. Basically, the SPD Party says 'no'.....Germany should not participate.
The reason for the SPD 'no involvement' in punishing Assad? Well....it's to some statement that socialists cannot use violence to correct a situation.
I know....it's pretty lame, but this is the SPD Party.
This got brought up today via ARD (the public TV network in Germany).
German constitutional law? Well, the present constitution says to participate in a war of aggression is wrong and would violate the constitution. The German military? It's built around the effort to be defensive in nature, and to protect Germany and NATO.
The other problem in this discussion. It's best not to bring this up.....but if you said that some reaction has to occur, and it happen in 48 hours, it's virtually impossible to suggest that four German fighters could be prepared and capable of taking off with workable bombs/missiles. Yes, the maintenance situation with the German military is lousy, and marginal. Maybe if you gave them ten days to prepare.....they might be able to have the planes and bombs ready to go.
So in this discussion.....while Merkel attempts to get some votes to approve her idea....it's virtually impossible to get the votes, and it's mostly just a hyped-up discussion.
Lame? Well....yeah, but this is Germany of 2018.....not Helmet Kohl's Germany of 1985.
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