On Sunday morning, Tim Russert was berating John Edwards about America’s inability, regardless of who’s president, to generate more international support for the war in Iraq. Russert insisted that the Germans, among others, are “not in a giving mood” and would refuse to send troops.
It turns out, however, that the Germans may be far more open to generosity and cooperation under a President Kerry.
Germany might deploy troops in Iraq if conditions there change, Peter Struck, the German defence minister, indicated on Tuesday in a gesture that appears to provide backing for John Kerry, the US Democratic presidential challenger.
In an interview with the Financial Times, Mr Struck departed from his government’s resolve not to send troops to Iraq under any circumstances, saying: “At present I rule out the deployment of German troops in Iraq. In general, however, there is no one who can predict developments in Iraq in such a way that he could make a such a binding statement [about the future].”
Mr Struck also welcomed Mr Kerry’s proposal that he would convene an international conference on Iraq including countries that opposed the war if he were to win next month’s election.
Germany would certainly attend, Mr Struck said. “This is a very sensible proposal. The situation in Iraq can only be cleared up when all those involved sit together at one table. Germany has taken on responsibilities in Iraq, including financial ones; this would naturally justify our involvement in such a conference.”
If anyone’s still looking for foreign governments anxious to see a change in American leadership, I think we’ve found another candidate.
This story will probably not receive the attention it deserves, but it’s a startling reminder of Bush’s personal standing in the world. His presidency has frayed international relationships that have spanned generations — and now those countries are sitting back and waiting anxiously for him to lose. When Bush says it’s impossible to generate stronger international support for efforts like the one in Iraq, he means it’s impossible for him because the world no longer considers him trustworthy or reliable.
The election is still three weeks away, but at this point, Bush’s Iraq coalition is getting smaller (Poland is about to start withdrawing its troops), while Kerry’s would-be coalition is getting bigger.
To be sure, John Kerry will have a herculean task ahead of him should he win the presidency, but at least he’ll start off with something Bush has lost — the respect of the international community.