Posted on 08/13/2005 10:34:32 AM PDT by F14 Pilot
German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder has warned the US to back away from the possibility of military action against Iran over its nuclear programme. His comments come a day after President Bush reiterated that force remained an option but only as a last resort.
Iran has resumed what it says is a civilian nuclear research programme but which the West fears could be used to develop nuclear arms.
Germany, France and the UK have led efforts to end the crisis peacefully.
Mr Schroeder's rejection of force came at the official launch of his party's election campaign.
The BBC's Ray Furlong - reporting from Hanover - says there was an echo of his last election campaign three years ago, when his steadfast opposition to the use of force against Iraq helped get him re-elected.
Applause
Mr Schroeder directly challenged Mr Bush's comment that "all options are on the table" over the Iran crisis.
"Let's take the military option off the table. We have seen it doesn't work," Mr Schroeder told Social Democrats at the rally in Hanover, to rapturous applause from the crowd.
Mr Schroeder said it remained important that Iran did not gain atomic weapons, and a strong negotiating position was important.
"The Europeans and the Americans are united in this goal," he said. "Up to now we were also united in the way to pursue this."
(Excerpt) Read more at news.bbc.co.uk ...
The military option worked pretty well in disarming your nation a couple times in the last century.
ping
They failed. Now what, Heir Schroeder? The UN $$$ pay off that'll only make them stronger? (It worked for Clinton and Korea - NOT!!!)
And so far have failed utterly.
Social democrats buying into the Michael Moore version of reality. Let me ask you Herr Schroeder, when a mushroom cloud rises over your or another western city as a result of the radical mullahs in Iran having nuclear weapons, will the military option be back on the table then?
And to imply that Iraq Freedom has not worked is simply a joke. Yes it is hard, yes we are fighting the terrorists there...but better there than here on out streets or on yours Herr Schroeder.
...and the fact is, the Iraqis have held free elections and are about to produce their own constitution followed by more elections...all on schedule. Sounds an awful lot like its working to me.
To say otherwise Herr Schroeder is simply verrucht and the worst example of political pandering.
Sorry Adolf, we know you are doing major business with Iran selling them weapons and technology --- we will put an end to the EU's scumbag business relationships --
Tough it our Adolf, you can actually earn money from respectable people when you have to.
Bush has to say "last resort" to keep the Iranians on check. Schroeder clearly does not know and have world leadership.
Herr Schroeder is going to run for election on an anti-American platform. Germany was never an ally of the USA, and is picking up being a major adversary.
It would be nice if one of our so-called leaders would call Herr Schroeder on his vitriol against America, but we'll sit and take it, like we always do lately.
Never liked Germany and definitely never trusted Germany or its people. They seem to like to pick fights and never contribute anything to the world community.
"German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder has warned the US to back away from the possibility of military action against Iran"
Or what? Is Germany threatening to join Iran against the US? Americans should understand that Germany is building it's foreign policy as an enemy of the US.
The main problem with the military option is that it is rarely followed by,,,another military option and another and another. Politicians get in the way. We could mop up that whole sesspool in a couple of weeks and get out if we had the guts. And no..I dont want a part in the re-building.
Gee, what a (yaaaaaawwwwwwnnnnnnnn) surprise.
Or what?
Where's Belly-button Girl?
I recall how anxious he was for war and conquest as a member of clinton's anti-Christian Balkans war machine. The kraut lunatic fringe has a long history of seeking to bath in the blood of Eastern European Christians using as part of their "tool chest" Eastern European muslim vermin.
BTW, I'm a kraut.
Schroeder = EUroweenie
Well, West Germany was an OK to good ally, as our European allies went, during the Cold War.
But Schroeder is an idiot extraordinaire. And Merkel is screwing up as well. Who knows how this election will turn out?
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