USA calls on Germany to send ground troops to Syria

[left-of-center2012]

Last year US President Donald Trump declared victory against IS and ordered the withdrawal of all 2,000 American troops from Syria.

Discord broke out in German Chancellor Angela Merkel's ruling coalition Sunday, after the United States urged the country to send ground troops to Syria as Washington looks to withdraw from the region.

"We want ground troops from Germany to replace our soldiers" in the area as part of the anti-Islamic State coalition, US special representative on Syria James Jeffrey had told German media including Die Welt newspaper.

However Germany's history makes military spending and foreign adventures controversial.

The US appeal comes after Trump has repeatedly urged Berlin to increase its defence spending, last month calling Germany "delinquent" over its contributions to NATO's budget.

But such criticisms have more often hardened resistance to forking out more on the military rather than loosening the country's purse strings. Former Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder told business newspaper Handelsblatt on Saturday that Trump wanted "vassals" rather than allies.

"I'd have liked the federal government to tell him once or twice that it's none of his business" how much Germany spends on defence, Schroeder said.

https://news.yahoo.com/us-calls-germany-send-ground-troops-syria-110817769.html

[Wounded Bear]

1. That'll go well...

[malaise]

2. The Con thinks he's emperor of the world

Say no

[greatauntoftriplets]

3. Stand your ground, Herr Schroeder.

Don't let Spanky push Germany around.

[Everyman Jackal]

4. The last article I read was about veggie burgers

so when I read this headline.......

[marble falls]

5. Because he's done so well to foster world cooperation. I hope the Germans ...

tell him where to park that hot potato.

[Tanuki]

6. Send a Trump instead. In five generations, nobody in that fucking parasitic family

has served in uniform.

[NCjack]

7. Maybe if Trumpless-#45 tried to sell Germany an the idea that he is

adding US troops for a surge, and that we need German troops to be successful. But, asking for German troops to replace US troops being withdrawn, that is a no-starter proposition. So stupid.

[left-of-center2012]

8. "Last year US President Donald Trump declared victory against IS"

So why does Trump want Germany to send troops?

[RHMerriman]

9. Given the Administration's general idiocy, be glad they haven't called for:

a) French troops;
b) Turkish troops;
c) Israeli troops.

[ProudLib72]

10. tRump as Homer Simpson