Germany edges toward sending troops to Lebanon

[tocqueville]

1 hour, 27 minutes ago

BERLIN (Reuters) - Germany gave its strongest signal yet on Tuesday that it will send troops to join a U.N. peacekeeping force in southern Lebanon, a move that is likely to prove divisive in the country 60 years after the Holocaust.

Chancellor Angela Merkel has so far been non-committal on the matter but Eckart von Klaeden, foreign policy spokesman for Merkel's conservatives (CDU-CSU) in parliament, said it was a question of "how" rather than "if" Germany would contribute.

"I think it is a given that we should contribute but what the contribution will look like will only come after ongoing talks," said von Klaeden, who had previously been more cautious.

Government spokesman Thomas Steg said on Monday the cabinet could decide next week on Germany's role.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20060815/wl_nm/mideast_germany_dc

[whistle]

1. Looks like Chancellor Angela Merkel wants Shrub* to give her

...another neck rub

[NNN0LHI]

2. Israel is going to have Hezbollah AND German soldiers on its border?

Hmmm.

Something doesn't seem right here.

Don