Transatlantic Divide Widens Over Iraq Issue

Despite Iraq’s offer to let weapons inspectors back into the country, the debate over a possible military attack on Iraq continues to dominate German politics.

On Wednesday, German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer expressed concern that the United States could launch unilateral action against Iraq despite Baghdad’s recent decision to permit inspections.

"Despite the current developments, war remains the great danger. Such a war would lead to harsh and unpredictable consequences for the whole Middle East," Fischer told German public broadcaster ZDF. "The great concern that remains is that there could still be unilateral measures".

International and national criticism

Meanwhile, criticism in the U.S. has grown over Germany’s go-it-alone attitude in the Iraq issue. On Tuesday, the Washington Post accused Germany of sacrificing its "international prestige and influence" in a bid to gain left-wing voters in the run-up to the elections. "The enhanced role in international security he (Schröder) has sought for his country will crumble as Germany sits timidly on the sidelines, watching while its allies face up to a challenge that the chancellor cynically has ducked", the newspaper warned.

On Wednesday, U.S. government advisor Richard Perle told the Financial Times Deutschland "for us, it looks as if the chancellor is distancing himself from an old friend (the US) in order to gain a few seats". "Germany has lost all influence through the chancellor’s remarkable isolationism", he said.

Sharp criticism also came from within Germany, led by opposition chancellor candidate Edmund Stoiber. With Iraq’s offer to let weapons inspectors back into the country, Schröder’s Iraq policy "collapsed over night", Stoiber announced at an election campaign party rally.

Former Foreign Minister Hans-Dietrich Genscher accused Schröder of isolating Germany in the daily tabloid Bild. Saddam Hussein’s decision to let inspectors back into Iraq showed that international pressure was the "only language" the dictator understood. "No one can therefore stand on the sidelines, in particular Germany. There is no room for the German way, it is German responsibility which is needed".

Ludwig Georg Braun, President of the German Chamber of Commerce warned in the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung "it is not worth sacrificing something as precious as the German-American relationship for short-term interests".

"The German economy relies on the good relationship to the U.S., they are our most important market overseas and our most important partner in world trade", he said.

In the firing line

The German chancellor has come in the firing line since he defied America by opposing U.S. military action against Iraq, even if it were backed by a UN Security Council resolution.

Schröder has told election crowds in various parts of the country that he refuses to "click his heels" and say yes to whatever America demands. He has justified his position with repeated warnings of an escalation of the Middle East conflict, if the U.S. attacked Iraq.

In Germany, voters have welcomed his approach. Polls surged for the ruling coalition by 3 per cent last week. On Wednesday, Forsa showed a slim lead for Schröder’s Social Democrats over Stoiber’s opposition conservatives of 40 to 38 per cent.

Schröder has used his tough stance in the Iraq issue and his skilful handling of the devastating August floods in eastern Germany to deflect attention from Germany’s weak economy.

On Tuesday, Schröder was quick to claim Iraq’s offer as vindication of Germany’s insistence on diplomatic pressure through the United Nations.

In addition, Schröder has offered the UN the help of German weapons experts to participate in the inspections