Germany Does Not Participate in the No-fly Zone on Libya; Four German Vessels Pulled Out of Nato Naval Patrol
German Navy (arturoafc54.wordpress.com)
Tension escalates between the leading nations of the European Union, after the attack on Libyan regime led by France and supported by the United Kingdom, Canada, Italy and the United States started on March 17, as major states like Germany or Turkey (which is only a candidate to European Union membership, but a vital component of Nato) feel offended by the way Paris has thought out the entire strategy of the action.
Thus, Turkey has manifested annoyance at the way France was leading the operation, considering that France was acting somehow as if it were the only one involved.
Germany has abstained in the U.N. Security Council, when the resolution on Libya was voted and did not adhere to the coalition of the willing that attacked Libyan military infrastructure under French leadership.
After the first round of attacks, in which it participated with Tomahawks and airplanes, the United States announced that its role in the operation would be minimum.
No-fly Zone on Libya (dailyqi.com)
There were also Nato members like Romania, who did not express, in the first instance, the support for the action. (Romanian media considers that the reason for that is the very tense relation between the president of France and that of Romania.)
Now, as the British air forces announce that the aerial strikes on Libya have served their purpose, and Qaddafi is no longer counting upon aviation and air force might, Germany announces on Wednesday that it will not support the no-fly zone imposed by the UN, and that it will withdraw four vessels from Nato operations in Mediterranean because it does not want to be involved in a military conflict in the area.
Germany decided to withdraw two frigates and two support vessels from under Nato’s command and place them under its own, after the secretary-general of Nato Anders Fogh Rasmussen announced that the continental defense body would monitor sea traffic in the region and intercept the vessels that may carry illegal weapons to Libyan mercenaries.
Romanian president announced yesterday that Romania would sent a vessel into the Mediterranean to patrol the sea.
The news of Germany’s withdrawal was very badly taken by France, but in order to make up for it the German Chancellor Angela Merkel announced that her country will send more troops to Afghanistan.
While only a few short years ago it was unthinkable that Eastern Europe could in our lifetimes free itself from the thrall of Communism—it happened. Perhaps, just perhaps, Germany may also find the fortitude to free itself from nearly seventy years of occupation by the “Allied” powers that to this day still maintain tens of thousands of their troops on German soil.