Germany as ,,victorious power in Iraq"

On April 3 for the first time Chancellor Schroeder committed himself publicly to the objective of the war against Iraq and demanded ,,regime change". The Chancellor's speech awoke the expectation that Germany belonged among ,,the victorious powers in Iraq". The opposition CDU/CSU (Christian Democrats) in the meantime moved significantly closer to the government line which was laid out in the strategy paper ,,A New Order in Iraq according to European Principles". ¹⁾

The 23 NATO and EU foreign ministers also demand that the USA must place the ,,reconstruction of Iraq"into the hands of the UN and share with other nations the influence achieved by war. In this matter, Berlin is relying on the British Prime Minister Blair, who supports Berlin's demands for a central UN role, and on dissent in the US administration. It is reported that the ,,sensible"forces around Secretary of State Powell are ready for compromise whilst the ,,hardliners around Defence Secretary Rumsfeld"insist on the power of the USA to dispose matters. German diplomats plan to use the UN authority over Iraqi oil exports to persuade the USA to greater cooperation.

,,Germans to the front"

The Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitungreports that ,,liberal"circles in the USA are already pressing for a leading German role in Iraq's ,,New Order". The Germans are portrayed as ,,the world-wide leading experts in de-totalitarianisation"and so are ideally suited to the task. This would be a publicly acceptable form for German participation in the Iraq campaign, which could be sold to disgruntled public opinion in Washington as a calming measure. The suggestion is headed ,,Germans to the front - after the last shot has been fired". The report envisages far reaching possibilities of influence in ,,thoroughly civilian brigades of German liberalisation advisers, lawyers and high school teachers who can show Iraq the way to greater democracy; a task force of investigating authorities should take charge of the Ba'ath Party archive and open it to the public; a delegation from Karlsruhe (the seat of Germany's consitutional court) should offer tried and tested suggestions for the construction of Iraqi constitutionality".

The endeavours of the German ,,civil brigades"should be protected by the military power of the aggressors. Germany and the EU should encourage the USA to leave American troops in Iraq for as long as it takes to achieve ,,stabilisation of political conditions"and convert them into a ,,peace-keeping force"as quickly as possible - thus advised the ,,Foundation for Study of Policy"(SWP). This would be a test of the ability of Europe and America to overcome their differences about the war. Additionally the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitungstated that any half-way stable New Order for Iraq could not be led by the principle of self government. Iraq should first become a protectorate. ,,The population will be most quickly persuaded by what happens there politically, if the powerful will of the powers is recognisable. They must not aspire too soon to a civil society and independence but rely on the moderating ofluence of the new protecting powers".

1) See earlier article Berlin wants ethnic ,,New Order"in Gulf region

See also earlier article Demand for far reaching shaping of the world

Sources:
Government statement by Federal CHancellor Schroeder 3/4/03 on the international situation and conclusions of European Council in Brussels; www.bundesregierung.de
Common Reconstruction not excluded; Berliner Zeitung 4/4/03
EU pushes for a UN Mandate; Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung 4/4/03
Powell & Rumsfeld at odds over post war administration in Iraq; Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung 4/4/03
Good comes from experience. Specialists in U turns. America hopes for German help on Iraq; Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung 4/4/03
Peace in the Bundestag; Sueddeutsche Zeitung 4/4/03
More Imperialism; Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung 6/4/03
After Saddam Hussein. Political perspectives in Middle East; www.swp-berlin.org