This email from Hilmar, a German friend of mine, is typical of the responses from Germany that I am receiving.
I think that George W. Bush wants to save Kuwait and other neighbours against Iraq. I can understand he wants do this but I don´t like the idea of an atomic or chemical war which Bush is prepared to do.I wish Germany and all other UN members to assist in avoiding a war and in banishing Saddam. But I cannot wish my country or everyone else to begin a war against Iraq without having tried everything to avoid a war AND unarming Iraq. That’s the cause why I say: Give the UN superintendents more time or prove the fact that the Iraq HAS weapons of wholesale destruction.
I want to thank Hilmar and my other friends for sharing their perspectives. And I think they have some valid points. In fact, similar reasoning was used by President Bush Sr. in the Gulf War for not continuing into Baghdad and taking out Saddam Hussein. However, at some point people have to act or decide that the effort is not worth fighting over. Reasonable people will disagree upon where that line is. For my part, I think we should have resolved this problem long ago. Despite losing overwhelmingly in the Gulf War and after 12 years of UN sanctions and resolutions, Saddam Hussein is as defiant as ever. If the UN had solved the Iraqi problem years ago, I doubt N. Korea would be acting so belligerent today.
I would like to reassure our German friends that President Bush will not be engaging in chemical warfare against the Iraqis (or against anyone else). If any chemical weapons are actually used or exposed in the war, it will be ONLY because the Iraqis have them and either use them or they get destroyed via bombing. I also doubt atomic weapons will be used. I cannot imagine President Bush ordering this other than in response to a nuclear/chemical/biological attack on America or our allies.
I hope the German and French governments join with the international coalition to remove Saddam after the February 5th meeting at the UN.