[ad_1]
The German government said Monday it was in talks with its allies about a possible military deployment in Syria, causing a rebellion of the Social Democrats (SPD) and a new conflict in the love-less coalition of Chancellor Angela Merkel .
Military action abroad remains a sensitive and deeply unpopular subject in Germany.
Participation in air strikes in Syria would also put Germany in collision with Russia, Bashar Assad's main supporter.
Government spokesman Steffen Seibert said Germany had discussed with its US and European allies about its possible military involvement if Assad's forces were using chemical weapons against the last great rebel stronghold in Idlib, currently subject to heavy Syrian and Russian bombings.
"There was no situation where a decision had to be made," said Seibert, adding that any decision should first be approved by Parliament.
Earlier, the Bild newspaper reported that the German Ministry of Defense was considering options for joining US, British and French forces in any future military action if Damascus used chemical weapons again.
He said Parliament would not be informed of any military action after the fact if quick action was needed.
Opposition SPD
Andrea Nahles, leader of the SPD – junior partner of the Merkel coalition – ruled out any German involvement.
"The SPD will not accept – neither in Parliament nor in the government – the participation of Germany in the war in Syria," said Nahles in a statement, adding that the party supported diplomatic efforts to avoid a humanitarian crisis.
Sources close to the case, confirming the Bild report, said German and US officials had discussed the possibility of German warplanes helping to assess damage or drop bombs for the first time since the former Yugoslavia in the 1990s.
The German Air Force is already providing support for refueling and reconnaissance missions using four Tornado fighter jets from a base in Jordan as part of the US-led coalition to fight Daesh in Iraq and Syria.
Bild said a decision on the opportunity to participate in strikes would be made by Merkel, who ruled out joining in April 2018 air strikes against Syria by US, French and British forces after previous use of chemical weapons.
In a joint statement released on Monday, the German Foreign and Defense Ministries called for restraint in Syria.
"The goal is that the parties to the conflict avoid escalating an already terrible situation … This is especially true for the use of banned chemical weapons that the Assad government has already used in the past, "the statement said.
