The German cabinet approved undertaking military support in their fight against the Islamic State (IS) militants in Syria.
The proposal back in the parliament entails the sending to the region tornado reconnaissance aircraft, a naval frigate and a 1,200-strong force. The proposal is expected to go for a parliament vote as early as Wednesday.
Following an appeal by French President Francois Hollande in the wake of the 13 November Paris attacks, Germany has decided to join the fight against Isis.
However its forces will not engage in combat.
The proposal, that could become Germany's biggest current military operation abroad, is expected to be backed by the MPs.
The British Parliament would debate and vote on a proposal on Wednesday about UK's involvement in fighting IS in Syria.
Reports said that an assessment of the proposals would be done on Wednesday in the Bundestag (lower house) and a vote is expected by the end of the week. 650 German soldiers were sent to Mali last week to join 1,500 French troops deployed to fight IS militants.
"We are doing what is militarily necessary, what we can do best, and what we can back politically. Against an opponent like IS we need plenty of stamina," Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier told Bild newspaper before Tuesday's cabinet meeting.
However there were opposition=n voices in Germany against the proposal as Germany's armed services association cautioned against entering a conflict without clearly defined goals.
"I'm working on the basis that this fight, if it is taken seriously, will go on for well over 10 years," the association's chairman Andre Wuestner told German TV.
Concerns were also expressed about the legal basis for the mission without a UN resolution by Green Party chairwoman Simone Peter.
"This deployment also has no political goal, no political concept and that's why it's irresponsible," she said.
Some of the German MPs have also expressed concerns, reports BBC, claiming that backing the measures will give them political "Bauchschmerzen" [stomach ache].
The military support would cost €134m (£94m; $142m) and would initially last a year. As a tactical support for the French aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle in the eastern Mediterranean, Tornado reconnaissance jets, refueling aircraft and the naval frigate Sachsen would be used.
An opinion poll, conducted by YouGov poll for the DPA news agency, published on Tuesday in Germany about the possible involvement of the country in the Syrian crisis claimed 71% of Germans believed it would raise the threat of attack in Germany. However 45% of Germans questioned backed military involvement and 39% were opposed.
With a dwindled force of just around 1000 troops, the biggest foreign mission for Germany so far has been in Afghanistan. Some 700 German soldiers are also part of the Nato-led K-For operation to stabilize Kosovo.
(Source:www.bbc.com)
The proposal back in the parliament entails the sending to the region tornado reconnaissance aircraft, a naval frigate and a 1,200-strong force. The proposal is expected to go for a parliament vote as early as Wednesday.
Following an appeal by French President Francois Hollande in the wake of the 13 November Paris attacks, Germany has decided to join the fight against Isis.
However its forces will not engage in combat.
The proposal, that could become Germany's biggest current military operation abroad, is expected to be backed by the MPs.
The British Parliament would debate and vote on a proposal on Wednesday about UK's involvement in fighting IS in Syria.
Reports said that an assessment of the proposals would be done on Wednesday in the Bundestag (lower house) and a vote is expected by the end of the week. 650 German soldiers were sent to Mali last week to join 1,500 French troops deployed to fight IS militants.
"We are doing what is militarily necessary, what we can do best, and what we can back politically. Against an opponent like IS we need plenty of stamina," Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier told Bild newspaper before Tuesday's cabinet meeting.
However there were opposition=n voices in Germany against the proposal as Germany's armed services association cautioned against entering a conflict without clearly defined goals.
"I'm working on the basis that this fight, if it is taken seriously, will go on for well over 10 years," the association's chairman Andre Wuestner told German TV.
Concerns were also expressed about the legal basis for the mission without a UN resolution by Green Party chairwoman Simone Peter.
"This deployment also has no political goal, no political concept and that's why it's irresponsible," she said.
Some of the German MPs have also expressed concerns, reports BBC, claiming that backing the measures will give them political "Bauchschmerzen" [stomach ache].
The military support would cost €134m (£94m; $142m) and would initially last a year. As a tactical support for the French aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle in the eastern Mediterranean, Tornado reconnaissance jets, refueling aircraft and the naval frigate Sachsen would be used.
An opinion poll, conducted by YouGov poll for the DPA news agency, published on Tuesday in Germany about the possible involvement of the country in the Syrian crisis claimed 71% of Germans believed it would raise the threat of attack in Germany. However 45% of Germans questioned backed military involvement and 39% were opposed.
With a dwindled force of just around 1000 troops, the biggest foreign mission for Germany so far has been in Afghanistan. Some 700 German soldiers are also part of the Nato-led K-For operation to stabilize Kosovo.
(Source:www.bbc.com)
