Germany announced Wednesday that they are ending military involvement in Syria, and extending the Iraq mission to October. They describe the Iraq mission as a support role.
Germany’s Iraq involvement is air refueling , transport and surveillance. Its continuation must be approved by the parliament.
Around 500 troops are in Iraq presently. Officials did not say how many are in Syria for the pullout, but a 2020 statement capped the figure for both nations at 700, so it is likely no more than 200 troops leaving.
Foreign deployments have been politically unpopular for Germany, but they’ve still gotten involved in the Middle East, with politicians keen on being a bigger global player. Given Germany’s history, many are uncomfortable with that.
German Troops Leaving Syria, Stay in Iraq Extended
Stay in Iraq will continue to October
Jason Ditz is Senior Editor for Antiwar.com. He has 20 years of experience in foreign policy research and his work has appeared in The American Conservative, Responsible Statecraft, Forbes, Toronto Star, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Providence Journal, Washington Times, and the Detroit Free Press.
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