US-Germany rift grows over Iraq

Iraq: An election issue for Schroeder

By William Horsley BBC's European Affairs correspondent

A diplomatic argument has broken out between Germany and the US over German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder's outspoken opposition to an early US military attack against Iraq.

Bush says no decision has been taken yet

The US has objected to Mr Schroeder's promise, in his current campaign for re-election, to oppose what he called "any military misadventure" in Iraq.

The stance of Germany and also France, publicly opposing US military action without a new resolution of the UN Security Council authorising military action, may have limited Washington's options.

It has also caused an unusual amount of embarrassment between allies.

Soured relations

The discord between the US and Germany, an important member of the Nato alliance, first made headlines when Mr Schroeder launched his campaign for re-election two weeks ago.

Saddam Hussein has warned any attack would be doomed

Later in a newspaper interview Mr Schroeder criticised talk by US leaders of possible military action against Iraq, saying that it had not been legitimised by the UN and would stir up a new conflict in the Middle East.

Tuesday's edition of the German newspaper the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung quotes the US Ambassador in Berlin, Daniel Coats, as saying he had met senior German government officials to express America's displeasure at those remarks.

He had stressed that Washington had not taken any decisions on when or how to use force against President Saddam Hussein's leadership in Iraq, to counter the risk of his making and using weapons of mass destruction.

Behind these cautious public words it is clear that Mr Schroeder's decision to make opposition to US policy part of his election campaign, has badly soured relations between the two governments.