Serious divisions are emerging in Germany's ruling Social Democrat/Green Party coalition over the war in Afghanistan. Ten of the 16 Green Party state leaders have called for a suspension of military action and further anti-war feeling is certain to be heard at a meeting of the coalition parliamentary parties today - not just from the Greens, but also from disillusioned Social Democrats.
"Whoever says the bombings must continue has to answer how he intends to take care of the refugees", said Mr Fritz Kuhn, co-leader of the Green Party. Last month, Ms Claudia Roth, the party's other leader, was the first leading politician to urge a ceasefire for aid deliveries to prevent a humanitarian catastrophe.
At the time, the Chancellor, Mr Gerhard Schr÷der, said: "Ms Roth's position is not the position of the federal government, and it never will be."
However, with the notable exception of the the Green Party's Mr Joschka Fischer, Germany's Foreign Minister, Ms Roth says there is increasing political and public support for her position.
She may be right. A new poll shows that 57 per cent of the public favour a halt to the bombing to get humanistarian aid to Afghans, while a growing number of senior politicians are now questioning the aims of the campaign. There are even stirrings of unrest within SPD ranks.
"I cannot discern that this is an effective, appropriate action against violent criminals", said Mr Wolfgang Thierse, the president of the Bundestag and one of Germany's most senior politicians.
Mr Schr÷der's central problem is the "absolute solidarity" he promised the US just hours after the September 11th attacks. The Chancellor has since stood firm, saying in London on Sunday and again yesterday in Berlin that there will be no ceasefire.
ZDF, the German public broadcaster, said that the US will ask Germany later this week to provide army vehicles as part of the war effort. Mr Schr÷der told the SPD central committee yesterday that he was prepared to go along with this.
But the prospect of deeper involvement in an extended winter war in Afghanistan and a possible US attack on Iraq could see the Green Party reminding Mr Schr÷der of his promise not to get involved in "military misadventures".
