No European Help For Kerry

The Financial Times reports that French and German government officials say they will not significantly increase military assistance in Iraq even if Kerry wins the election:

Mr Kerry, who has attacked President George W. Bush for failing to broaden the US-led alliance in Iraq, has pledged to improve relations with European allies and increase international military assistance in Iraq.

"I cannot imagine that there will be any change in our decision not to send troops, whoever becomes president," Gert Weisskirchen, member of parliament and foreign policy expert for Germany's ruling Social Democratic Party, said in an interview.

[. . .]

Michel Barnier, the French foreign minister, said last week that France, which has tense relations with interim prime minister Iyad Allawi, had no plans to send troops "either now or later".

That view reflects the concerns of many EU and NATO officials, who say the dangers in Iraq and the difficulty of extricating troops already there could make European governments reluctant to send personnel, regardless of the outcome of the US election.

There goes one of Kerry's frequently stated rationales for why he would be a better president - He claims he can get more troops from our allies. Time to another flip another flop

Thanks to Paul at Wizbang for the tip.