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Germany can enhance its military support role
The vote is seen as a rubber-stamping of Chancellor Angela Merkel's commitment
Lawmakers have voted to expand Germany’s role in the fight against ISIS.
The parliamentary vote Friday was 445 in favor, 146 against and 7 abstentions.
Germany’s post-World War II constitution hinders it in participating in battles on foreign soil. So, it can’t commit to airstrikes.
But it can enhance its military support role. It can, for instance, deploy high-tech intelligence jets over Syria and northern Iraq to help other countries’ forces pinpoint targets.
The German Cabinet approved the military support mission against ISIS in Syria this week.
The vote was widely seen as a rubber-stamping of Chancellor Angela Merkel’s recent commitment to France, which asked allies to do more to fight ISIS. Now that it’s approved, the mission will include as many as 1,200 German soldiers, the government said.
In addition to aerial and satellite reconnaissance, the mission will also allow aerial refueling and the provision of a naval escort to the French aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle, the government said.
Earlier this week, British lawmakers voted to bomb ISIS strongholds inside Syria. And soon after, the airstrikes began.
