GERMANY: GERMAN SOLDIERS BEGIN PROTECTING U.S. BASES THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY AMID A GROWING DIPLOMATIC ROW ON HOW TO HANDLE THE IRAQI CRISIS
Record ID:
648459
GERMANY: GERMAN SOLDIERS BEGIN PROTECTING U.S. BASES THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY AMID A GROWING DIPLOMATIC ROW ON HOW TO HANDLE THE IRAQI CRISIS
- Title: GERMANY: GERMAN SOLDIERS BEGIN PROTECTING U.S. BASES THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY AMID A GROWING DIPLOMATIC ROW ON HOW TO HANDLE THE IRAQI CRISIS
- Date: 24th January 2003
- Summary: (EUR) DARMSTADT, GERMANY (JANUARY 24, 2003) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 1. CU: EXTERIOR OF UNITED STATES (U.S.) FACILITY "STARS AND STRIPES COMPLEX", PAN TO U.S. SOLDIERS STANDING GUARD 0.09 2. PAN UP U.S. SOLDIER STANDING OUTSIDE GATE 0.17 3. MV: CHILDREN SEEN BEHIND FENCE 0.24 4. MV: GERMAN SOLDIERS WEARING RED BERETS STANDING NEAR WALL OF SANDBAGS 0.33 5. CLOSE-UP OF GERMAN SOLDIER SALUTING U.S. MILITARY POLICE VEHICLES DRIVING ONTO PREMISES 0.52 6. SV: TWO U.S. MILITARY POLICEMEN ARRIVING, PAN TO GERMAN SOLDIER IN FOREGROUND 1.03 7. SV: U.S. ARMY CAR DRIVING ONTO PREMISES 1.14 8. MV: GERMAN SOLDIERS WITH RED BERETS ARRIVING 1.31 9. CLOSE-UP OF GERMAN SOLDIER SALUTING PASSING CAR 1.40 10. SCU: SOUNDBITE (German) UNIDENTIFIED GERMAN SOLDIER SAYING: "I don't have a problem with it. I'm a conscript and this is my job." 1.46 11. SV: GERMAN SOLDIER CHECKING ARRIVING CAR 2.00 12. SV: GERMAN CAR DRIVING ONTO PREMISES 2.08 13. SCU: SOUNDBITE (German) STEFFEN HENNIG, GERMAN ARMY SERGEANT SAYING: "This is not American territory, this is German territory, meaning we act according to our guidelines." 2.17 14. SCU: U.S. MILITARY POLICEMAN LOOKING ON 2.25 15. SCU: SOUNDBITE (German) GUENTHER PUSCH, GERMAN ARMY LIEUTENANT COLONEL (reacting to Rumsfeld comment) SAYING: "We have a relatively good relationship with the American soldiers here in Germany and we don't want to dissect every single word which is politically exploited." 2.2.40 16. SV: GERMAN SOLDIERS SPEAKING TO EACH OTHER 2.44 17. SCU: SOUNDBITE (German) GUENTHER PUSCH, GERMAN ARMY LIEUTENANT COLONEL SAYING: "The soldiers serving here are initially removed from their regular training but they can catch up at a later stage." 3.00 18. CLOSE-UP OF GERMAN SOLDIER 3.05 19. CU: SOUNDBITE (English) BRIAN McNERNEY, U.S. ARMY SPOKESMAN SAYING: "I won't comment on what Secretary Rumsfeld said or what you have just described in this situation. I would say: the request for help has been with the German government since the beginning of the year, before the beginning of the year. This is a request that we have seen a need for for a while and it certainly helps us in a tremendous way to increase the level of protection in the sense of security here in Germany." 3.36 20. SV: GERMAN SOLDIER SALUTING PASSING ARMY VAN 3.43 21. CU: SOUNDBITE (English) BRIAN McNERNEY, U.S. ARMY SPOKESMAN SAYING: "When I look out and I see a German soldier at an American gate helping to guard American facilities or NATO facilities I personally feel appreciation at this extension of assistance. I mean it's respected, it is deeply appreciated." 4.01 22. WIDE OF GERMAN SOLDIERS STANDING OUTSIDE GATE 4.08 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 8th February 2003 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: DARMSTADT, GERMANY
- Country: Germany
- Reuters ID: LVACWMK8ZLHJYWXYD3R7CFJII3LV
- Story Text: German soldiers have begun protecting United States
army installations in Germany amid a growing row between
the nations on how to handle the crisis in Iraq.
Some 2,600 German soldiers began their duty at 95 U.S.
installations across the country on Friday (January 24).
Despite a growing rift between Germany and the United
States on how to handle the crisis in Iraq, one German soldier
said he would continue to do his job.
"I don't have a problem with it. I'm a conscript and this is
my job," said the unidentified solider guarding a U.S.
facility in Darmstadt-Griesheim, south of Frankfurt.
The move coincided with German and French media across the
political spectrum reacting angrily to U.S. Defense Secretary
Donald Rumsfeld's comment that France and Germany belonged to
"old Europe" and were isolated in their opposition to war in
Iraq.
But troops at the base seemed unfazed by the dismissal.
"This is not American territory, this is German territory,
meaning we act according to our guidelines," said Army
Sergeant Steffen Hennig.
"We have a relatively good relationship with the American
soldiers here in Germany and we don't want to dissect every
single word which is politically exploited," said German Army
Lieutenant Colonel Guenther Pusch.
Lieutenant Colonel Brian McNerney of the U.S. army
expressed his personal "deep appreciation" for the Germans'
contribution.
"When I look out and I see a German soldier at an American
gate helping to guard American facilities or NATO facilities I
personally feel appreciation at this extension of assistance,"
McNerney said.
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