August 30, 2002	Friday	Jamadi-us-Saani 20, 1423

BERLIN, Aug 29: German Defence Minister Peter Struck warned in an interview to be published on Friday he would withdraw nuclear and chemical weapons reconnaissance tanks from Kuwait if the United States attacked Iraq.

Germany’s six “Fuchs” atomic, biological, and chemical (ABC) reconnaissance tanks and 52 soldiers stationed in Kuwait would be immediately removed if there was any danger of being dragged into a conflict with Baghdad, said Struck in a Berliner Zeitung newspaper interview.

Only a few weeks ago Struck had vowed the Fuchs tanks would stay in Kuwait because they helped protect US troops and were part of Operation Enduring Freedom aimed at Al Qaeda and the Taliban.

German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder said in another interview to be published Friday that the United States was now bent on forcing regime chance in Iraq.

“Facts have been created,” said Schroeder told the Muenchner Merkur newspaper, adding: “We can no longer fall back on the position that nothing has yet been decided.”

The US had given up any idea of trying to get United Nations arms inspectors back into Iraq and instead wanted to topple the Baghdad regime, he said.

Schroeder expressed skepticism over US President George W. Bush’s pledge to consult its friends over strikes on Iraq.

Allies could not just be told “how” and “when” an attack would take place but first had to be consulted “as to if it should even be done,” complained Schroeder.

The German leader — who has vowed not to supply German troops for any war with Iraq — warned Bush the US would have to deal with the consequences of any war alone.

“If the US takes action without consulting the international community and its (NATO) alliance partners then it will carry the responsibility alone,” Schroeder said.

The comments by Schroeder and Struck came in response to US Vice President Dick Cheney’s speech earlier this week which set down a clear case for a war against Saddam Hussein.—dpa