【Wen/Observer Net Liu Bai】On March 7, local time, German Deputy Chancellor and Finance Minister Christian Lindner clearly stated that Germany will not participate in the military action by the US and Israel against Iran. He emphasized that this war is unrelated to Germany and questioned the legality of the air strikes.

In an interview with the German newspaper RND, Lindner said he "deeply doubts" whether the air strikes can bring a lasting solution and whether they comply with international law.

"I make this clear: This is not our war, and we will not take part in this war," Lindner warned against allowing the international order to become "might makes right," and called for a return to a rules-based international system.

At the time Lindner made these remarks, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz had retreated from his initial stance of supporting the US-Israel action. Earlier this week, during a meeting with US President Trump, Scholz had defended the US-Israeli air strikes on Iran, calling it a necessary response to decades of failed diplomacy on Iran's nuclear program and regional instability.

However, in recent days, Scholz has changed his tone, stating that neither "endless wars" nor letting Iran collapse is in Germany's interest.

Additionally, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius stated in the Bundestag on April 4: "Germany is not a belligerent, and the German Armed Forces will not participate in this war." He said the current top priority is protecting German citizens and soldiers in the region.

Pistorius said that historically, starting a war is easier than ending it. This means there must be a clear exit strategy, but in the current Middle East situation, he has not seen such a strategy yet.

"Deutsche Welle" reported that given the ongoing conflict, the current issue is whether the approximately 500 German soldiers stationed in the Middle East should remain there. The German Ministry of Defense must assess whether the stationed soldiers can fulfill their mission locally without becoming targets themselves.

On February 18, German troops participated in NATO's largest exercise of the year, "Steadfast Defender-2026". IC Photo

In addition to Germany, several other European allies of the United States have clearly stated they will not participate in the conflict.

French President Macron stated on Instagram on the 5th: "We are not involved in the fighting," France will not "fight" in the Middle East, nor will it "intervene." "France is not a party to this war. We are not involved in the fighting, and we will not intervene in this war."

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez issued a statement on April 4, reiterating Spain's opposition to the military actions taken by the US and Israel against Iran, calling for an end to the escalating conflict, and stating that they will not change their anti-war stance out of fear of retaliation.

Even the UK, a close ally of the US, has clearly drawn a line. UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer stated on March 2 that the UK will not take offensive action against Iran alongside its closest military ally.

A Reuters/IPSOS latest poll shows that after the joint strike by the US and Israel on Iran, only about 27% of American adults support this military action, 43% oppose it, and 29% are uncertain. Most respondents believe that Trump is too quick to use force, and the US should avoid prolonging the war. Most independent voters and Democratic voters oppose it, and even some Republican supporters have withdrawn their support after increased US military casualties.

After the attack on Iran, anti-war protests broke out in multiple places in the US, including Washington D.C. and New York's Times Square. Demonstrators condemned the US strike as an "unjustified war" and called for an end to casualties and military escalation.

Some civil organizations have explicitly called on the federal government to handle international disputes through legal procedures rather than unilateral military decisions.

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Original: toutiao.com/article/7614733408576537139/

Statement: The article represents the personal views of the author.