Chancellor Angela Merkel suggested Wednesday that Germany must be prepared to respond if chemical weapons are used in war zones, remarks that come amid a debate over possible military involvement in the Syrian conflict. Merkel told lawmakers: "to simply say we can look away if somewhere chemical weapons are being used and international conventions are not kept, that can't be the answer." Germans are widely against the country's participation in combat missions and Merkel did not elaborate. Defense Minister Ursula von der Leyen stressed the importance of preventing the use of chemical weapons, without committing to any specific course of action. "And we, Germany, cannot act today on this specific issue as if it had nothing to do with us, so I welcome this debate."

Source: ABC News September 12, 2018 10:08 UTC