One in three Germans want US, Britain to continue war: poll

HAMBURG, Germany (AFP) Apr 03, 2003
One in three Germans want Britain and the United States to pursue the war against Iraq to its conclusion, according to a survey released Thursday by Bildwoche magazine.

While 34 percent said it should continue, a majority -- 59 percent -- said they wanted the allies to call off the war.

Germany has been strongly opposed to the war, with previous surveys showing more than 80 percent condemn the US-led military action.

It was not clear if the Bildwoche survey reflected an opinion increasingly expressed by German leaders that while they were against the war, it should be brought to as swift an end as possible and the best way to achieve that would be to hope for a US victory.

Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder and Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer have both said in recent days that they hope the Baghdad regime will collapse as quickly as possible.

SPACE.WIRE