He told ZDF public television it was evident the mainly US forces would win the war against Iraq, and he hoped the conflict would end as soon as possible to avoid further loss of life.

Asked if he wanted the coalition to win, he replied: "It would be difficult to wish for anything else."

Schroeder has been one of the fiercest critics of the war, infuriating the United States with his rhetoric, but has significantly softened his tone since the conflict broke out just over two weeks ago.

In a speech to parliament Thursday, he said he hoped the "dictatorship" in Baghdad would be brought down and that the Iraqi people could live in "peace and freedom" -- words that recall one of US President George W. Bush's central arguments for war.

Meanwhile, Schroeder also refused to rule out an eventual German role in a UN-led peacekeeping force for post-war Iraq, saying only that it was too early to talk about such a possibility and he did not know what the conditions would be.

SPACE.WIRE