According to the daily *** Frankfurter Rundschau****, many politicians from the Social Democrat and Christian Democrat parties have called for more transparency of the federal government's stances regarding the Iraqi issue.

The Social Democrat Party of Germany has described any Germany's softening or justifying stance with regard to the Iraqi issue as a political catastrophe. They have severely criticized the federal government.

Many German politicians believe that Germany's participation in the war against Iraq will result in negative outcomes for the country, the paper further said.

The spokesperson of both the Social Christian and Christian Democrat political factions in the Parliament have labeled any softening in the Germany stance regarding Iraq, as a political catastrophe, the report added.

German Defense Ministry said on Friday, December 20 that Berlin will decide early next month when and how many troops it will provide to help protect us bases in the country in case of a war on Iraq.

"It's correct that Germany has agreed to a request from the United States to make troops available for the protection of U.S. bases," the spokesman said.

"At the moment we are examining when and in what form this will happen," he said.

Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder said in late November that Germany would assure the United States and NATO assured overflight rights, "smooth transit" in and out of the country, use of military bases and protection for those bases in case of war.