German Press Review: German Troops to Africa?

Africa's problems are a hassle for Europe, wrote the Süddeutsche Zeitung in Munich. This is evident when considering the African refugees who attempt to make it to Europe by boat. Europe, the paper commented, must do more to initiate political stability in Africa, and Germany has to take on more responsibility there if it wants to play a bigger role on the international stage.

The Westfalen Post in Hagen also opined that Germany should assume more responsibility in Africa. But the paper said it doesn't know if that responsibility should include Bundeswehr soldiers taking part in peacekeeping efforts there.

Berlin's Neues Deutschland was critical of the thought of German peacekeeping troops in Africa, pointing out that the issue is being considered before anyone is talking about the specific conflict involved.

It would make more sense to give support to African troops on peace missions rather than to send in European contingents, Hamburg Die Welt said. The 50 countries that belong to the African Union want to take their continent's destiny into their own hands and intervene in internal African crises where necessary, it wrote. They are trying to live up this ambitious goal in Sudan. Such self-help should be encouraged before Europe or Germany intervenes, the paper maintained.

Many German newspapers also took a closer look at Iraq's Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, who is seen as key to reducing violence in the holy city of Najaf.

The Thüringer Allgemeine opined that the situation probably won't improve significantly anytime soon. No one person is in control in the Shiite regions in Iraq, the paper said, and when looking at Najaf, the one thing one can say about that city, is that no one trusts anyone.

The Grand Ayatollah's authority could allow those occupying the Imam Ali mosque to leave the shrine without losing face, observed the Südwest Presse in Ulm.