Germany to Send Aid to U.S., Missiles to War

Germany, under fire for contributing too little to the Persian Gulf War, promised the United States an extra $5.5 billion today and said it is sending air defense missiles and nearly 600 German airmen to NATO-member Turkey.

The decisions at a Cabinet meeting chaired by Chancellor Helmut Kohl followed weeks of pressure from allies angry at wealthy Germany’s low-key involvement in the crisis.

Government spokesman Dieter Vogel said the $5.5 billion would represent Bonn’s contribution toward Washington’s costs in fighting Iraq for the first three months of 1991.

“This contribution is a clear sign of German solidarity with the United States, whose soldiers bear the main burden of implementing the United Nations resolutions on the liberation of Kuwait,” Vogel said in a statement.

Government sources said Kohl telephoned President Bush on Monday night to tell him about the extra cash.

Germany has previously given or promised a total of $3.6 billion to the U.S.-led multinational force and to countries directly affected by the crisis--Jordan, Egypt, Israel and Turkey.

It has sent no troops to the Persian Gulf because of a constitutional ban on using German soldiers outside the North Atlantic Treaty Organization area, but it has dispatched 18 fighter aircraft to Turkey and sent some navy ships to the eastern Mediterranean.

The Cabinet also agreed to supply military equipment to Israel for defense against Iraqi missile attacks, Vogel said. But details have yet to be agreed with Israel.

Government sources said Israel had sought Hawk air defense missiles, Fox chemical weapons detection vehicles and other equipment for use in case of gas attacks.