Germany votes overwhelmingly to send troops, aircraft to aid anti-ISIS fight in Syria

German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Francois Hollande — (Image credit: Martin Bureau/AFP/Getty Images)

After the Nov. 13 terrorist attacks in Paris, Germany promised to support France's pushback against the Islamic State. On Friday, Germany's parliament voted, 445 to 146, to approve Chancellor Angela Merkel's request to send reconnaissance and refueling aircraft to support France's mission against ISIS in Syria, plus a frigate to guard its aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle. Germany is also sending up to 1,200 military personnel to support the international coalition fighting ISIS, though probably not all at once. German forces and aircraft will be armed and authorized to fire to defend themselves, but they won't directly engage in combat mission like bombing runs.

Germany has been reluctant to commit its military forces outside of NATO missions in the decades since World War II ended, but Germany has been involved in fighting ISIS by supplying arms to Iraqi Kurdish forces. On Friday, the Netherlands also said it is considering expanding its military role in the anti-ISIS alliance; Dutch warplanes are already striking ISIS targets inside Iraq.

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Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.