Since the days of Adenauer, the French–German axis has been a cornerstone of Germany’s foreign policy. Since the foundation of the European Union, Germany has prided itself on being an exemplary member. Young people in Germany are encouraged to think of themselves as Europeans as well as Germans. Last Friday, Germany abstained from voting for the Security Council resolution authorizing the no-fly zone and other measures in Libya, along with China and Russia.
Few observers expected such a radical departure from Germany’s traditional position. Journalists explained that the reason was that participation would have been extremely unpopular and that Chancellor Angela Merkel faced three crucial elections.
No doubt the government knew that human memory was short and hoped that Germany’s old friends would soon forget this momentary lapse. And the government may be proved right.
In the three days since the abstention, there has been a full range of reactions. In one paper yesterday, a retired general wrote that the abstention made him deeply ashamed of being a German. Another view expressed was that the government had made the right decision for the wrong reasons.
Although on January 28, the German Bundestag voted by a clear majority to extend the country’s participation in the Afghan war for a further 12 months – a decision that brings German military participation into its 10th year – anti-war sentiment is extremely strong. Germans remember what WW2 has done to them. They don’t mind that many of Germany’s friends – especially the Americans – are often exasperated by – of all things – German pacifism. No doubt the anti-war sentiment was the main reason for the unpopularity of the Libyan initiative and a major factor in the abstention.
But, since human memory, as stated above, is proverbially short, if the Libyan enterprise becomes more difficult as initially anticipated, many will forget that Germany stayed out not because the government was so prescient, but for reasons that made the retired general so ashamed.
Eric Koch’s book, The Weimar Triangle, is available at Indigo-Chapters and in your local bookstore. 
At the relevant time, the German Defence Minister made a statement indicating that Germany would not play in the Libyan sandbox , expressly linking that decision to the risk of harm to German personnel. Upon reading that, the word “pusillanimous” escaped my lips.
I think that puts me in the same camp as the retired General.