JOE BIDEN looks tipped to battle it out with German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s successor who pushed a US-ISIS conspiracy theory.
…Mrs Merkel may not have much say in how the US-Germany relationship pans out, as she was last week replaced as leader of Germany’s Christian Democrats (CDU) by centrist Armin Laschet.
Many now note that while it is difficult to predict how Mr Laschet will engage with Mr Biden, looking back on the German politician’s previous rhetoric might offer some clue as to how their relationship will develop, and potentially collide.
…Mr Laschet, who was then MP for North Rhine-Westphalia, replied: “Yes, Mr Kerry, but You supported ISIS and Al Nusra against President Assad in Syria.
“And they are financed by Qatar and Saudi-Arabia.”
He added: “Assad was fighting against ISIS and Kerry tried to weaken Assad in this fight.”
Mr Laschet’s line has been described as a “conspiracy theory” which pushes an element of legitimacy onto the country’s President – who has been described as a dictator – Bashar al-Assad.
He went on to claim that many of the victims of the Syrian war were “killed by rebels and al Nusra terrorists”, and not overwhelmingly by Assad and his forces.
