german key to our military engagements?

President Horst Köhler of Germany resigned on Monday for remarks he recently made during a visit to Afghanistan.

Köhler said:

“A country of our size, with its focus on exports and thus reliance on foreign trade, must be aware that military deployments are necessary in an emergency to protect our interests, for example, when it comes to trade routes, for example, when it comes to preventing regional instabilities that could negatively influence our trade, jobs and incomes”