On November 27, 2002, Chancellor Gerhard Schröder (middle), together with Minister of Defense Peter Struck (left) and Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer (right), informed the chairmen of the Bundestag factions that the U.S. government had requested support in a possible war against Iraq. The U.S. request included the provision of “Fuchs”-model German armored NBC (nuclear, biological and chemical weapons) reconnaissance vehicles, which were already being used in Kuwait as part of the fight against terror. In front of the press, Schröder reemphasized that German troops would not be participating in military action against Iraq, and he rejected the request for German “Fuchs” tanks. Schröder said that the goal was to increase the U.N.’s peaceful pressure on Iraq in order to avoid military conflict. In the event of war, however, he promised the U.S. and other NATO allies permission to fly over, travel through, or enter Germany. Moreover, Israel’s requests for “Patriot” and “Fuchs” missile-defense systems were granted.