Now here is something interesting

I knew that Barack had sent a request to Angela Merkel for more troops against IS.

My sense was that she would assent to his request.

But now I read this:

http://www.reuters.com/article/us-mideast-crisis-germany-idUSKBN0TW0T720151213#xPPKPByceyAcYawp.97

It is a matter of some astonishment that she would dare to negate such a request from the US.