Germany votes overwhelmingly to send troops, aircraft to aid anti-ISIS fight in Syria

After the Nov. 13 terrorist attacks in Paris, Germany promised to support France's pushback against the Islamic State. On Friday, Germany's parliament voted, 445 to 146, to approve Chancellor Angela Merkel's request to send reconnaissance and refueling aircraft to support France's mission against ISIS in Syria, plus a frigate to guard its aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle. Germany is also sending up to 1,200 military personnel to support the international coalition fighting ISIS, though probably not all at once. German forces and aircraft will be armed and authorized to fire to defend themselves, but they won't directly engage in combat mission like bombing runs.

Germany has been reluctant to commit its military forces outside of NATO missions in the decades since World War II ended, but Germany has been involved in fighting ISIS by supplying arms to Iraqi Kurdish forces. On Friday, the Netherlands also said it is considering expanding its military role in the anti-ISIS alliance; Dutch warplanes are already striking ISIS targets inside Iraq.