Countries have no friends. Countries have interests.

You need to remember the old piece of foreign policy wisdom when you want to analyze the development of the transatlantic relationship since the war in Iraq.

The German rejection of the war, but especially the transformation of this rejection during the German election campaign, left deep marks in Washington. Bush felt personally disappointed, even deceived by Chancellor Schröder. The relationship froze up and when Foreign Minister Fischer traveled to Washington last Autumn the welcome mat was rolled up and stored away until someone more sympathetic came by.

Now that the war is over, the United States has discovered that it's having more problems with the postwar situation in Iraq than it had during actual combat. The USA is beginning to understand that their goals in Iraq can't be reached alone. The situation is more pressing for Bush, because the time before next year's presidential elections is running out.

Changing to fit the whim of the voters

The priorities of the voters have changed. Only 27 percent of them think the war against terrorism should be Bush's top priority. In January, the figure was more than 50 percent. The administration needs to change its priorities as well and that means moving a portion of the burden for Iraq's reconstruction onto other shoulders.

Those are of course the shoulders of NATO and the EU and this won't be possible without Germany's help. Germany sits in the United Nations Security Council and, more importantly, has a powerful position in the European Union.

It is typical of Bush's political style that he has no problem changing his position to fit the situation. He sacrificed many of his positions from the campaign when it was clear that they weren't going to become reality in the White House.

Now he's employing this approach to normalizing the German-American relationship. He also took it upon himself to be the first to let the world in on the development. In reality, though, it was above all Foreign Minister Fischer who was working behind the scenes to break the ice.

To bring the relationship up the level it was before the war will need a lot more work. Maybe Schröder will experience what so many have experienced before: Bush rewards those who follow his will, Bush punishes those who don't follow him unconditionally. But he treats very few with real respect.

Germany wins when Washington loses in Iraq

How should you view America's kind words for Germany? Pragmatically, as part of a finely planned diplomatic process that will make cooperation once again possible with neither side losing face. Bush's argument to his own country: Germany is on our side, Germany helps us and Germany has contributed a lot to the fight against international terrorism, even though there are no German soldiers in Iraq.

That's what the deal appears to be: Germany is expanding its military commitment to Afghanistan beyond Kabul. In exchange, no one expects Germany to send troops to Iraq. That will help Chancellor Schröder and Foreign Minister Fischer because they guaranteed that German soldiers would have absolutely nothing to do with Iraq.

Bottom line: Berlin profits from the fact that things in Iraq aren't evolving the way the White House had hoped and expected them to. As important as it would be to normalize the relations between the two countries, Schröder doesn't have to give up anything in order to get an appearance in the White House's Rose Garden.