And France was nervous about committing soldiers to a place that has proved lethal in the past, and in the Islamic world when its own Muslims are restless.France saved its credibility just in time.
Yet Mr Obama will know that the Germans are unlikely to commit more soldiers before September's election.
The U.S., under Bush and Clinton, had decided not to commit American soldiers to Bosnia, but Clinton had pledged that American troops would support any mass withdrawal of the U.N. peacekeeping troops already stationed there.
Unwilling to commit U.S. soldiers, Washington launched a covert paramilitary campaign that was run by the CIA and fought by Hmong mountain tribesmen and Thai troops.
So instead of using drones in Pakistan and Yemen, perhaps a Republican president like Bush would commit more soldiers in more boots-on-the-ground invasions.
They wonder how committed the soldiers really are to their promise of surrendering power to an elected civilian government.
In Belgium, for example, all civil offenses committed by soldiers, except very minor ones, are tried by military court.
The military's problems with mental health services go far beyond suicide or the occasional murders committed by soldiers and veterans.
Since President Felipe Calderón dispatched the army to take on drug violence in Mexico, allegations of abuses committed by soldiers against civilians have increased significantly.
On Thursday, France committed 200 soldiers, far fewer than expected, while the countries offering frontline mechanized units were Bangladesh, Indonesia and Malaysia, all Muslim, and Nepal, which is largely Hindu.
