Berliner Morgenpost, Germany

Germany Leaves the USA Stranded

Germany does not intend to send additional soldiers to war-torn southern Afghanistan.

EDITORIAL

Translated by Ron Argentati

February 02, 2008

Germany – Berliner Morgenpost- Original Article (German)

Berlin -  Despite massive pressure from the United States, Germany has unequivocally rejected deploying Bundeswehr combat units to southern Afghanistan. German Defense Minister Franz Josef Jung (CDU) said, "We will continue to contribute as provided by our parliamentary mandate."  The mandate forbids permanent deployment of Bundeswehr personnel in southern Afghanistan.  Jung’s American counterpart, US Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, recently sent a letter to several NATO nations including Germany, demanding they send  an additional 3200 reinforcements to southern Afghanistan.  The EU loudly criticized the tone of Gates’ demand.

Jung pointed out that Gates’ letter should acknowledge that German troops are actively engaged in the northern provinces and he called attention to the fact that Germany is the third largest provider of troops in Afghanistan.  He also said that German Air Force Tornados would provide air reconnaissance not only in the north, but in the rest of Afghanistan as well.  Jung added that the Bundeswehr plans to triple the number of Afghan troops it is currently training and to expand its reconstruction assistance in the northern provinces. "I think that should continue to be the focus of our participation" said the minister.

In his eight-page letter Gates said, according to the Sueddeutsche Zeitung, that the United States would send an additional 3200 Marines to Afghanistan.  These would have to be replaced in the autumn by other NATO nations.  NATO allies and high-ranking officers have also called on Germany to abandon its insistence that the Bundeswehr be allowed a combat role only in self defense and not in offensive operations against the Taliban, as Gates has requested.

Government spokesman Ulrich Wilhelm also said that a change in the mandate is not planned. The federal government had "always made clear" that the current mandate forms the basis for German participation, and that the content of the mandate is not open for discussion, Wilhelm said in Berlin.

Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier (SPD) also rejected the additional deployment. He pointed out that Germany's commitment to the north of Afghanistan regarding military and civilian support had already been strengthened and that in the area of reconstruction they had  been successful. "I believe this is well-known in the United States," said the foreign minister.

The chairman of the Bundeswehr Association, Bernhard Gertz, considers a reinforcement of the military "meaningless" as long as objectives jointly agreed to by the international community, i.e., the build-up of  army, police and judiciary forces as well as the fight against drug trafficking are not "seriously pursued".

CSU foreign policy expert Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg criticized the tone of the Gates letter by saying, "The USA shouldn’t strain the unity of the alliance and the solidarity of its partners by unnecessary aggravation."

FDP security policy spokesperson, Birgit Homburger, described the request as "unacceptable". At the same time, she welcomed the decision to reject the increase in the Bundeswehr quota for ISAF (International Security Assistance Force) "The deployment of an increasing number of NATO troops will not automatically bring success in Afghanistan," she said.

Gates’ demands showed "that the Bush administration has learned nothing," said Greens leader Claudia Roth in Berlin, adding that the United States is relying on a "false and failed strategy" in Afghanistan.