The Nature of Reconnaissance

Until now, Germany has focused on reconstruction efforts in northern Afghanistan and maintained its non-combat position. The government's recent decision to send Tornado jets to the south, where fighting has been more intense, has led some to question the essence of Germany's mandate and whether fighter jets doing reconnaissance is compatible with a reconstruction mandate.

Berlin's Tagesspiegel recalled that Germany's politicians haven't helped to clear up the matter. "'Reconnaissance isn't a war mission," it quoted Defense Minister Franz-Josef Jung as saying. "A clear statement," the paper continued, before adding that there had been plenty of clear -- and contradictory -- statements from other politicians.

SPD parliamentary leader, and former defense minister, Peter Struck, for example. He told Bonn's General Anzeiger, "It's a war mission anyways."

Politicians ambiguous but German not ambivalent

"So is it a war mission or not?," the Tagesspiegel questioned. "Probably both are right somehow. Jung, when he says that the Tornados won't directly intervene in the fighting with their canons. Struck, when he says that the overall mission in Afghanistan is a war mission. It just gets a bit complicated when the government means two different things with the same word."

Die Welt commented that the Tornados "would not alter the character of the existing mission." The daily wrote that since it's not chancing the tone of army's mission, sending the jets is a simple decision. "The government's decision to send the jets is practically a matter of course," Die Welt wrote. "They will contribute to improving reconnaissance in the Hindu Kush for the Bundeswehr, its threatened allies and the civilian population. Even more than that: it underlines the fact that Germany isn't ambivalent to the fate of its partners."

An unavoidable fight?

"A Little Bit Pregnant" was the title of the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung's commentary on the Tornado decision. "Behind all the efforts to limit the Tornados' task and not let it look like a war mission is the hope of being a little bit pregnant in international politics," the FAZ opined. "Participating in what is considered an unavoidable fight (for the closest allies) against transnational terrorism and its supporters without having to get one's own hands too dirty, or even burn them." The paper then concluded that, "In Afghanistan they are going to survey the enemy so that he can be fought against."

The Leipziger Volkszeitung took up the issue of Germany's responsibility as a NATO member. "The Tornado decision is a reaction to pressure from Brussels and Washington, but it's also a necessary consequence of solidarity with the alliance," the daily commented, adding that it would be irresponsible to leave the country in the Hindu Kush to the mercy of the Taliban."