Long-Term Afghan Mission
September 5, 2007
Germany intends to increase activities "that lead to improvement in Afghanistan's ability to govern itself," according to a Cabinet position paper. Shifting the focus from military action to civil reconstruction, Berlin aims to help reform and improve the Afghan justice ministry and judicial system.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel has repeatedly stressed the need for both military and civil involvement in the region.
Defense Minister Franz Josef Jung again ruled out deploying German troops to troubled southern Afghanistan from their bases in the relatively secure north of the country. He also stressed the need to continue political and civil rebuilding efforts.
"We aim to push on with the training of Afghan security forces in the north," Jung told national public television Wednesday. "There will be no deployment of our troops to the south."
German military means are insufficient to bring stability to Afghanistan; and reconstruction and development are needed, he added.
No 'resting spot' for terrorists
Berlin aims to keep Afghanistan from returning to a "resting, hiding, and regeneration spot for international terrorists," the AFP news service quoted from the Cabinet paper.
The German parliament still needs to approve the administration's plan.
The public needs to look at Germany's military deployment in Afghanistan as a means of domestic protection against terrorism, Merkel and Foreign Minister, Frank-Walter Steinmeier have said in earlier interviews.
"In that way, the Afghanistan engagement serves German interests," the government's position paper said.
Opposition politicians and critics responded hotly to the newly approved policy plan, demanding a series of improvements.
The German government missed the chance for a "desperately needed strategy change," said Greens parliamentary party leader Jürgen Trittin on Wednesday after the Cabinet's decision.
The children's aid organization World Vision said Germany should be involved in rebuilding efforts rather than military deployments in Afghanistan.
The current security environment continues to be worrisome, especially in southern and eastern Afghanistan, where NATO troops are fighting against the Taliban.
Jung said the German troops were prepared to help in emergency situations, but Bundeswehr training officers would not accompany the Afghan forces they had trained on deployments in the south.
Bundeswehr deployment expected to continue
On Tuesday, Merkel predicted the German deployment would last several years. Former German Defense Minister and current Social Democratic Party (SPD) parliamentary leader Peter Struck estimated on Saturday that the international community, including Germany, would remain in Afghanistan for at least a decade.
The German parliament has approved a mandate for up to 3,000 troops to serve in northern Afghanistan. In addition, six Tornado reconnaissance jets have been deployed with up to 500 personnel under a six-month mandate since April.
The government plans to combine these two mandates, both of which are part of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), and to seek renewed approval for them from parliament next month.
Third mandate questioned
A third mandate for up to 100 German special forces to be deployed to the US-led Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) comes up for renewal in November and is more controversial among German politicians.
The troops are not currently taking part in military operations, and there is considerable parliamentary opposition to renewing their mandate, although Merkel is in favor of extending it. Some SPD parliamentarians as well as Green party legislators oppose the OEF deployment.