The German Bundestag has been debating its participation in peacekeeping in Afghanistan - Je 20.09.2007 14

The German government is hoping to secure as much support as possible when parliament votes on the issue. Afghan parliamentarians are following the debate with interest. Like the German foreign minister, they believe much is at stake. +++SOT Frank-Walter Steinmeier +++ "Those who are demanding the withdrawal of our troops from Afghanistan, are risking everything we've built up there over the past six years." The minister says making the ISAF mission and the controversial deployment of Tornado surveillance aircraft part of the same mandate makes for greater flexibility. The Left Party disagrees. They are opposed to any German involvement. +++SOT Gregor Gysi: "You don't even notice anymore that for you military and foreign policy has become one and the same thing which is exactly what we want to avoid." +++ But the left party are alone in their total rejection of the German mission. Social democrats formerly opposed to the tornado deployment now say they are in favour.