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Germany sees no majority for more troops to Afghanistan alone
Source: Agencies |
December 13, 2009, Sunday
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THE German government does not see a political majority in Germany for sending more troops into Afghanistan without stronger civilian commitments and wants the United States to provide more details on its own strategy first, a senior government official said.
Germany is considering whether to expand its contingent of about 4,400 soldiers in Afghanistan, the third largest in the NATO mission, as the United States wants Berlin and its other allies to send up to 7,000 more troops.
Berlin plans to make a decision on its troop levels after a conference in London next month, but polls show public opinion opposed to sending more troops.
"I don't think we will want to seek a majority in our country for a stronger security commitment without stronger commitment in the civil sector," Christian Schmidt, state secretary of Germany's Defense Ministry said late yesterday on the sidelines of a conference in Manama.
Germany's decision on troop levels has been clouded by a controversial German-ordered air strike in Afghanistan in September which Kabul says killed 30 civilians and 69 Taliban.
Last week US President Barack Obama announced he planned to send an additional 30,000 US soldiers to Afghanistan to stem violence that has reached its deadliest levels since the ousting of the Taliban in 2001.
Schmidt did not rule out that Germany would send more troops to Afghanistan but said it needed more information from the US to decide on its contribution.
"We've made it very clear that in our view the Obama speech alone does not provide a strategic basis, but that together with the Afghans we would like to hear and have binding agreements and what they are willing to contribute," he said.
Schmidt declined to say how many extra troops Germany could send to Afghanistan, but said he expected Berlin to expand training of Afghan police and security forces.
Germany is considering whether to expand its contingent of about 4,400 soldiers in Afghanistan, the third largest in the NATO mission, as the United States wants Berlin and its other allies to send up to 7,000 more troops.
Berlin plans to make a decision on its troop levels after a conference in London next month, but polls show public opinion opposed to sending more troops.
"I don't think we will want to seek a majority in our country for a stronger security commitment without stronger commitment in the civil sector," Christian Schmidt, state secretary of Germany's Defense Ministry said late yesterday on the sidelines of a conference in Manama.
Germany's decision on troop levels has been clouded by a controversial German-ordered air strike in Afghanistan in September which Kabul says killed 30 civilians and 69 Taliban.
Last week US President Barack Obama announced he planned to send an additional 30,000 US soldiers to Afghanistan to stem violence that has reached its deadliest levels since the ousting of the Taliban in 2001.
Schmidt did not rule out that Germany would send more troops to Afghanistan but said it needed more information from the US to decide on its contribution.
"We've made it very clear that in our view the Obama speech alone does not provide a strategic basis, but that together with the Afghans we would like to hear and have binding agreements and what they are willing to contribute," he said.
Schmidt declined to say how many extra troops Germany could send to Afghanistan, but said he expected Berlin to expand training of Afghan police and security forces.
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