Berlin renews Afghan presence

Germany’s parliament voted on the 3 December 2009 to extend for another year a longstanding commitment to keep up to 4,500 soldiers in Afghanistan, even as the government was busy damping hopes it might send more in a US-led troop increase.

Guido Westerwelle, the foreign minister, told lawmakers that Afghanistan needed not a military solution but “a political solution backed by military means”, which was why Berlin was “putting an emphasis on civilian measures”.

Deutsche Welle, 3.12.09: Defense minister revises stance on Afghan airstrike as house takes vote http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,,4966008,00.html

ESO: Background information: Pressure on France and Germany to bolster their Afghanistan troop levels http://www.europeansources.info/record/pressure-on-france-and-germany-to-bolster-their-afghanistan-troop-levels/

ESO: Background information: German military chief quits over Afghan raid / German minister quits over Afghan air strike http://www.europeansources.info/record/german-military-chief-quits-over-afghan-raid-german-minister-quits-over-afghan-air-strike/

---