Germany approves new Afghanistan mandate outlining withdrawal

The German lower house of parliament approved the government's new Afghanistan mandate on the 28 January 2011, which proposes that the withdrawal of German troops should begin by the end of 2011 and be completed by 2014.

At the same time, after two days of heated debate, a slim majority of Dutch MPs voted in favour of sending a police training mission to Afghanistan.

Spiegel Online International, 28.1.11: German Parliament Votes to Extend Afghanistan Mandate http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/0,1518,742234,00.html

ESO: Background information: Germany wrestles with its world role http://www.europeansources.info/record/germany-wrestles-with-its-world-role/

BBC News, 28.1.11: Germany's Afghanistan mission extended by one year http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-12306854

Radio Netherlands Worldwide, 28.1.11: Green light for Dutch Afghanistan mission http://www.rnw.nl/english/article/green-light-dutch-afghanistan-mission

Deutsche Welle, 28.1.11: Dutch parliament approves new Afghanistan mission http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,,14800862,00.html

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