German mission misses many goals in Afghanistan

Berlin - 13 years after the beginning of the German Afghanistan employment in the year 2001 the Federal Government draws sobering up to result of the mission. In the “trial balance of the Afghanistan commitment”, which is to decide the Federal Cabinet on Wednesday, the particular agent of the Foreign Office (AA) grants that with all goals of the German employment “partly completely substantial and painful gaps remain in relation to the final state which can be aimed at”.

The report, which serves the German Federal Armed Forces in Afghanistan also as preparation of a new Bundestag seat for the future training mission, sounds in many places self-critical. “We made much correct, but some could have been still better”, is called it in the conclusions. Above all the co-ordination between the different departments within the Federal Government, in addition, internationally, was incomplete at the beginning. This improved, one must draw however teachings from the errors.

Now the German Federal Armed Forces prepare for a basic change of its commitment in Afghanistan. At the end of the year the past combat mission under the roof of the NATO security forces Isaf is to end. Starting from 2015 then only maximally 850 German soldiers are to be inserted into Afghanistan. These should however only train the local security forces and be active in the Ministries as advisors. Military force is to be only used to self protection.

With the trial balance the government submits also a 36-page statement over the current situation in Afghanistan. Therein the security situation is called further “tensely”. The rigged Afghan security forces are meanwhile able to protect the large cities and the areas along the important traffic axles. However the Taliban and other groups to today a “substantial threat” are local security forces and the Afghan government for Afghans.

Outside of the halfway safe areas however the situation looks darkly. Therefore the Taliban, prevails to the “predominantly Pashto coined areas in the east and the south of the country” a “predominantly not controllable security situation” in the retreat places. Translated from the official language the government thereby confesses, what current reports from Afghanistan suggest to each day: In the tribal areas the Taliban until today can do, what it to want.