THE WORLD FROM BERLIN: America's Failure in Afghanistan

[Purveyor]

US Secretary of Defense Robert Gates has been putting pressure on Germany to up its commitment to the NATO mission in Afghanistan. But some in Germany say it is America's violence, not Berlin's reluctance, that is the problem.

The halls were empty in Munich's Bayerische Hof hotel on Sunday morning. Fully 250 participants were on hand for the 44th Munich Conference on Security Policy, as was a small army of assistants and interpreters. But none of them were late for the Sunday session. After all, US Secretary of Defense Robert Gates was scheduled to speak. And everyone wanted to see if he was going to further intensify his criticism of Germany's engagement in NATO's Afghanistan operation.

They weren't disappointed. Following weeks of upping the pressure on Germany, urging the country to become more involved in military operations in Afghanistan, Gates poured it on once again. "We must not -- we cannot -- become a two-tiered alliance of those who are willing to fight and those who are not," Gates said. "Such a development ... would effectively destroy the alliance." Later in his speech, Gates said, "in NATO, some allies ought not to have the luxury of opting only for stability and civilian operations, thus forcing other allies to bear a disproportionate share of the fighting and the dying."

To German ears, such words are clearly intended for Berlin. After all, it was only in January that Gates sent a letter (more...) to his German counterpart, Franz-Josef Jung, asking for more German help in counterinsurgency operations in the southern part of Afghanistan. So far, Germany's 3,340 troops have largely concentrated on reconstruction and training in the relatively peaceful northern part of the country.

But Germany isn't the only European member of NATO that is having trouble satisfying the demands of Afghanistan while at the same time keeping the voters at home happy. France, Italy, Spain and Turkey all face public pressure to resist expanding operations or even to withdraw the forces they have already committed to Afghanistan. A Sunday poll in the German newsmagazine Focus indicated that 63 percent of Germans don't think the Afghanistan mission is in the country's best interests. And a survey done for German television at the beginning of February likewise found that 86 percent of Germans are against German troops becoming more deeply involved in the fighting.

---EOE---

http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/0,1518,534467,00.html

[gateley]

1. I read - years ago - that Clinton was advised to send more support into

Afghanistan but he chose not to because he was in the middle of the Monica thing and didn't want to risk an unpopular move.

CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG -- this truly isn't flame bait -- I just would like to know if it's true. Thanks.

[Diclotican]

2. Purveyor

Purveyor

First we are asked to go _fuck ourself_ because that many european country's was not willing to go to war over Iraq. Even in the country where the support for the war was good in the official elite, in the public the resentment about going to war was high...

Now when US are facing trouble home and abroad, after 8 year with a arrogant dick head and a Administration who have no care for the rest of the world, because THEY WANT TO SHAPE THE WORLD AS THEY PLEASE. Are in need of help, and are more or less commanding the NATO-alliance with that NATO would end as a defend-force if they are not doing more to help US out in Afghanistan. And hopefully also in Iraq in du course...

How F*** ARROGANT can this administration be?.. First we are no relevant anymore.. And then they are treating to severe a alliance who have survived more than 60 year. Because we don't want to be part of a war we all know by now, are more or less impossible to win?:.. Enough is enough, Europe as a whole have to talk clear when it come to US and tell them some truth about friendship... That you dint treat your good friends and allied as a toolbox, good when needed, but given contempt when don't needed, or believed not to be believed.. If US are to cut ties to NATO, be welcome.. EUrope are not the defenseless war torn continent it was 60 year ago.. Even with a more powerfully Russia our old continent are in more peace now, then it have been for 500 year or so.. Even the Balkans are more or less at peace with each other...

Why you think that many european country as Germany, France Italy Spain and Turkey, and many more smaller country are not willing to send military soldiers to Afghanistan to keep up the appearance of a common front against islamic extremism?
That are NOT because they don't have "balls" to go to war, or not have the will power to send soldiers to their death.. France, Italy, Spain and Turkey are country who have fighter each other over more less than religion over the century's who have passed..

We all know and understand that fighting and combating islamic extremism are important.. But the way of doing it are not what the current administration want... They want ever lasting war in Afghanistan and Iraq. They want NO solution to either Iraq or Afghanistan. But they are just given way to more extremist when you torture, murder and killing civilian who "maybe" are terrorist... And you are not helping peace effort when you active sabotage every opportunity to get the other parts in this area to understand Your way, and to try work out the big differences who are there... Pictures as that from Abu Girab was not giving US credit in the world as a large, and specially NOT in the arab world.... who the anger was deep long before the picturs was known..

This war is a US war. And it is just up to US to clean up the mess, rebuild, and try to fix what is wrong. If you want us to help you to clean up this F*** mess you better ask politely and not treating as the current Secretary of defense have doing to serve military ties to NATO, or to treat Europe with more or less comptemt...

Diclotican

Sorry my bad engelish, not my native language.