The German offensive in Afghanistan

[Orwellian_Ghost]

The German offensive in Afghanistan
Ulrich Rippert


27 July 2009

The German army has dramatically intensified its intervention in Afghanistan in the past few days. In the course of a major offensive in northern Afghanistan, it has deployed heavy weaponry including Marder armed personnel carriers and Mörser mortar artillery.

For the first time since Hitler’s troops laid waste to large parts of Europe, the German army is again conducting major military operations against "rebellious elements." According to press reports, the 21-cm Mörser 18 was one of the main weapons used by Hitler’s Wehrmacht on all of the fronts of the Second World War. Now, the same weapon in its modern form is being used once again to rain down destruction upon the enemy.

The decision for the latest deployment was not made by the German parliament, but rather by the army high command itself. With unprecedented arrogance and self-assertedness, Brigadier General Wolfgang Schneiderhan announced the military action with the words: "It was simply time to undertake this escalation."

The weaponry had been transported to the war zone some time previously. The military leadership in the field had the responsibility for deciding if and when the weaponry would be used, and they had come to a decision, Schneiderhan stated.

German Defence Minister Franz Josef Jung (Christian Democratic Union) has sought to play down the significance of the latest deployment. It was, he said, merely an operation conducted by the Afghan security forces in the struggle against the Taliban, involving 800 Afghan soldiers and 100 Afghan police officers with "300 German soldiers supporting the offensive."

...

www.wsws.org/articles/2009/jul2009/pers-j27.shtml

[davepc]

1. What the hell are they talking about?

The German army is not using Nazi era artillery that the Nazis barely used in Afghanistan.

[backscatter712]

2. Gotta love the World Socialist Web Site...

In case you're wondering what kind of crack they're smoking.

[HamdenRice]

4. +1 Utter nonsense as usual from WSWS

And it seems to be the OPers main source of news and information.

[NashVegas]

5. Except When They Aren't

http://www.upi.com/Emerging_Threats/2009/07/28/Germans-intensify-fighting-in-Afghanistan/UPI-88091248783229/

[MadBadger]

3. The article makes it seem like Hitler has risen from the dead and is attacking Afghanistan.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

6. How does one say "cannon fodder" in German?

The majority of Germans oppose having German troops involved in America's neo-colonial ventures.

[JVS]

7. Kannonenfutter

http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kanonenfutter

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

8. Danke.

[western mass]

9. Reminder why I like socialism, I just can't stand Marxists.

at least the kind who write crap like this.

Comparing one of the finest social democracies on this planet to Hitler's nazis is childish, lazy, or stupid - I'm not sure which the most.

[tuckessee]

10. It's no substitute for shooting African Americans in the Bronx but it'll have to do.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x663557