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Shortly before the end of his term, the president of the United States, Trump, wants to withdraw more soldiers from Afghanistan and Iraq. The federal government cautions against rushing. What does this mean for the Bundeswehr?
By Kai Küstner, ARD capital studio
Even in the final weeks of his term, US President Trump shows no consideration for his allies, once again presenting the Germans with a fait accompli: the current president wants to reduce the number of American soldiers in Afghanistan and Iraq. to 2,500 by mid-January. . The federal government reacted accordingly to this announcement. Foreign Minister Heiko Maas warns that what has been achieved should not be compromised by hasty actions: “That is why we are particularly concerned about what the US announcement could mean for the progress of the peace talks in Afghanistan.”
Maas fears “additional obstacles”
The Foreign Ministry fears that as the number of troops dwindles, so will the pressure on the Taliban extremists to move around the negotiating table. Talks between the Islamists and the Afghan government in Doha had recently started: “Needlessly, we should not create additional obstacles that would undoubtedly result in a hasty withdrawal from Afghanistan,” warns Maas.
In any case, the federal government must first probe what the passage of the outgoing US president, which was obviously not previously announced in Berlin, means for the Bundeswehr. The truth is that the German soldiers urgently need the support of the Americans in northern Afghanistan. “We are trying to find out, also in relation to our NATO partners, what this means in concrete terms for capabilities on the ground,” explains Arne Collatz, spokesman for the Ministry of Defense.
The safety of German soldiers in danger
In concrete terms, this formulation hides the following: if, for example, the United States no longer provides air support with fighter jets in an emergency, the safety of German soldiers in Afghanistan could no longer be guaranteed. Then a deduction would be unavoidable. Therefore, the crucial question is what material the retiring US soldiers will take home and who will be the ones who will stay: “If there are 2,500 doctors, it will not be possible to fulfill the assignment,” the Ministry spokesman formulated. exaggerated upon request.
What is certain is that the Bundeswehr has been making provisions for a possible withdrawal at the end of April next year for months. This date appears in an agreement between the United States and the radical Islamic Taliban, but is subject to conditions. A NATO decision is still pending.
Ausmist Aktives
As the ARD capital study reported, the Bundeswehr is already represented in northern Afghanistan with around 100 logistics experts who are responsible for the return of the material. And they also check what can be left on the site. “Aggressive cleaning”, for example: active cleaning, is what the military calls it. It is an expert number that can quickly grow to 150. In any case, the troops must now plan different scenarios. Tobias Lindner, a member of the Green Party, insists on this: “I hope that precautions are taken now if a withdrawal must be carried out more quickly, not at the end of April but in the coming months.”
Trump is not considerate
However, a withdrawal in mid-January would be a Herculean logistical task. Donald Trump poses real challenges for who should be his allies, even in the last meters. “I also don’t want photos of Bundeswehr soldiers fleeing the country,” says Lindner. ARD capital study. In fact, these would be images that the Bundeswehr would also like to avoid. After nearly two decades of service with the Hindu Kush.
