German official warns against ''Vietnamizing'' Afghanistan

[NNN0LHI]

http://www.afgha.com/?af=article&sid=36132

Berlin, Aug 9, IRNA -- The vice-chairman of Germany's ruling Greens Party in parliament has spoken out against an expansion of the country's Afghanistan mission, and warned against "Vietnamising" the war-torn country.

"It is entirely unthinkable to me that either I or parliament would agree" to an expansion of the German Army's presence from Kabul to the surrounding provinces, Stroebele said Saturday as quoted by DPA.

"Vietnamizing Afghanistan would be the wrong way," the official added.

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[Aristus]

1. The Russians already did that. 1979-1988.

You'd think we'd have learned from their bad example.

[FatbackSlim]

2. Yeah...

Some days, when I'm feeling pessimistic, I think we should have let them rot, too, after we were done with the Taliban. But most days I remember that we're better than that, and we may yet help the Afghans make something of their country.

[Devils Advocate NZ]

3. Dreams are free...

So you think the US is done with the Taliban? Let me ask you, are the Taliban done with the US?

[Wonder]

5. oooh weeee

ain't we got fun!

[NNN0LHI]

4. Better then what?

All we did was replace the Taliban (the thugs with the beards) with the Northern Alliance (the thugs without beards). I don't see the advantage.

Don

[indictrichardperle]

6. come on Don

if you expect the brain numbed Faux watchers over at Free R******* to think through this mess Junior created, they will get a real bad headache.

Im going to attend the next Clear Channel rally, ill find all the answers there :eyes:

[NashVegas]

8. Afghanistan is an Unbelievable Hole

look at the stats

http://unstats.un.org/unsd/demographic/social/default.htm


someone needs to help them, that's for sure.

[DavidMS]

7. Its doable...

It just would require a large troop commitment (somthing that the Bundisweir probably can't substain) and co-opperation from neiboring countries. I would put such an occuptation and stabilization force at a very high number. I know that the Russians would have needed some 200,000 troops (they had some 100K) on the ground. So if the Germans with international partners willing to commit some 1/2 million troops, probably could be done. The other question is rules of engagement. If its the ussual peacekeeping nonsens (see Black Hawk Down for an example) it will be a total waste. However if the rules of engagement clearly give the local commanders conciderable lattatude and encourage them to be agressive in dealing with bandits, warlords and taliban remnants.

Here is a discussion of the Congo mess and some rules of engagement ideas to let a peacekeeping force work. http://windsofchange.net/archives/003604.html

[reorg]

9. Germans anti-war? Not really ...

Stroebele is the most prominent anti-war voice in Parliament. He and a handful of dissenters opposed the Afghanistan mission from the start, causing a coalition crisis. Finally they caved in, however, and voted for it.

The Green party establishment then tried to prevent Stroebele's reelection to parliament. Even though he then proceeded to win the first "direct mandate" for Greens ever, supported by a local chapter and large parts of the non-Green electorate in Berlin, he has only very limited influence, his post as "vice-chairman" of the small Green faction notwithstanding.

Christa Nickels, also a prominent Green MoP, just recently recommended an additional force of 5 to 10,000 troops in Afghanistan. This concurs with the current German ISAF commander's rough estimate of 10,000 troops needed to widen their presence to regions outside of Kabul. Critical voices in the German army are mostly concernced with the current lack of "robustness" of the forces. With more armoured vehicles and heavy weapons, they will subside.

On Monday, NATO will take over ISAF command, ending the "endlessly changing of the command" (Robertson), and putting in charge a German general, again.

Rest assured that the Germans will not miss out on this chance to reestablish themselves as a "reliable ally" in the war-n-terra.

The German minister of war, Struck, already hinted that - as part of a possible NATO force - Germans may well be obliged to play some role in Iraq...