Despite the recent spate of kidnappings of German contractors and aid workers in Afghanistan by the Taliban, the lower house of the German parliament extended the deployment of the 2,800-odd troops. This was approved completely against the opinion of the German public who wants immediate return of the troops.
The German troops were sent to Afghanistan as part of an international peace misson(ISAF) immediately after the fall of the Taliban by the then Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder. After the unpopular invasion of Iraq by the US and Britain, Germany was considering its committment in any US-led peace mission. But the little known Angela Merkel was appointed the chancellor and on appointment quickly assured Germany’s committment towards Afghanistan.
Since the resurgence of the Taliban, the German troops and reconstruction workers have come under increasing attacks leading to widespread call of withdrawing the troops from the relatively calmer north of the country. With a growing closeness to the United States and being a leading member of NATO, Chancellor Merkel was completely against the troop withdrawal.
Futhermore a horrific recent event has tarnished the image of the German troops in, both at home and abroad. A German newspaper published a report showing some of the soldiers playing with a human skull at their base. This has further raised calls of bringing back the troops.
This decision by the Bundestag will not go down well with the domestic public and a growing fanatic Islamic network already spreading its web across Germany.Germans are now more vulnerable to terror attacks than ever before. The recent memories of bloody attacks on Madrid and London will, no doubt, keep the Germans on toes home and abroad. There’s a growing concern that, much like in Britain, young German Muslim men will be attracted to the terror network getting ready to strike at the heart of the German democracy.
Many Germans feel that they are better off without America’s growing unpopular influence.
link:google
image link:white house
