Germans in Afghanistan

[Pragmatic Thinker]

There are several partners in the NATO coalition that aren't doing much of anything in Afghanistan. There is a glaring lack of unity of effort and unity of command in OEF-A and the NATO partners.

[Uboat509]

I know some KSK guys from when I was in 1/10 in Germany. If this is true, and I suspect that it is, then there are some truly disgruntled Germans sitting on a FOB somewhere in Afghanistan right now. The KSK are just like anybody else who volunteers for an elite unit, they want to get into the fight not sit on their collective ass for three years. I doubt it was the KSK commanders that kept them out of the fight. I would be more willing to believe that that decision was made much further up the chain of command. Bummer.

SFC W

[JT Clark]

I spend a lot of time in Germany and speak German. A few years back one of the glossy magazines published some leaked photos of a KSK unit in their long-range patrol vehicle. The front bumper was covered in zip-tied on human skulls. The vehicle certainly wasn't sitting on a FOB at the time- but the public outcry may explain why they've been keeping a low profile since.

[Entropy]

I spend a lot of time in Germany and speak German. A few years back one of the glossy magazines published some leaked photos of a KSK unit in their long-range patrol vehicle. The front bumper was covered in zip-tied on human skulls. The vehicle certainly wasn't sitting on a FOB at the time- but the public outcry may explain why they've been keeping a low profile since.

Actually, the picture of the vehicle didn't have skulls, but the Afrika Corps insignia and was taken in Oman, not Afghanistan.

There was another incident where some German troops, but not KSK, made some obscene pictures with human skulls found near Kabul. Some of them were later court-martialed, IIRC.

The low profile may instead stem from accusations of abuse at the hands of the KSK of a German national captured in Pakistan and interrogated in Kandahar.

[Jedburgh]

CES, 1 Dec 08: German problems with their mission in Afghanistan

he increase in the Bundeswehr's contingent in Afghanistan up to 4,500 soldiers, which the Bundestag voted for this October, has not eased the criticism of German engagement by some of their allies. In the next few months, Germany will find itself under increasing pressure to enhance their participation in the NATO-led mission in Afghanistan, especially from the new US administration. President-elect Barack Obama has already promised to shift the emphasis of the US engagement from Iraq to Afghanistan, expecting at the same time that European allies, mainly Germany will intensify their engagement in combat operations. Although the German contingent is the third biggest in Afghanistan, its engagement in combat operations against the Taleban is rather small. The government has limited the Bundeswehr's activity to non-military operations in the relatively quiet northern provinces of Afghanistan and prefers engagement in reconstruction and development aid. One of the reasons for that is the German public opinion's negative perception of the Bundeswehr's military missions for historical reasons. The German policy is unlikely to change, especially considering the approaching parliamentary elections next autumn and the diminishing consensus over the engagement in Afghanistan among the political elite. Germany expects that the USA will treat its European allies' views regarding security issues with greater respect and at the same time is not ready to incur an equal share of the military costs as part of NATO. Therefore the mission in Afghanistan may become a problem in future relations between Germany and the USA.......

[Surferbeetle]

From the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zietung

Interministerielle Entfremdung

03. Dezember 2008 Eine Art Stellvertreterkrieg wird derzeit zwischen Innen- und Verteidigungsministerium ausgetragen. Er betrifft die deutschen Unterstützungsleistungen für den Aufbau der Polizeikräfte in Afghanistan, und ein Stellvertreter ist der Bundeswehrverband. Dessen bisheriger Vorsitzender Gertz und sein Nachfolger Kirsch hatten den Beitrag mehrfach als unzulänglich kritisiert. Am Wochenende reagierte ein Sprecher von Innenminister Schäuble (CDU) darauf in scharfer Form: Gertz sei ein „chronischer Faktenleugner“, und Kirsch trete nun in seine Fußstapfen. 24.000 Polizisten seien unmittelbar durch Deutschland geschult worden.

My translation...

'Alienation between Ministries

A kind of representative’s war is taking place between the Ministry of the Interior and the Ministry of Defense. It involves the German support work for the Development of the Afghanistan Police and the Armed Forces Association. The previous leader [COL Bernhard] Gertz and his replacement [LTC Ulrich] Kirsch have criticized the [German] contribution as repeatedly taking too long. During the weekend the Speaker for the Ministry of Interior, Schauble (CDU) reacted sharply: Gertz is a “chronic denier of the facts” and Kirsch is following in his footsteps. 24,000 Police have been directly trained by Germany.'

[Jedburgh]

IPCS, 8 Jul 09: Afghanistan: Understanding German Objectives and Strategies

....The German strategy in Afghanistan has been aimed at building a reasonable balance between civil and military efforts. German troops have been widely involved in reconstruction acitivities in the northern provinces of Afghanistan, where Germany maintains two Provincial Reconstruction Teams (PRT), in Konduz and Feyzabad. The success of German efforts in the north is respectable. The ISAF troops seem to be well connected to the local population and the Afghan people have welcomed their presence.....