SIPRI, 4 Nov 07: Still on the way to Afghanistan? Germany and its forces in the Hindu Kush
....On 7 February 2007, the German Government decided to expand its military presence in Afghanistan at the specific request of NATO. Six Tornado aircraft were stationed in Mazar i Sharif to assist the alliance in surveillance operations, chiefly covering the troubled southern provinces. The decision came after a lengthy debate, which clearly exposed the growing discomfort of many Germans with their country’s military role in Afghanistan. Currently Germany has approximately 3000 military personnel in Afghanistan. These are divided between Kabul and the northern provinces, where there is a larger base in Mazar i Sharif as well as two provincial reconstruction teams (PRTs), in Kunduz and Feyzabad. German governments have for some time rested the justification for the military commitment on the need for peaceful and democratic reconstruction of a war-torn country. However, recent events in the Hindu Kush in the north of Afghanistan have begun to undermine this rationale. The insurgency in the south, where NATO assumed command in 2006, has emerged as a serious threat to the international forces as well as the Afghan Government.

Because Afghanistan remains volatile terrain, and because the ISAF mission has changed significantly over time, a majority of Germans are anxious about their country’s future engagement. Along with other NATO members, Germany is concerned about getting more deeply involved in Afghanistan’s troubles, especially while a successful end to the engagement is getting further out of sight. The death of three soldiers in May 2007 also raised serious doubts about the mission’s purpose and success. Although the German Government was quick to rebuff calls for a withdrawal, it is not clear whether Germany will continue in the middle term to adopt greater military responsibility or seek an exit route. Because ISAF’s task has turned into an awkward and sensitive test for NATO, much of its success will depend on the position of its leading member states.

This paper examines the guiding principles behind the German military contribution to ISAF, both in the context of German foreign policy in general and the international state-building project in Afghanistan. In the light of this discussion some conclusions are drawn about the future direction of Germany’s Afghanistan policy.....
Complete 15 page paper at the link.