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Afghanistan commitment

July 1, 2009

Germany and Europe were at the center of criticism by outgoing NATO top commander Gen. John Craddock, as he singled out the continent’s restricted engagement in Afghanistan as hindering success there.

https://p.dw.com/p/IeW3
A Bundeswehr tank in the Afghan desert
Germany's Afghanistan presence remains controversialImage: AP

European leaders were guilty of "hiding behind opinion polls" and using them to avoid further commitments to the war in Afghanistan, Craddock said in comments to be published in Wednesday's edition of the German daily Stuttgarter Zeitung.

"The job of these leaders is to find the best options possible for the people," he said. "If their citizens don't understand or believe this then more work should be done to convince them.

"Governments in Europe need to take a greater share of responsibility," he added. "The fact is that of all the 28 NATO member states there will always be some that will find excuses for idleness."

Craddock also said the restricted mandate of Germany's armed forces serving in Afghanistan had "extremely limited the flexibility of the commanders" there.

"This concerns not only the explained concessions. In addition there are also some restrictions (on troops) that we only learn about when we ask somebody for help," he told the paper. "They call home and then come back and say, 'We are not allowed to do this.'"

War or no war?

General John Craddock
Craddock said restrictions on German troops limits the mission's effectivenessImage: picture-alliance/ dpa

The role of the German armed forces in Afghanistan has been the subject of tensions here for over two years, with the German government so far insisting their troops are not involved in war, but that they are there for peacekeeping and development purposes.

But Craddock said the debate over the Bundeswehr's status in Afghanistan was superfluous.

"The politicians can call it whatever they like - I am a military man and for me it is a war," he said. "I think if you ask German soldiers they would call it the same thing."

Germany has the third-largest contingent in the NATO-led force in Afghanistan, with about 3,380 troops.

Despite US pressure to contribute troops to the more violent southern provinces where members of NATO and US soldiers have been fighting the Taliban since the 2001 invasion that ousted the group from power, the German army has focused on the Regional Command North.

Handover ceremony

Admiral James Stavridis
Stavridis said quelling the Afghan insurgency would take more than bulletsImage: AP

Craddock made the comments Tuesday, the day he formally handed over his post to Admiral James Stavridis, who assumes the role as the head of the US European Command (EUCOM). The ceremony was held at EUCOM headquarters in the southwestern German city of Stuttgart.

Stavridis said counter-insurgency elements in Afghanistan such as the Taliban could be pacified with renewed commitment from NATO states.

"I am very much interested in finding additional and alternative ways the allies can contribute (to the war effort)," Stavridis said.

"We must pursue a policy in Afghanistan that moves the defense and security of the Afghan people to the center of our efforts," he added.

dfm/AFP/ap

Editor: Sean Sinico