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German Armed Forces to Remain in Afghanistan
The German Armed Forces will remain in Afghanistan as part of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), after a broad majority in the Bundestag voted in favor of extending the mandate on October 12. The German ISAF contingent is “creating the secure environment that is crucial to the success of Afghanistan’s civilian reconstruction effort,” Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said in welcoming the vote. Germany is also increasing its funding of civilian reconstruction, for schools, infrastructure and hospitals, for example, Steinmeier noted. “Such projects will send people in Afghanistan a clear message that their country has a real future and we Germans are partners whose word they can trust,” Steinmeier said. At the same time, Steinmeier said, the fight against terrorism must continue, which is why the Federal Government also favors extending the mandate for German troops in Operation Enduring Freedom, a decision due in November. The ISAF mandate approved by the Bundestag allows the deployment of up to 3,500 soldiers through October 2008 and now includes the deployment of Tornado reconnaissance aircraft, which had been deployed under a separate mandate.
The new mandate provides for greater flexibility and thus allows for reinforcement of the training of Afghan security forces. The Federal Government's Afghanistan Policy, adopted on September 5, 2007, highlights its determination to continue Germany's civilian and military commitment to the stabilization and reconstruction of Afghanistan. Without military support, civilian reconstruction in Afghanistan would be a lost cause, Federal Development Minister Heidemarie Wieczorek-Zeul said in the debate before the vote. October 15, 2007 Links
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