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Germany rejects US demand
to increase Afghan deployment
Tony Paterson
London
Independent
Saturday February 2, 2008
A bitter diplomatic row between Germany and the United States
deepened yesterday after Berlin flatly rejected demands from Washington
that it deploy troops in war-torn southern Afghanistan and angrily
dismissed the request as "impertinent" and a "fantastic
cheek".
Germany currently has some 3,200 soldiers stationed in comparatively
tranquil northern Afghanistan and the capital Kabul as part of
the current Nato peacekeeping mission. It has been urged to deploy
troops in the south before but has consistently refused. Yesterday
however, it became clear that Washington had stepped up pressure
on Berlin to commit troops to the south.
The move followed increased Taliban attacks and threats from
Canada that it would withdraw its Afghanistan contingent completely
unless more Nato troops were sent south. Canada has lost 77 combat
troops in the region.
(Article continues below)
Two US non-governmental studies released this week warned that
Afghanistan could once again become a failed state and terrorist
haven.
Details of what was described as an "unusually stern"
letter written by Robert Gates, the US Defence Secretary, to Franz
Josef Jung, his German counterpart, were leaked to the Süddeutsche
Zeitung newspaper yesterday.
The letter described Germany's performance as "disappointing"
and asked it to consider a new Afghanistan mandate which would
enable its paratroopers and helicopter units to be sent to the
south of the country. It said the US wanted German soldiers to
help replace an American contingent of 2,200 troops which is to
be withdrawn this autumn.
Germany's response was a mixture of outrage and surprise. Initial
comments leaked from an unnamed defence ministry source described
the Gates' letter as "impertinent", and as a "fantastic
cheek". One official accused Mr Gates of trying to inflict
"psychological torture" on Germany.
Full
article here.
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