German Chancellor Boosts Military Presence in Afghanistan

1/25/2010
in
Brandon Daubs

German Chancellor Angela Merkel and her defense minister Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg have decided to bolster the German presence in Afghanistan by an increase of around 500 soldiers. Although other members of NATO expected an increase closer to 2,000 soldiers, Merkel plans to used the increase forces to help train existing Afghan security forces in order to help the government take charge of their own security and reduce the dependence on foreign aid.

The increased presence provides NATO with a total of up to 5,000 German soldiers. Although it wasn’t the number that NATO was hoping for, Merkel also plans to provide funds for reconstruction and peacekeeping in addition to the 500 soldiers. Germany has even considered plans to fund programs that would provide money and jobs for surrendering members of the Taliban. Merkel, Guttenberg, and foreign minister Guido Westerwelle will discuss these plans in greater detail during the London conference beginning Thursday.

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It is great to see other

Submitted by rcola88 on 1/25/2010.
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It is great to see other countries getting involved in the efforts to help improve and restore Afghanistan, but how much more must we do before it's a lost cause? I'm not saying it is a lost cause, but when exactly do we stop to let them deal with it?