German Defence Minister Thomas de Maiziere during a visit to Afghanistan: "At some point, you have to take off the training wheels." Reuters
German Defense Minister On Afghanistan: 'We Have Fallen Short of Our Goal' -- Spiegel Online
Germany's defense minister believes the next two years will be tough ones for German soldiers stationed in Afghanistan. In a SPIEGEL ONLINE interview, Thomas de Maizière provides a sobering assessment 10 years into the Bundeswehr's deployment.
SPIEGEL ONLINE: Minister de Maizière, NATO's ISAF mission in Afghanistan began precisely 10 years ago. Now NATO is taking steps toward withdrawal. What has the mission accomplished so far?
Thomas de Maizière: The question of the goals one reaches depends on what goals one sets. In the context of current debate on the topic, I went back and watched the Bundestag (German federal parliament) debate from autumn 2001. The most ardent proponents of the mandate at that point were politicians such as Green Party Bundestag representative Christian Ströbele and (then) Social Democratic Development Minister Heidemarie Wieczorek-Zeul. They, and others as well, presented a vision, very much driven by human rights concerns, of creating a free democracy according to the German model in Afghanistan, with the help of the Bundeswehr, Germany's Armed Forces. If we take this goal as our basis, then we have to say honestly that we've fallen short of our goal.
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More News On Afghanistan
Force Captures Taliban Leader in Helmand Province -- US Department of Defense
ISAF Joint Command morning operational update -- Dvids
FACTBOX-Security developments in Afghanistan, Dec 29 -- Reuters
2 French Foreign legionnaires die in Afghanistan -- Yahoo News/AP
Rogue Afghan soldier kills 2 French soldiers -- Washington Post
2 French soldiers killed in Afghanistan attack -- CNN
Two French troops shot dead by Afghan soldier -- L.A. Times
France Says Two of Its Soldiers Were Killed in Afghanistan -- Bloomberg
Two French soldiers shot dead by rogue Afghan soldier -- Reuters
3 NATO troops killed by bomb in Afghanistan -- USA Today/AP
Three NATO Soldiers Killed In Afghanistan -- RTT News
Three Nato soldiers killed in roadside bomb attack in Afghanistan -- The Telegraph
Bomb kills three NATO troops in Afghanistan -- AFP
Afghanistan blast victims named by MoD -- BBC
Taliban attack kills 10 Afghan police -- Courier Mail/AFP
Afghanistan's Kandahar Airfield an alleged heroin hotbed -- Straight.com
Civilians to guard Marine base in Afghanistan -- Marine Time
A Merlin helicopter's journey to Afghanistan -- BBC
Unmanned K-MAX helicopter makes first combat cargo flight in Afghanistan -- Gizmag
U.S. Pulls Public Relations Advisers From an Afghan Government Media Center -- New York Times
Director: Agency to get aggressive with fraud, waste in Afghanistan -- Stars and Stripes
Afghanistan signs '$7 bn' oil deal with China -- Yahoo News/AFP
Either Your Phone Plays Taliban Ringtones, or You Die -- Danger Room
What does Pakistan want in Afghanistan? -- Najmuddin A Shaikh, Express Tribune
Reflections on Afghanistan’s future, from soldiers seving in the field -- Jonathan Kay, National Post
Unceasing violence will forever mar unconquerable Afghanistan -- Asian news Network editorial
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