SPIEGEL ONLINE
- May 18, 2012
With the German army pulling out of Afghanistan in 2014, hundreds of Afghan workers fear they will become victims of revenge by the Taliban, who have already condemned them as traitors. German authorities are already preparing for a wave of visa applications. By Matthias Gebauer and Shoib Najafizada in Berlin and Mazar-e-Sharif, Afghanistan more... [ Forum ]
SPIEGEL ONLINE
- April 23, 2012
The German military may soon adopt new guidelines that call into question the export of democracy, SPIEGEL has learned. In the future, the Bundeswehr is to take greater account of local traditions and institutions, even if they are violent and corrupt. more...
SPIEGEL ONLINE
- April 03, 2012
NATO forces are due to leave Afghanistan by the end of 2014, but the withdrawal poses a massive logistical challenge. The US and its allies are dependent on air hubs in Russia and authoritarian Central Asian republics to transport its troops and equipment home -- and getting those countries to play along is not always easy. By Christian Neef more... [ Forum ]
SPIEGEL ONLINE
- March 16, 2012
On Thursday, President Hamid Karzai unexpectedly called on Western military forces to end their mission to Afghanistan a year before the planned withdrawal date of 2014. In Friday's newspapers, German commentators speculate on whether this will trigger a rush to exit despite the dangers this presents. more...
SPIEGEL ONLINE
- March 13, 2012
Tensions are high in Afghanistan following Sunday's alleged massacre of 16 civilians by a US soldier. The incident overshadowed Chancellor Merklel's visit to Bundeswehr troops in the country. German commentators argue that it has also worsened the chances for peace in the country. more... [ Forum ]
SPIEGEL ONLINE
- March 13, 2012
Following this weekend's massacre of 16 civilians the situation intensified in Afghanistan as Angela Merkel arrived for a surprise visit to Germany's Bundeswehr troops deployed there. The German chancellor claims she wants to stick to the planned 2014 withdrawal, but her statements in the region left room for doubts. By Matthias Gebauer and Philipp Wittrock more... [ Forum ]
SPIEGEL ONLINE
- March 05, 2012
German Defense Minister Thomas de Maizière talks to SPIEGEL about why 50 German soldiers abandoned a military base in Afghanistan that was being targeted by demonstrators. He says expectations of what the West can achieve in the country have been too high, and that future missions must be better prepared. more...
SPIEGEL ONLINE
- February 24, 2012
The German military said Friday it would move up the planned closure of a base in northern Afghanistan in response to deadly protests over the inadvertent burning of copies of the Koran by a US soldier. The base would have been shuttered in March, but officials worried its security could not be maintained in the face of the demonstrations. more...
SPIEGEL ONLINE
- December 27, 2011
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. more...
SPIEGEL ONLINE
- 22.12.2011
Versprochen - gebrochen: Vor zehn Jahren beschloss der Bundestag, Soldaten nach Afghanistan zu entsenden. Deutschland sicherte dem Land Frieden, Frauenrechte und Demokratie zu. Erreicht wurde nichts. Die Geschichte eines großen Irrtums. Von Hasnain Kazim, Islamabad mehr... [ Video | Forum ]
