German parliament votes to end Afghan combat mission by 2014
The German parliament voted Friday to end Germany's combat mission in Afghanistan by 2014.
For the first time, the mandate authorizing the use of German troops in Afghanistan contains a time frame for the nation's troops to withdraw, said Guido Westerwelle, the foreign minister.
The mandate includes a 12-month extension of the current military mission in Afghanistan, the German Bundestag or parliamentary news office said.
"It is confirmation of the work of the government that we're not just lengthening the mandate, but that we're saying that it shouldn't be endless," Westerwelle said.
Germany has 4,590 troops serving with NATO's International Security Assistance Force.
"The time frame for withdrawal has been internationally coordinated and developed," the foreign minister said. "That's why it's good news for the men and women of the German army who have been hoping for a bipartisan majority in the parliament."
I wish our citizens would demand we bring back a good majority of our troops I know we will have to be over there in some capacity for the next several years but we can't keep over 100,000 troops there indefinetly. We have to have an exit strategy here. Obama needs to put his foot down and say we are done here if Petraeus don't like it too bad his job is to win this war and they have failed, that's the bottom line.
I would rather see the People protesting against the Republicans and the Tea Party!!! This Country would be better off for it... Then maybe the Rest of the Countries would know what a good Government would really be!!! The People has to take back Our Country before We can expect the Other Countries to get it right...
Yeah, they should pull out there and transfer to Egypt.
No, not right now, but the way things are pushing in Egypt chances are more on the side of another Afghanistan is in the making there.
If all the Countries had the People make the Country equal to all!!! It be a better World for it!!!
I want to reiterate that the Germans in Afghanistan are not in any way,shape or form fighting for Germany but for the right-wing thugs in Washington and I want to say that they are defiately not worth fighting for and neither is that U.S.puppet Angie Merkel!!!
That is what is wrong with Idiots like You... It is always worth fighting to make The People Free!!! Freedom isn't cheap...
of course if it was POLAND it'd be harder to get them to leave
The way You rhink I can understand that!!! Who would want to be with a Idiot???
Think (Sorry)
Thats great We can bring Our troops home this Year and Germany can take over!!! They can afford it better than We can...
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the United states will always remain a Capitalist country because millions of businessare self-owned and noone is going to give that up,a fascist country
? it can be possible that some parts of the nation will be but not as extreme as it was in Italy under Mussolini. no way thats going to happen.
USA situation today is very similar to Italy in the 30ties for what concerning authoritarism, state control over the economy, aggressive foreign policy, racism versus foreigners, violence. The only difference is a much more developed capitalism, as times have been changed.
We will get a real Democracy here yet!!! We had it with Clinton and Bush gave it away... Now the Republicans and Tea Party with what They are doing... Is going to assure that the Democrats make it a Country of a Democracy!!! The Rich and Corporations are going to lose everything because of Their Greediness... The Majority is going to take over the World...
There is no difference betwen Clinton and Bush. Both are like Hitler.
4,500 troops?!! :O
Thanks for being with us all the way Germany:D
That's because Germany currently doesn't have a "German" chancellor and hasn't had one since the fall of Hitler. Germany needs to regain the prestige it had on the eve of WW1 when it took orders from no one and was walking tall.
The world will never let that happen again!!! Two World Wars was enough for the World...
I'm with you,Jon. Thanks to Angie Merkel,Germany will continue to take orders from Washington with blind obedience and that's what we want,isn't it?
At least that's the way the right-wing thugs in Washington like it. But now they're worried about Egypt and their cronie Hosni Mubarak and what's taking place there.
If Hamas is not a terrorist organization then Iran is not a theocracy and if the PA is a terrorist organization then the USA is a communist nation!
USA is becopming a socialist nation as the government is controlling the economy like China.
No salerno,quite the contrary,the U.S. is slowing becoming a fascist state with a shrinking middle class coming increasingly under the control of the MIC(military-industrial-complex). The MIC already owns the Presidency and the majority in Congress and that's why we're constantly ay war!!!
Oops,I meant to print "at" not "ay" in the post above. Sorry for the missprint. As for Germany,I completely agree with Dan and Jerry. Germany really should regain the grandeur it enjoyed before WW 1 and not fight other people's wars for them.
Daniel-2 – I agree US is becoming a fascist nation. Government controlling the economy is definitely a characterictic of authoritarian regimes. In fact Fascism was oroginally a kind of socialism.
Daniel: The Democrats can't make Democracy happen because of the Right Wing Republicans and the Tea Party!!!
Fools and nut cases go together, but Jerry is probably not your real name but just the same!
Are you really Dan from Chicago, IL or some right-wing spokesman for the MIC(military-industrial-complex) in Washington. In either case,you say what they want people to hear.
saleno: So was Hitler!!! Are You saying Is was right too??? Hamas are Tarriest.,..
Hamas are not terrorist, they fight for the stolen land. Americans are terrorists, as they attack always other countries killing civilians.
How true that rings,salerno. Just ignore the right-wing nutjob who keeps posting under my name! America hasn't defended anything since 1945 which thereafter America was always on the offensive.
Serrno: Will You make up Your mind what kind of Country We are!!! Why wouldn't Egypt sell gasoline to Israel??? They have PEACE with Them!!!
If real democracy come to Egypt, it would be a problem for US and Israel. Yhis is why the US are trying to control the situation through Egypt military.
Well fellows if democracy and freedom succeeds throughout the Arab world and they resist the Islamic terrorist movement then we WILL finally have Islam to stand up and show that they ARE a peaceful and LOVING people!
Otherwise lookout for Armageddon!
Remember US is not supporting democracy in the middle east but dictatorship. In Algeria the fondamentalist won the elections, and probably the same will happen in Egypt like the Israeli government warned to the US. The problem is the average american stupidity, as many thought Egypt was a democracy just becouse it was an US allie. USA was allied with Pakistan dictatorship, while the democratic India was an URSS allie.
You IDIOT,Pakistan is a democracy and Egypt most likely will become a free and democratic society unless the Islamists want civil war!
And if the Islamic extremist dl take control and the people are with them and they become an enemy of the Israeli state and decide to ally itself with the terrorist group Hamas and supply weapons to them you will see the power of democracy!
I mean do not di.
Probably they want Israel to retreat to the 1967 borders, like all the international community asked. Israel is against the interbnational community, violated the UN resolution (551) and was not punished only for the US veto. Take note Israel needs the Egypt oil.
Hamas is not a terrorist organization as it was elected. Palestinian authority is a terrorist organization paid by the USA to kill the palestinian people.
Your a nut case salerno and Egypt's oil is only used for itself!
Good posting,salerno. Keep it up and just ignore these right-wing fools here since you know where it's at and they don't!
Egypt also sells some oil to Israel.
We fight for the Freedom of all the People!!! If You don't like it go where You don't have any freedom at!!! The People there want it...
YOU FIGHT FOR MONEY like fanatic people.
I did not post the above salerno 30jan 5:58. Unfortunately I have no house in Quetta.. If I had it would be easier to buy the good Pakistan music by the Sabri brothers.
Paul....agree ,you post is true. Yet I pray May God help us to get this mission done sooner than later .Amen.
I hope american mission will fail. The american soldiers are there for money and avidity. I don't care if they die. They should desert. The minerals are one factor, discovered after the war started, but more important for the west is the pipeline.
Very well put,salerno. Thank you. I couldn't have said it better. Just ignore these right-wing fools who try to glorify this obnoxious war!!!
I wish You would quit trying to be with adults!!! Go play with the other 13 years old in the Streets where You live...
Larry you are a stupid ignorant child to me. You were wrong in your facts. Serbia did not attack any country as you stated. This is why I am happy when the american soldiers die, becouse they attack other nations.
January30th th 10.49 not me .:(
Sure it would be a Idiot like You that would agree with a 13 year old!!!
I think many are getting Iraq and Afghanistan mixed up. DID WE FORGET 9/11. We are in Afghanistan because Bin Laden took down the towers. He was training in afghanistan. The Taliban was protecting him. They were given the choice..HAND HIM OVER or face war. Its funny how when the firefighters were digging through the rubble and we were all crying....even our eagle (remember the photos). WE ALL chanted USA USA USA....and then years later we are all saying we should not be in Afghanistan. WHAT?? Now Iraq was the poor choice....we had every right to go into afghanistan. The reason why we have NATO and other forces in Afghanistan is because the 3,000 souls who died on 9/11 were NOT just Americans...there were...Germans, Brits, Dutch, Pakistani, Indian and the list goes on. How soon we forget.
We are complaining about military deaths. Got rest there souls....but guess what...in war this is what happens. 2311 deaths in 10 years....have we forgot in ONE battle in WW2 we lost that number in 6 hours......why were we in WW2...we got attacked at Pearl Harbor just like we did on 9/11. The other point I would like to bring up....OUR MILITARY personel VOLUNTEER to join the military. They are no drafted or forced to go. They signed up ...usually when you sign up for MILITARY you are signing up to possibly go to war if called. Well the calling was the day two planes crashed into the twin towers....I have many friends in the military and they all signed up because they wanted too. There is a waiting list for the Air Force. My buddy had to wait 5 months just to get to boot camp.
My point that I am trying to make is...DONT FORGET THE REASON WE ARE IN Afghanistan. There is nothing for us in that country but poppy seeds and rocks.....there is something we are after and that is the ones who did this to us and to keep them on the run. Has anyone noticed that the U.S. has not been hit in 10 years....I feel there is a reason for that. Lets not let all the souls who died on 9/1/11 die for nothing.
The other reason we can't pull out or did not..was because in the past that is all we did...we would pull out...even Bin Laden stated that the Americans are weak...they have lost there fight from the past....all we have to do is kill a couple soldiers and they will run like dogs with there tails between there legs. NOT THIS TIME!!! Since WW2 we have either gone in half ass or we worried about politics like Vietnam.
Iraq is the war would she not have fought....Afghanistan is the place we need to set the example. If we get out the taliban will move back in and then while left alone they will set up a plan to finish where they left off 10 years ago.
We need to use our heads could you imagine if the U.S. pulled out of WW2.....eveyone would be speaking German (no offense to modern Germany). But we stood our course when Americans were losing tens of thousands of lives on FOREIGN SOIL....nothing is different....except the press moves with lightning speed and everything is reported in an instant.....and the press does not help.....ever see the movie WAG THE DOG....that is our press.
Be strong Americans....We who are under stress in the short term will prosper in the long term......I would say we were stressed back in the early 40's and we have prospered ever since....the same can be done again.
God bless our troops, coalition troops and civilians trying to give the afghans a little taste of what we have every day...FREEDOM>
Very,Very true and well put Paul! May God give NATO and the ANA victory soon! And all involved in terrorism burn in hell!!!
Hey you two goons Dan and Paul,will the two of you quit vomiting your ignorance on this page? Neither one of you are right! We're in Afghanistan for the minerals they have underground just the same as we went into Iraq for it's oil. 9/11 was just a mere excuse for having these stupid and obscene wars and then it was probably an inside job. Never put anything past the C.I.A.!!!
Jerry your a fool!!!
Just ignore the post above,Jerry. Judging by some of these posts,I wonder just how many of these ignoramuses ever got past the 5th grade. Like Larry already said,it's high time that Germany assumed it's role on the world scene like it enjoyed before WW1 under Kaiser Wilhelm ll.
George,I totally agree. Thank you.
Minerals...YOU HAVE GOT TO BE KIDDING!!.....yeah and the Russians control the weather....Geez...this is what I am talking about. We went to war over Minerals.....and the two towers falling was an excuse to get minerals...talk about vommiting.....coo coo coo coo......come on man. Hey 3000 souls just died from a bunch of crazy religious nuts....lets go attack them and we can have all the minerals we want. I know we have such a shortage of minerals......ok man...whatever......maybe we will attack some other countries for diamonds....oh lets not forget gold.....we are there for one reason only and that is to protect the American people from future attacks...
Now Iraq...you can argue all day long...on whats under ground and the strategic location of Iraq...but afghanistan....OK...
Paul – I have to make the following correctiions to your post:
1- 9/11 was planned in Germany, not in Afghanistan.
2-Bin Laden was not protected by the Taliban, but just by some well armed followers. Taliban had no way to capture him, and even the US army was unable.
3-People of 9/11 died for nothing as they did not care US policy in the middle east.
4- No prosperity in the long term for US. US superiority is ending economically and militarily. It is a matter of few decades.
So it is positive if american soldiers die becouse more americans will become contrarian to war.
They choosed to go, so they cannot complain if they are killed.
Jerry: Please tell us what Minerals Afghanistan has That We are there for???
Will You quit showing Your ignorance!!! People already knows Your stupid...
Frankly that the USA wasn't hit since 9/11 is rather a result of luck (obviously a bunch of attempts to blow up airplanes, the car bomb at the Times Square etc. failed), improved security at airports etc. than a result of the war in Afghanistan.
Furthermore there obviously were several terror attacks in Europe (the train bombs in Madrid, the attacks in London,...) and a bunch of failed attempts.
Terrorist groups don't really need Afghanistan, they can operate everywhere.
Not like They haven't tried... We are to smart to let that happen again!!!
I think many are getting Iraq and Afghanistan mixed up. DID WE FORGET 9/11. We are in Afghanistan because Bin Laden took down the towers. He was training in afghanistan. The Taliban was protecting him. They were given the choice..HAND HIM OVER or face war. Its funny how when the firefighters were digging through the rubble and we were all crying....even our eagle (remember the photos). WE ALL chanted USA USA USA....and then years later we are all saying we should not be in Afghanistan. WHAT?? Now Iraq was the poor choice....we had every right to go into afghanistan. The reason why we have NATO and other forces in Afghanistan is because the 3,000 souls who died on 9/11 were NOT just Americans...there were...Germans, Brits, Dutch, Pakistani, Indian and the list goes on. How soon we forget.
We are complaining about military deaths. Got rest there souls....but guess what...in war this is what happens. 2311 deaths in 10 years....have we forgot in ONE battle in WW2 we lost that number in 6 hours......why were we in WW2...we got attacked at Pearl Harbor just like we did on 9/11. The other point I would like to bring up....OUR MILITARY personel VOLUNTEER to join the military. They are no drafted or forced to go. They signed up ...usually when you sign up for MILITARY you are signing up to possibly go to war if called. Well the calling was the day two planes crashed into the twin towers....I have many friends in the military and they all signed up because they wanted too. There is a waiting list for the Air Force. My buddy had to wait 5 months just to get to boot camp.
My point that I am trying to make is...DONT FORGET THE REASON WE ARE IN Afghanistan. There is nothing for us in that country but poppy seeds and rocks.....there is something we are after and that is the ones who did this to us and to keep them on the run. Has anyone noticed that the U.S. has not been hit in 10 years....I feel there is a reason for that. Lets not let all the souls who died on 9/1/11 die for nothing.
The other reason we can't pull out or did not..was because in the past that is all we did...we would pull out...even Bin Laden stated that the Americans are weak...they have lost there fight from the past....all we have to do is kill a couple soldiers and they will run like dogs with there tails between there legs. NOT THIS TIME!!! Since WW2 we have either gone in half ass or we worried about politics like Vietnam.
Iraq is the war would she not have fought....Afghanistan is the place we need to set the example. If we get out the taliban will move back in and then while left alone they will set up a plan to finish where they left off 10 years ago.
We need to use our heads could you imagine if the U.S. pulled out of WW2.....eveyone would be speaking German (no offense to modern Germany). But we stood our course when Americans were losing tens of thousands of lives on FOREIGN SOIL....nothing is different....except the press moves with lightning speed and everything is reported in an instant.....and the press does not help.....ever see the movie WAG THE DOG....that is our press.
Be strong Americans....We who are under stress in the short term will prosper in the long term......I would say we were stressed back in the early 40's and we have prospered ever since....the same can be done again.
God bless our troops, coalition troops and civilians trying to give the afghans a little taste of what we have every day...FREEDOM>
Very,Very true and well put Paul! May God give NATO and the ANA victory soon!
Thanks Dan....I just think so many get wound up tighter then a snare drum...that they forget to look at the BIG picture. Look at our past as Americans...and look at what happened to us on that horrible day in September 2001. Everytime I get upset at the war....our economy....etc etc.....I just play the video "we will never forget"...and seeing the photos of everyday people scared and lost.....the screaming.....the injured....the lost....the photos of the firetrucks being lifted from the rubble....just 5 minutes of the video and I my head is screwed back on tight. All the feelings of that day come back...again...how soon we forget. 10 years and we have lost less troops then the total number lost in about 4 hours in September 2001. That old firefighter said it right to George W. on that day. "Georgie, you get those SOB's and make them pay" "Never forget Georgie" "Never Give Up". I am not talking about George W decisions here...I am talking about the pulse of the American People at the time...We all felt the same as the old NYFD firefighter......fast forward 10 years and many have already given up.....have already forgotten.
You are correct. Sometimes I think that they believe that it did them no harm so why should they care, but these kind of people will not stop their evil against what is good because they believe their laws and punishments are what God wants the leaders to do to their people but since our Lord and Savior had died on the cross for all are sins we should show love and compassion for sinners just as He did, but these people are without love and compassion and kill innocent people without remorse and should pay the price!
You have a very good point there!!!
I'm glad to see that Germany is keeping focused on bringing Europe's house into order because they are now the key player on that continent. Those who keep their eyes on the Twentieth Century will not comprehend the Europe of today. Events are happening today. Snooze and you will be left behind!
I'm quite sure not even 2% of the germans like David Hasslehof
Enough said.
Thanks David for agreeing with me. Now if you people could replace Angie Merkel with a "German" chancellor who believes in justice around the world and help stop the insane carnage in both Afghanistan and Pakistan,it would be great.
Where is the justice for the 9/11 attacks, phony boy?
Where is the justice for bombing a TV building and a civilian train in Serbia, Dan ? US was punished, as their evil actions reversed the course against them.
Their actions produced peace with the division of Yugoslavia and stopping Serbia from their creation of a greater Serbia with the ethnic cleansing on Bosnia which happened to be mostly Muslims!
Dan – yo idiot. Kossovo was part of Serbia since 1355.
Your the idiot no one was talking about Kossovo, the three nations now are Bosnia, Croatia and Serbia!
Salerno: If You don't attack other Countries they don't attack You... Trains are used to bring troops and Ammunition!!! So They should be attacked during war time...
Dan you idiot. The TV and train bombed I cited were in relation with Kosovo war, not with Bosnia and Croatia.
Read bombing, not bombed
Larry – you idiot- Serbia did not attack any country. Nazi americans did it. Train was a civilian target.
May God help to have peace among every nation!!! Amen.
Now that is a prayer everyone should have!
Amen To That!!!
I really don't care if Germany pull their troops, but I am sure that many Americans are going to dislike this move. You know, the good ol' "after we saved them in WW2..." which could be a valid argument... Maybe. Germany is a great country, they can stand on their own, and even support other European countries by themselves.
I don't know about "many Americans" but I love the idea. My only regrette is that it comes 3 years too late!!! Hopefully,other countries may wise up and do the same thing!
Dan,
First of all, it is called Deutschland, with a "s", and second of all, I think using the word "heil" in front of it, makes you sound really ignorant. You may not agree with the German politics, but you really didn't need to go there.
Sorry about the missprint,M. I really did mean Deutschland,not Deutchland. However,Jerry above nailed it. Germany really needs a "German" Chancellor and not another puppet of the United States. Furthermore,I get sick and tired of how we "saved them from Communism" after WW2 since West Germany was never in any immediate danger of "going Communist" in the first place!
Dan,you and Jerry really know where it's at and I congratulate you both about your posts concerning Germany. Germany does have the potential to become a great leading nation once again and like Dan says,the Germans also have a very beautiful language. Thank you both.
LarryKegel, “to become a great leading nation once again“? Once again?? As in WW2????
No thanks!! That kind of comment is probably only possible because my grant parents’ generation didn’t marched through your country. Thanks god our values has changed the last 70 years. War is not our business anymore… and it needs a good ethical reason before the German society back ups a fighting mission of our troops.
A German
You are ignorant phony boy because if our forces did not stay their after the division of Germany surly Germany like all the rest of the eastern bloc nations of the Soviet Union would have fallen too, IDIOT!
Hey WS,if war is not your business anymore then what are German troops doing in Afghnistan? What I mean to say is that Germany needs to pursue justice around the world instead of merely taking orders from the U.S. I agree,however that Germany was wrong during WW2 just like NATO is today. These agressive policies need to stop!!!
WS: Your Country couldn't stop us there!!! So what makes You think You would ever gotten near Our Country??? You couldn't even get into England!!! Russia kick the crap out of you...
M, that is phony boy who uses other peoples names to try to get people upset, but he only show his ignorance as you have told. This is the first comment I have posted on this blog.
Sorry to hear that, Dan.
The posts are now even too ignorant to respond to. That ' phony boy' obviously has no idea what he is talking about.
Loser for one thing quit using other Peoples name!!!
Germany has learned Their lesson after losing two wars!!! They aren't stupid enough to try again... As far as NATO goes they are fighting on the right side!!! We can not let the Tarriest get away will killing People in other Countries...
It's about time the Germans did the right thing,albeit three years too late. Now if other countries would only follow suit. At least one can dream. Now I'll say,Heil Deutchland!!!
Gee Dan,you nailed it! It's high time that Germany started to formulate it's own policies instead of pandering to the United States. In fact,what Germany needs is a "German" chancellor,not a mere puppet of the good ol' U.S. of A.!!!
Great post,Jerry. You took the words right out of my mouth. I thank both you and Dan in Lafayette,IN.
Seriously, you are all ignorant! You do not even know the politics of Germany and probably have never even been there! Save your embarrassment and next time you decide to comment-do your research and be educated first!
Tell me something,Elaine. You evidently didn't finish high school,judging by what you posted above but did you ever get past the 6th grade?