War Is Boring

In Afghanistan, Germans Hamstrung by Strict Rules

30.06.09

Categorie: Afghanistan, Alliances, David Axe, Politics, Reconstruction |

by DAVID AXE

Last week, Time asked if German troops were too soft to play a meaningful part in Afghanistan. More to the point: German rules of engagement, reflecting deep domestic opposition to a war role, are absurdly strict, and bode poorly for a bigger German contribution to the fighting. Milblog Bill and Bob’s Excellent Afghan Adventure recounts this anecdote:

In January of 2008, at the German FOB in Konduz, SFC O was in the German TOC while they watched a group of insurgents set up rockets to fire at the FOB. The Germans could see them clearly on their sensors. The Germans possessed 120mm mortars which they could have easily used to put a stop to the insurgent’s activities. Instead, the Germans were calling in to their higher headquarters for permission to place magazines in their small arms. Not to load the weapons … merely to place magazines in them.

O nearly went ballistic. He asked them why they didn’t just mortar the rocketeers and get it over with. The Germans demurred. They were not permitted by their national caveats to engage, even when they saw the threat clearly and they were about to get rocketed. The Germans endured a brief rocketing (which never seem very brief when you are on the receiving end.)

The Germans have since changed some of their caveats to permit some more active roles. They are not, however, as able to take action as Americans, Brits, Canadians or Dutch troops.

Journo P.J. Tobia says that rather than fighting a losing battle with the public over ROE, Berlin should take on a bigger role in training and reconstruction in Afghanistan.

(Photo: Creative Commons)