OEF, GTZ, its all BS to me. Or at least that’s what most Germans think. Although officially claiming that domestic security is one of the main reasons for German involvement in Afghanistan, domestic insecurity is playing an ever greater role in a process which will eventually put that involvement to an end. About 60 percent of Germans currently support pulling Bundeswehr troops out of Afghanistan and this number is now certain to climb.

Well versed in media and political manipulation, and perfectly aware of the German political opposition’s need to define itself through its opposition to the Merkel government’s pro-Afghanistan stand (an opportunity they just can’t pass up, so-to-speak), the Taliban has asked German pacifist parties (SPD, Greens, The Left) out to dance and is now gracefully leading them across the tactical dance floor. The Taliban sees every reaction by an enemy state as a victory and must therefore also be jumping for joy (between dances).

Strange, isn’t it? Berlin’s avowed policy to “combine military issues with reconstruction” in Afghanistan has also created a number of poorly defended softer targets (think aid and construction workers), who now appear to be in more danger than their Bundeswehr compatriots are. Hmm, maybe this clean-hands-reconstruction-without-hurting-the-enemy’s-feelings stuff wasn’t such a wonderful idea after all. Maybe people like the Taliban don’t care. They seem to be perfectly happy to kill you anyway.

And meanwhile… The next dance with Taliban and co. might already be on its way. German government officials warned over the weekend of indications that al-Qaida terrorists and other militants may be planning suicide bombings in Germany. It appears that German Islamists trained in terror camps in Pakistan entered Germany a few weeks ago, the weekly Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung reported Sunday.

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