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Germany asks U.S. to change tactics in Afghanistan
PAUL AMES, Associated Press, 15 May 07
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U.S.-led troops in Afghanistan need to change tactics to limit civilian casualties and prevent a backlash from locals, Germany's defence minister said Monday.
"We have to make sure that in the future, operations do not take place in this way," Franz Josef Jung told reporters at a meeting of EU defence ministers. His remarks reflected European unease about reports of high civilian death tolls in combat incidents involving American units, in particular special forces.
NATO governments are concerned that recent reports of civilian casualties at the hands of the Americans could undermine public support both in Afghanistan and in Europe for NATO troops attached to the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan.
"We don't want the population against us. We have to prevent that," Jung said.
Air strikes called in by U.S. special forces fighting some 200 Taliban rebels near Sangin in southern Afghanistan last week killed 21 civilians, Afghan government officials said. Villagers put the civilian toll at almost 40.
The U.S.-led coalition - which operates outside NATO's force of 36,000 troops that includes 2,500 Canadians based in southern Kandahar province - confirmed that the battle caused civilian casualties.
It said a joint Afghan-U.S. team would investigate.
In March, U.S. marines' special forces fired on civilians after a suicide attack in eastern Afghanistan, killing 19 civilians and wounding 50. Fighting late last month killed some 50 civilians in the western province of Herat, Afghan and UN officials said.
Jung made a distinction between the work of NATO's International Security Assistance Force and the U.S.-led counterterrorism mission, which was known until recently as Operation Enduring Freedom.
"I'm not talking about ISAF, I'm talking about OEF," he said.
Jung said he had raised the issue of civilian casualties with NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer and added that NATO's top commander in Afghanistan, U.S. Gen. Dan McNeill, was "looking into the issue."
The German minister spoke after chairing the meeting of EU defence ministers, which approved plans to send about 160 experts on a mission to train Afghan police starting next month under the command of Brig.-Gen. Friedrich Eichele of the German police.
NATO has long pressed for the EU to step up training for Afghan police, saying effective local security forces are essential to support international security efforts.
Jung said building effective Afghan forces was an essential element of any eventual exit strategy for international troops.
European officials at NATO headquarters have expressed concern in recent days at the reports of civilian casualties, but they have refrained from publicly criticizing tactics of the American special forces who make up the bulk of that U.S.-led counterterrorism mission.
They have, however, highlighted the need to improve co-ordination between NATO troops and the U.S.-led force of over 13,000.
Jung stressed the role of NATO troops in pushing through development projects such as irrigation networks, roads and schools. "We've got to win over the hearts and minds," he said.
NATO's troops were originally deployed to Kabul, the capital and the relatively peaceful northern and western regions to provide security and support for civilian reconstruction efforts.
But the expansion of the allied mission into the volatile south and east last year has seen NATO troops, including the Canadians, engaged in heavy fighting against supporters of the ousted Taliban administration.
Although the United States is the biggest contributor to the NATO force with 15,000 troops, mostly in the south and east, Washington also maintains its separate special forces mission to hunt down Taliban and al-Qaida rebels.
Several European countries - including Germany, France, Italy, Spain and Turkey - have refused to send their troops to NATO southern front lines except to provide emergency assistance to other allied units. Wary of unease back home, they prefer to focus on the reconstruction and development side of the mission.
PAUL AMES, Associated Press, 15 May 07
Article link
U.S.-led troops in Afghanistan need to change tactics to limit civilian casualties and prevent a backlash from locals, Germany's defence minister said Monday.
"We have to make sure that in the future, operations do not take place in this way," Franz Josef Jung told reporters at a meeting of EU defence ministers. His remarks reflected European unease about reports of high civilian death tolls in combat incidents involving American units, in particular special forces.
NATO governments are concerned that recent reports of civilian casualties at the hands of the Americans could undermine public support both in Afghanistan and in Europe for NATO troops attached to the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan.
"We don't want the population against us. We have to prevent that," Jung said.
Air strikes called in by U.S. special forces fighting some 200 Taliban rebels near Sangin in southern Afghanistan last week killed 21 civilians, Afghan government officials said. Villagers put the civilian toll at almost 40.
The U.S.-led coalition - which operates outside NATO's force of 36,000 troops that includes 2,500 Canadians based in southern Kandahar province - confirmed that the battle caused civilian casualties.
It said a joint Afghan-U.S. team would investigate.
In March, U.S. marines' special forces fired on civilians after a suicide attack in eastern Afghanistan, killing 19 civilians and wounding 50. Fighting late last month killed some 50 civilians in the western province of Herat, Afghan and UN officials said.
Jung made a distinction between the work of NATO's International Security Assistance Force and the U.S.-led counterterrorism mission, which was known until recently as Operation Enduring Freedom.
"I'm not talking about ISAF, I'm talking about OEF," he said.
Jung said he had raised the issue of civilian casualties with NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer and added that NATO's top commander in Afghanistan, U.S. Gen. Dan McNeill, was "looking into the issue."
The German minister spoke after chairing the meeting of EU defence ministers, which approved plans to send about 160 experts on a mission to train Afghan police starting next month under the command of Brig.-Gen. Friedrich Eichele of the German police.
NATO has long pressed for the EU to step up training for Afghan police, saying effective local security forces are essential to support international security efforts.
Jung said building effective Afghan forces was an essential element of any eventual exit strategy for international troops.
European officials at NATO headquarters have expressed concern in recent days at the reports of civilian casualties, but they have refrained from publicly criticizing tactics of the American special forces who make up the bulk of that U.S.-led counterterrorism mission.
They have, however, highlighted the need to improve co-ordination between NATO troops and the U.S.-led force of over 13,000.
Jung stressed the role of NATO troops in pushing through development projects such as irrigation networks, roads and schools. "We've got to win over the hearts and minds," he said.
NATO's troops were originally deployed to Kabul, the capital and the relatively peaceful northern and western regions to provide security and support for civilian reconstruction efforts.
But the expansion of the allied mission into the volatile south and east last year has seen NATO troops, including the Canadians, engaged in heavy fighting against supporters of the ousted Taliban administration.
Although the United States is the biggest contributor to the NATO force with 15,000 troops, mostly in the south and east, Washington also maintains its separate special forces mission to hunt down Taliban and al-Qaida rebels.
Several European countries - including Germany, France, Italy, Spain and Turkey - have refused to send their troops to NATO southern front lines except to provide emergency assistance to other allied units. Wary of unease back home, they prefer to focus on the reconstruction and development side of the mission.
News Flash Germany, STFU or better yet go back home -- rolling around Kabul in yoru armoured vehicles driving over locals aint exactly winning the hearts and mind either.
