Former German Chancellor Angela Merkel testified before a parliamentary committee investigating Germany’s role in the chaotic 2021 Afghanistan withdrawal.
Germany’s involvement in Afghanistan ended abruptly on August 15, 2021, when the Taliban seized Kabul. The German government, including then-Chancellor Angela Merkel, did not anticipate the rapid Taliban takeover, leading to a chaotic evacuation of German citizens and Afghan allies.
Since 2022, a Bundestag inquiry has been investigating the mistakes behind the withdrawal, with Merkel as the final witness. The ex-Chancellor reiterated that the mission was meant to prevent terrorist attacks from Afghanistan.
Angela Merkel acknowledged that foreign governments failed to meet key objectives, such as promoting the rule of law and women’s rights. She also pointed to cultural misunderstandings, nepotism, and drug trafficking as reasons for the failure. She admitted being initially reluctant to evacuate Afghan development workers, fearing it would signal that Germany was abandoning Afghanistan.
Merkel’s testimony aligned with her former colleague, Helge Braun, who defended the Federal Intelligence Service for underestimating the Taliban’s quick takeover.
The inquiry is focused on the decision-making process and coordination between Germ an government departments and international partners. Committee chair Ralf Stegner highlighted the need to question Angela Merkel about U.S. negotiations under Presidents Donald Trump and Joe Biden, especially concerning the conditions tied to troop withdrawals.
Chairman of Parliamentary Afghanistan Investigation Committee, Ralf Stegner said that, questions will have to be asked about the duty of care towards the local German forces, about the preparations for the evacuation operation and also about the findings of the Federal Intelligence Service as to whether everything was as it should have been.
Former US President Donald Trump continued to criticize the U.S. withdrawal. Called it a "calamity", seeking for accountability. The international mission in Afghanistan has carried on for about two decades with the US leading the way. Germany was also involved from the start, offering military and humanitarian services. The final report from the German inquiry is expected by next February.
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Britain's proposed assisted dying law for terminally ill individuals may be delayed until 2029, following amendments to the legislation that extend the timeline for implementation and add new safeguards, with the bill still needing approval from both the House of Commons and the House of Lords.
The European Union’s enlargement process continues to move forward, but without mention of Georgia. In a speech at the European Policy Center in Brussels on March 25, European Council President Antonio Costa highlighted the EU’s commitment to integrating Ukraine, Moldova, and the Western Balkans.
Denmark on Wednesday welcomed a U.S. decision to confine a planned visit to Greenland to a military base after the plans triggered a spat between Copenhagen and the White House amid President Donald Trump's interest in taking over the island.
Britain's proposed assisted dying law for terminally ill individuals may be delayed until 2029, following amendments to the legislation that extend the timeline for implementation and add new safeguards, with the bill still needing approval from both the House of Commons and the House of Lords.
The European Union’s enlargement process continues to move forward, but without mention of Georgia. In a speech at the European Policy Center in Brussels on March 25, European Council President Antonio Costa highlighted the EU’s commitment to integrating Ukraine, Moldova, and the Western Balkans.
Denmark on Wednesday welcomed a U.S. decision to confine a planned visit to Greenland to a military base after the plans triggered a spat between Copenhagen and the White House amid President Donald Trump's interest in taking over the island.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is set to meet with French President Emmanuel Macron on Wednesday night in Paris for a working dinner at the Élysée Palace, ahead of a "coalition of the willing" summit.
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