German Troops to Begin Leaving Afghanistan Next Year

[Jeffersons Ghost]

German Troops to Begin Leaving Afghanistan Next Year, Foreign Minister Says
By JUDY DEMPSEY and MATTHEW SALTMARSH

BERLIN — Germany, which has the third-largest military force in Afghanistan, will start withdrawing its 4,800 troops as early as next year, ending its mission there by 2014, the foreign minister told Parliament on Thursday.

The move comes as a review of the war strategy in the United States has concluded that American forces can begin withdrawing on schedule in July. It also comes just days after Britain, which has the second-largest number of troops in the country after the United States, said it was “possible” that its troops could start leaving next year.

Speaking to the lower house, or Bundestag, the foreign minister, Guido Westerwelle, said the deployment of German troops had been the right thing to do because it was about defending Germany’s security. But he added, “It must not go on without end.”

He said the first batch of troops would be withdrawn from the north of the country, which is expected to be one of the first regions to be handed over to Afghan security forces.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/17/world/europe/17germany.html

[frazzled]

1. Yes, US, Britain, Germany: we'll all begin leaving next year

Mission end: 2014.

The same as what we heard from Obama, Clinton, Gates, today.

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

2. 11 years of progress.

:patriot:

[Jeffersons Ghost]

3. the USSR checkbook ran out of money in Afghanistan; the place where empires die

And we'll ALL be broke in America by that date, including the US government.