“Not a single lesson”: The media response to Merkel’s Afghanistan speech

Press reviews

In the Bundestag, Chancellor Angela Merkel admitted misjudgments in Afghanistan and, as a consequence, advocated a review of all Bundeswehr operations. However, the CDU politician defended the much criticized dealings with the former Afghan employees of the Bundeswehr and federal ministries in her government statement on Wednesday (). The press reviews.

“The Chancellor asked many questions without giving answers”

: “What will be remembered of this speech by the Chancellor after days full of pictures that tear your heart (…)? It is above all those two strange sentences that Merkel expressly identified as personal remarks. (…) ) Knowing everything better afterwards, that is “not very complicated” and “relatively effortless.” That is true, and the number of clever people who are now everywhere is in a conspicuously contrary relationship to the interest shown in German engagement in Afghanistan was dedicated to the public for years. But one is-always-smarter than justifying a Chancellor? “

: “The consternation about the fate of the Afghans may have been evident in the Bundestag. Otherwise, the Chancellor asked many questions without giving answers – remarkable after 20 years of service in the Hindu Kush. She made hints that the mistakes could be looked for elsewhere (…) Trouble-shooting in herself or in the responsible ministries – inside, outside, defense – never occurred to Merkel, let alone over the lips.

: “Nobody in this government can deny having wanted something good. But the last few meters also reveal the weaknesses of Merkel’s chancellorship: to enforce what has been properly recognized, to implement it, to organize it in such a way that it works. (…) Yes, that Chancellor is right, afterwards it is good to know better. Political decisions are also momentary decisions. But: It was known for a long time that the withdrawal from Afghanistan would take place, for a year to point this out to the government. This is where the authority of the Federal Chancellor, in fact the Federal Chancellor, to issue guidelines comes into play. “

: “The German record of the entire operation is sobering: 59 dead soldiers, high costs, false promises. On the plus side, perhaps a more stable security situation over the years. But this could also prove to be deceptive – ironically, the Taliban are now with the West Much more modern weapons have been equipped. In this dilemma, the Chancellor could and should have apologized for all of this. “

: “Parliament voted for the last time in twenty years on an Afghanistan mandate, Angela Merkel made her very last government statement on this occasion. Actually, the right occasion to take stock – but the Chancellor does not present a single lesson from Afghanistan. She asks a few rhetorical questions towards the end of her speech, you could hear a little bit of self-criticism in them, but for answers, Merkel asks for understanding, an analysis is necessary first has not been professionally involved in German government activities for the last 16 years. “

: “It is breathtaking to see the coolness with which Angela Merkel and with her the government are approaching the collapse of the Afghan statehood. (…) Merkel comes to the rescue that she is about to say goodbye. Four weeks before the federal elections, it apparently lusts Hardly anyone to ask hard questions and expose the whole of the Afghanistan debacle. This is urgently needed in order to draw the necessary conclusions for future operations. “