Germany wants to extend its military presence in Afghanistan, where it has the second-largest contingent after the United States, Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said Saturday.
The German government on Friday welcomed a
decision by President Joe Biden to put on hold plans to reduce US troops in
Germany, saying their presence was in the countries' mutual interest.
Joe Biden could reverse course – at least partially – on the Trump administration's move to withdraw some 12,000 US troops from Germany, according to the US President-elect defense advisers.
US President Trump announced plans in June to withdraw one-third of American troops in Germany - a perceived election campaign maneuver that hasn't happened yet. Will plans go ahead if he's defeated?
The United States will slash its military presence in Germany by 11,900 troops, relocating some to Italy and Belgium in
a major shift of Washington's NATO assets, Defense Secretary Mark Esper announced Wednesday.
NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg said Tuesday that US troops in Europe made both sides of the Atlantic safer, after President Donald Trump confirmed plans to slash forces stationed in Germany.
The United States will send 600 soldiers to take part in a training exercise in Germany in the coming weeks, even as
Washington considers reducing the number of troops stationed in the country, AFP has learned.
The US Army said on Friday it would deploy an additional 1,500 troops in Germany, despite President Donald Trump's repeated complaints that the NATO partner is spending too little on joint defence.
The German Defence Ministry said on Friday that it plans to invest up to €6 billion over the coming years to improve deficient army equipment after a series of embarrassing incidents last year revealed the parlous state of the armed forces' weapons and vehicles.
The German parliament on Friday voted overwhelmingly in support of a new mandate to extend the nation’s military mission in Afghanistan and send up to 850 extra troops.
Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle expressed pointed scepticism about raising the number of German soldiers in Afghanistan on Monday, adding uncertainty to the government’s position on the controversial question.
Britain's opposition Conservatives, tipped to win power in a general election next year, said on Saturday they would pull the country's 25,000 troops out of Germany as part of a reorganisation of NATO forces.
Christian Social Union (CSU) fears of suffering in the September Bavarian state election will allegedly lead to reinforcements for German troops in Afghanistan being delayed until October.
Germany is to send an extra 200 soldiers to Afghanistan as part of a NATO Rapid Reaction Force. The troops will be based in northern Afghanistan, replacing 250 Norwegian troops who have been there fore two years this summer. Despite substantial pressure from the US and NATO, Germany will not send soldiers to southern Afghanistan to fight the Taliban insurgency.
