Tuesday, June 30, 2009

Do Poor Weapons Hinder Germany in Afghanistan?

The Bundeswehr has Apache-like combat helicopters in its arsenal, but they are currently in the hangar and will remain there for the immediate future. DPA

From Der Spiegel:

German soldiers in Afghanistan are seeing more action than ever, resulting in more deaths and injuries. The growing body count has sparked debate over soldiers' equipment and doubts as to whether the current limits on engagement are appropriate.

The soldier is afraid for his life. He can only see about 15 Taliban in front of his armored vehicle, but judging by the Kalashnikov fire and anti-tank weapons coming from all sides, there must be more. He fires back, but he has no idea whether his bullets are hitting the intended Taliban targets. His comrades in the German armed forces, the Bundeswehr, have thrown in smoke grenades as an evasive tactic and they have covered the area with a thick cloud. But he knows he must be killing something.

Read more ....

My Comment: From poor equipment to a lack of direction on the rules of engagement .... this is a symbol of why Afghanistan is a mess, and why the situation is getting worse.

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