Bundeswehr Mission: FDP will probably agree Afghanistan mission

Almost 18 years ago, the Bundeswehr began its mission in Afghanistan. Liberals have always supported the mission politically, true to their self-image as a state-sponsoring party.

In these weeks, however, a broad debate had unfolded in the FDP, with the express approval of party and faction leader Christian Lindner. The core issue is the question: Should the FDP in the Bundestag agree to the renewed extension of the Bundeswehr training mission? The Federal Government has already decided that the factions of the Grand Coalition will probably also agree to this, if the mandate in Parliament at the end of March is due for renewal for another year.

Now it is becoming apparent that a majority of the FDP parliamentary group will once again support the deployment within NATO. "The FDP has voted in the committees of the Bundestag closed for the extension of the mandate," said Thursday FDP Vice-Group leader Alexander Graf Lambsdorff the SPIEGEL.

Foreign expert Djir-Sarai questioned approval

In the weeks before, the FDP delegates had dealt intensively with the issue at a meeting of the Fraction as well as at the technical level - including a visit to NATO in Brussels. The starting point was the impetus of the foreign policy spokesman of the FDP parliamentary group, Bijan Djir-Sarai, who had brought in the SPIEGEL a withdrawal plan of the Federal Government for the case of a reduced US involvement in the game. In addition, he - albeit in cautious diction - had first questioned a vote by his group.

Background are the developments of recent times. At the end of last year, US media reported that President Donald Trump wanted to halve the number of around 14,000 US troops in the Hindu Kush. Progress has also been made in US talks with the radical Islamic Taliban in Qatar's capital, Doha.

However, Foreign Minister Heiko Maas (SPD) had warned in his first visit to Afghanistan earlier this week against an overdue departure and indirectly criticized the plans of the US government. Leaving the country at the present time "would mean that everything that was painstakingly built up here would collapse." It could be "hit short and short in no time," warned Maas.

FDP calls for "independent evaluation" of the mission

On Tuesday, the FDP Group internally adopted a motion for a resolution on Afghanistan, which will now be discussed with other parliamentary groups in the Bundestag. However, such motions are not legally binding, but merely make a claim to the Federal Government.

DPA

FDP in the Bundestag

The paper by the SPIEGEL group breathes in several places the spirit of internal compromise.

Thus, it states that the security situation in Afghanistan is characterized by a "strategic stalemate" in which none of the parties involved can win the conflict militarily. In this situation, the current diplomatic talks between US Special Envoy Zalmay Khalilzad and representatives of the Taliban could open up a chance for a political solution to the conflict, the FDP hopes.

The Liberals call on the Federal Government to support an "inclusive peace process in Afghanistan" in close cooperation with EU and NATO partners and with the involvement of the region. Also, the "use of funds and the effect of the Bundeswehr mission" as part of the NATO training mission "Resolute Support" since 2015 should be subjected to an "independent evaluation".

It also called on the Government, in coordination with the Mission's partners, to "develop a withdrawal plan in a timely manner in the event of a significant reduction or withdrawal of US troops" and, in consultation with the partners, a "common strategy" for a medium to long term To discuss the withdrawal from Afghanistan and to develop and agree on the necessary criteria ".

In the FDP Group, however, it is not assumed that the motion for a resolution finds a majority in the Bundestag. However, individual FDP MPs had made their final vote in plenary sessions dependent on the extension of the mission in internal meetings. The fact that there could possibly be no unanimous vote, had also recently in a vote in the internal FDP Working Group International Policy signed: Of 17 attending MPs voted 12 for an extension of the mission, three abstained (including Djir - Sarai), two defense politicians agreed with no.

Foreign Minister Lambsdorff now told the SPIEGEL that after the course of the internal debate so far, he assumed that in plenary at the end of a majority of the FDP Group would agree to the extension of the training mission in Afghanistan. "But sending the Bundeswehr is always a conscience decision, so some colleagues will vote differently." That would, according to the group vice, "also respected by all of us."