Almost exactly on the anniversary of the defeat in Afghanistan, the foreign mission of the Bundeswehr in Mali is now also on the brink of failure.
For months, the regime in Bamako has been trampling on the German contingent and treating the soldiers like annoying intruders they want to get rid of.
The putschist junta had already alienated France.
Old, post-colonial conflicts also played a role.
In the case of the Bundeswehr, it now seems that Putin's backing is allowing the basically weak Malian regime to play big.
This week, no sooner had a high-ranking German diplomat left Bamako with all sorts of promises and interpretations of alleged "misunderstandings" than Mali's defense minister, a colonel, rushed to the airport to receive helicopters and other weapons from Russian hands.
In a telephone call, the Malian defense minister made promises to his German colleague Christine Lambrecht, which turned out to be untrue the very next day.
The SPD politician may still not have much idea about the military.
But she obviously already has a feeling for how long you can let yourself be fooled without harm.
Militarily, the "operation" has long been almost ineffective.
As in the last few years in Afghanistan, the Bundeswehr spends most of its time in Mali protecting itself in its fortified camp.
However, failure in Bamako must not mean the end of European engagement in the Sahel.
Already because of China and Russia.
France has not withdrawn from the region either, but has moved its troops to neighboring Niger.
The Bundeswehr is already present there.
Perhaps Berlin should have followed its French neighbor there straight away, especially since the German commitment was primarily a solidarity action for the French army, which was overstretched at the time.