Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06BERLIN3141
2006-10-27 15:36:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Berlin
Cable title:  

OEF MANDATE RENEWAL BURDENED BY GERMAN TROOPS'

Tags:  PREL PARM GM 
pdf how-to read a cable
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RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHRL #3141 3001536
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
R 271536Z OCT 06
FM AMEMBASSY BERLIN
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 5854
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE
RUCNFRG/FRG COLLECTIVE
RUEHBUL/AMEMBASSY KABUL 0417
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
C O N F I D E N T I A L BERLIN 003141 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/26/2021
TAGS: PREL PARM GM
SUBJECT: OEF MANDATE RENEWAL BURDENED BY GERMAN TROOPS'
ACTIONS IN AFGHANISTAN


Classified By: Pol Min/Couns John Bauman. Reason: 1.4(b) and (d)

C O N F I D E N T I A L BERLIN 003141

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/26/2021
TAGS: PREL PARM GM
SUBJECT: OEF MANDATE RENEWAL BURDENED BY GERMAN TROOPS'
ACTIONS IN AFGHANISTAN


Classified By: Pol Min/Couns John Bauman. Reason: 1.4(b) and (d)


1. (C) Summary. A series of incidents involving German
forces overseas will burden November's debate on renewal of
the mandate for German troops in OEF, though at this stage
the Chancellery and Foreign Office are confident the mandate
will be approved. Most recently, photographs of German
soldiers in Afghanistan mishandling skulls have re-energized
the debate over whether German overseas deployments,
especially in Afghanistan, are morally or politically
appropriate for Germany. End Summary.


2. (U) In the week of October 23, German media published
photos of German troops in Afghanistan mishandling human
remains - standing in sometimes obscene poses with skulls and
using them as hood ornaments. The photos, reportedly taken
in 2003, have provoked extensive media commentary ranging
from psychological analysis of the stress on soldiers to
outrage about such activities. A main theme of discussion
has been that this misconduct increases the threat to the
soldiers themselves and to Germany as a whole. While not
explicitly invoked, the skull imagery, dating from 2001-2004,
may also awaken memories of Nazi-era war crimes committed by
the SS (which had a "Skull" Division). Chancellor Merkel,
Defense Minister Jung, and other senior officials have
condemned the acts and moved quickly to take disciplinary
action against the soldiers and former soldiers -- four of
the six soldiers allegedly involved in one incident have
reportedly already left the military and the remaining two
were suspended from service by Defense Minister Jung.


3. (C) Berlin fears the photos could be instrumentalized in
Muslim countries to provoke anti-German actions. Chancellery
contacts told us October 27 that they were glad there had
been no international backlash in the immediate aftermath of
the reports but thought Friday religious services in some
Muslim countries could stir up attention.


4. (U) Several other incidents, while not directly related to
the Afghanistan deployment, have sullied the domestic image
of Germany's overseas military engagement. Since his return
to Germany in late August, former Guantanamo detainee Murat
Kurnaz has alleged physical mistreatment by German Special
Forces (KSK) while he was held in Kandahar in 2002. The
Bundestag Defense Committee decided this week to investigate
the actions of German forces in Afghanistan in relation to
Kurnaz. The lack of an unequivocal government response to
the allegations has fueled criticism of Germany's engagement
in the war on terror.


5. (U) Likewise, leaked information suggesting that the
German government failed somehow to intervene on behalf of
alleged detainee Khaled El Masri has also cast doubt on the
government's truthfulness -- especially vis-a-vis parliament.
Both the Kurnaz and El Masri cases are among the subjects of
an ongoing investigation into German activities in the war on
terror by a special parliamentary committee. In addition, in
the past week, information has surfaced to suggest that the
government was either unaware of or misled parliament about
the extent of restrictions on the interdiction operations of
German naval units off the Lebanese coast participating in
UNIFIL (Septel).


6. (C) These incidents have given ammunition to the
opposition parties in parliament which have been critical of
Germany's overseas engagements. The Left Party.PDS
predictably has been strengthened in its opposition to any
overseas deployments. Greens have strongly condemned the
mishandling of skeletons and any alleged abuses by soldiers,
but have not thus far suggested withdrawing from any
deployments. The Free Democrats have not suggested
withdrawing from Afghanistan, but have jumped on the
confusion over the UNIFIL mandate to reiterate their
opposition to that deployment. Chancellery contacts have
told us they have no fears the OEF mandate would fail to be
renewed. A CDU contact has told us the party remains solidly
united behind the Afghanistan and other German deployments.
The SDP, too, continues to support these. However, some SDP
voices have raised questions about the management of the
deployment.


7. (U) At this stage, there is no reason to think that the
OEF mandate will be rejected, but we expect these issues and
the questions they raise to remain alive and prominent in the
weeks before the decision is taken. The new allegations and
photos complicate the atmosphere as the Merkel government
seeks to move forward.
TIMKEN JR