Afghanistan is now incapable of ensuring its own security and thus the mission in the country should be prolonged, German Defense Minister Ursula von der Leyen said Sunday cited by Deutsche Welle.
The duration of the mission will depend on whether the situation in Afghanistan will improve, she stated during her visit to a Bundeswehr base in Mazar-i-Sharif, calling on German soldiers "to be patient."
Her statement came a few days after the German parliament decided to increase the number of troops deployed in the war-torn country from 980 to 1,300 and extend the Bundeswehr mission which has been active there for the past 15 years.
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The prolongation of the mission has caused vivid debates on social media.
Soldaten abziehen, die Bundeswehr hat in diesen Islamistischen Land nichts verloren 👎
— fg podi (@podilein) 24 марта 2018 г.
Withdraw soldiers, the Bundeswehr has lost nothing in this Islamist country
Was in 16 Jahren nicht gelungen ist, wird auch in weiteren 4 Jahren nicht gelingen.
— Stadtschloss Berlin (@Stadtschloss) 24 марта 2018 г.
What has not been achieved in the last 16 years, won't succeed in another 4 years.
16 Jahre und keinen Schritt weiter. Holt die Jungs und Mädels heim.
— Berndolino_official (@Berndolino) 24 марта 2018 г.
16 years and not a step further. Bring the boys and girls home
Das wird (ist) 'ne Never-Ending-Story!
— Peter Kindel (@pkWebService) 24 марта 2018 г.
That will be (is) a never-ending story!
Earlier, Berlin has also pledged to increase military spending by €10 billion ($12.4 billion) over the next four years.
