euro|topics - Europe at odds with US strategy

Main focus of Thursday, December 3, 2009

Europe at odds with US strategy

The US's demands that its allies should send more troops to Afghanistan have fallen on deaf ears in several Nato states. The press, for its part, writes that what is needed is a strong showing of commitment.

The Sun - United Kingdom

France and Germany must also do their bit in Afghanistan, the British tabloid The Sun demands: "But the EU's big two, France and Germany, still won't pull their weight. Britain has more troops in the field than those two put together. This is a golden opportunity to smash the Taliban. Commanders are optimistic of a major breakthrough. Britain and America do the heavy lifting, as usual. Yet victory will benefit those countries with the least stomach for the fight. France and Germany have ducked their responsibilities too long. This is their war, not just ours. So let them get stuck in." (03/12/2009)

Berliner Zeitung - Germany

By deploying additional troops to Afghanistan Germany could influence events in a positive way, writes the left-liberal Berliner Zeitung: "That need not necessarily mean just sending troops. ... Experts have long been saying that what Afghanistan really needs is hundreds - if not thousands - of military police. This blend of soldier and police officer is best suited for the creation of a force in Afghanistan similar to the French Gendarmerie or the Italian Carabinieri. The Afghans need such a force to contribute as much a possible to security in their country. With such a contribution the German government would be providing active support to Obama's plan. However debate on this subject is barely audible in Germany. The government is content to put off one decision after the next. But muddling along was never the right tactic." (03/12/2009)

Karjalainen - Finland

Finland has also received a request from Nato to boost its troops in Afghanistan. The daily Karjalainen argues that in future the conditions for foreign deployments should be formulated in concrete terms: "In this situation Finland can hardly shirk its international responsibility, but the region needs more well-trained and better armed Finnish soldiers. We should bear in mind that Afghanistan is not a peace-keeping operation in the true sense, but rather a military operation. In future peacekeeping missions and what participation in a war means need to be defined more precisely. And the conditions for taking part in a war must also be defined. Moreover we need to accept that the war in Afghanistan is a prolonged affair." (03/12/2009)

La Stampa - Italy

The US and Europe can't afford to turn their backs on the war in Afghanistan, writes the liberal daily La Stampa commenting on the hesitant attitude of Nato states regarding boosting their troops in Afghanistan: "The link between the conflict in Afghanistan and the extremely rapid redefinition of the international balance of power currently underway is perhaps not so obvious but it is crucial. … This is why [US President Barack] Obama can't give up, he can't withdraw from the trial of strength with Iran and he must increase US influence in Iraq. … The West is on the way to becoming a minority. It is important - and this also goes for Europe - that this minority doesn't become a marginal figure on top of that." (03/12/2009)

» To the complete press review of Thursday, December 3, 2009

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