The Bundestag commission of inquiry on the mission in Afghanistan not only wants to look into the past, but also to make suggestions for a more critical monitoring of current and future missions. “We all know that a lot has also been achieved. We were able to give many people a perspective over these 20 years that they would not have had without this international commitment,” said Michael Müller (SPD), who spoke at the inaugural meeting on Monday in Berlin was elected chairman of the commission. But a lot of things didn’t work out either. In this way, lasting security and stability in the country could not really have been ensured.
Müller referred to the questions that the Commission will now consider. “Were the orders clear enough? How did the forces network? Was there a permanent evaluation?” said Müller. It is important that these questions are now being asked, also because of the further commitment in the world. “We are witnessing the debate about Germany’s leadership role,” said the politician. “It is desired that we support and help.” He cited Iraq as an example.
The Commission is made up of 12 MEPs from all political groups and 12 experts. With scientific support, they should question the sense of the almost 20-year-long mission in Afghanistan and derive lessons for the future from it. The results and recommendations for action should be available by autumn 2024 at the latest.
At the beginning of July, the Bundestag’s Afghanistan investigative committee began its work. It is intended to shed light on the frantic evacuation from Kabul in the summer of 2021. It is also about the fate of the local workers who are still waiting for an opportunity to emigrate to Germany.
According to a spokesman for the Federal Ministry of the Interior, 3,480 former local workers from Afghanistan have arrived in Germany so far, including 16,217 people with their families. In addition, according to the information, 1,827 people were included in the so-called human rights list, including their family members, 7,212 people.
The Bundeswehr withdrew from Afghanistan at the end of June 2021 after almost 20 years. The Taliban took power in the capital Kabul in mid-August without much resistance from the Afghan armed forces.
