Staying the Course

Afghan President Hamid Karzai said the German army would be needed in Afghanistan for the next 10 years, at the least, to keep the peace and restore basic infrastructure.

In an interview with German mass-selling daily Bild, published on Friday, Dec. 21, Karzai asked the Germans to be patient with their peacekeeping mission.

"We need more time," he told the paper. "Rebuilding will take longer than we expected. I suspect it could take a further 10 years -- at least 10 years."

Huge benefits for Germany

Germany has been heavily involved in the NATO-led ISAF peacekeeping mission to Afghanistan since 2002. It has around 3,000 troops in the relatively calmer north of the country, who are largely responsible for civilian reconstruction projects and peacekeeping.

Karzai emphasised that Germany stood to benefit hugely from its engagement in Afghanistan.

"When people in Afghanistan today take care of their own lives, it means security for Europe and Germany," he said. "In places where terrorists and our neighbors try to [steer things], it means disaster -- even for Germany. That means the Afghans have both things in their power: Afghanistan's security as well as Germany's security."

The Afghan leader also rebuffed US criticism of Germany's reluctance to send combat troops to volatile southern Afghanistan, where US-led forces are fighting insurgents.

The German military has, however, contributed six reconnaissance jets that fly missions over the country's southern regions and made a limited number of special forces soldiers available, though they have not been called on to take part in military missions. Germany is also training Afghan armed forces and police to take over security operations. But the program has been widely criticized for a lack of adequate planning and funds.

Germany staying the course

Earlier this month, Germany's lower house of parliament voted to extend the peacekeeping mission in Afghanistan by another year. The mission has claimed the lives of 26 German soldiers so far.

German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said Germany was committed to helping Afghanistan.

"If we give up, the opponents of the civilized world have won," he told parliament. "We don't want to let that happen. We will stand by the people of Afghanistan and help them to continue along the mapped-out path."

Underscoring the importance of Germany's involvement in Afghanistan, Karzai spoke about Berlin's readiness to help a young Afghan girl who was seriously wounded during a bomb attack in Kandahar, in southern Afghanistan, three years ago. She was flown to Germany for treatment and now speaks a smattering of German.

"That's the most beautiful message for Christmas: Germany taking care of a little Afghan girl," Karzai said.