Winning hearts and minds: Germany sending 1,200 cops to Afghanistan

Western countries have poured billions into initiatives like this in Afghanistan and elsewhere, and they still don't like us. The South African mufti Ebrahim Desai put paid to any good that hearts-and-minds efforts might do a few years ago when he said: "In simple the Kuffaar [unbelievers] can never be trusted for any possible good they do. They have their own interest at heart."

"Germany to send 1,200 police to Afghanistan," from The Local, October 10 (thanks to C. Cantoni):

Germany is set to send 1,200 police to Afghanistan to train local law enforcement in a major boost to its commitment to the war-torn country, news magazine Der Spiegel reported Saturday.
An official request for the officers would come in the next week from NATO, the magazine reported, citing sources within the transatlantic alliance.
The German officers would be needed for the "NATO Training Mission Afghanistan," which is due to start in April.
Under the program, some 10,000 foreign instructors would train the Afghan security forces as part of a major push by NATO to ready the strife-torn country to manage its own security affairs.
This is seen as vital if countries such as Germany, the United States and Great Britain are to begin withdrawing their military forces from the country....

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9 Comments

plotino | October 10, 2009 8:00 AM

This is stupid.The only thing we should bring there are aruitects, engineers, doctors, etc to build up a proper country like we know.Then call it another name.Then forbid islam and build a huge baptism pile where to welcome every afghan man or woman, boy or girl into freedom.Just a quick dive in the name of the three persons and then a free hamburger and a pair levis jeans so they can verify it doesnt kill them.

What a stupid way of handling wars we have now.We make them, win them and end up letting the losers to rule the country again.Retarded.

Thats all.

sheik yer'mami | October 10, 2009 8:26 AM

According to this report here at least one of these policemen thinks its safer in Afghanistan than back in Berlin:

http://vladtepesblog.com/?p=14018

fairuzfan | October 10, 2009 8:46 AM

'They still don't like us'. Mr. Spencer, surely you must have better things to do then to peddle such non-sensical drivel. Who doesn't like us? Some Afghans? All of them? Have you ever been there? I have, and can tell you that I met a number of them who were quite thankful for the foreign assistance they were getting, especially from the Germans, who appear to have gone well beyond the average country in providing an array of assistance.

But apparently some statement from a South African mufti is of more relevance to Afghanistan than the comments and sentiments of a variety of Afghans themselves.

Aside from the legitimate prudential issues that Western countries can consider as to what forms, from what sources, and at what levels assistance to Afghanistan can or should take, Catholic theology clearly shows that there is always salutary value in whatever assistance is offered to another, even if it's categorically proven they still all hate you.

skydog | October 10, 2009 9:29 AM

1200 german cops to arrest one lunatic with a 2' knife? ;o)

davidp | October 10, 2009 2:34 PM

Afghanistan desperately needs a functioning government. Training police is part of trying to build that. This won't win hearts and minds for the West, but it might win hearts and minds towards having a half-sane country.

epistemology | October 10, 2009 2:49 PM

fairuzfan, what do you want to peddle, some dirt may be? Robert only tells the truth, no more, no less. The Germans are very slow in learning, but I think they know by now, that they've got to support the allies, not leaving the dirty work to the Brits and the others, fighting against the Taliban, not only building schools and bridges in Afghanistan. The days of excuses are over. Germany has to take up its responsibilities and has to act according to its past and stand by Israel. Shalom.

sheik yer'mami | October 10, 2009 4:58 PM

It is not wrong for these very spoilt young Europeans (they are no longer mere Germans) to get some exposure to war, and Islam, and to learn that we do have implacable enemies. Who knows, some of these young soldiers might return in a year or two with real understanding of what our enemies are all about, and fighting experience is something that these new generations of Germans (eh Europeans) are lacking entirely. Some of them might become involved in community organizing, in movements where they are badly needed. All in all, not necessarily a bad thing.

Everyone is looking for freebies and handouts, and the Afghans who are 'thankful' for these handouts will be just as happy to cut the throats of these helpful, generous kuffars if the imam calls for it.

For that reason I don't think that "there is always salutary value in whatever assistance is offered to another, even if it's categorically proven they still all hate you."

Just another call for the jiziya. The poster fairuzfan would not be a mohammedan if he didn't stick with what he knows best...

gravenimage | October 10, 2009 7:23 PM

Germany is set to send 1,200 police to Afghanistan to train local law enforcement in a major boost to its commitment to the war-torn country, news magazine Der Spiegel reported Saturday.
...............

So--how's that training been going? The news is not good, and I doubt that this is something a thousand or so efficient German police are going to be able to change. Here's and AP story, from a couple of days ago:

"US encounters stumbling blocks in training Afghans

Only 24 of 559 Afghan police units are considered ready to operate without international help...

A report released Thursday paints an equally grim picture, describing the repeated hiring and sometimes promotion of officers previously dismissed for theft or corruption, of supplies being hoarded before they ever reach their destination "for fear that no more would follow" and soldiers and police having their pay extorted by their own officers."

And this is after *eight years* of our presence in the country--this corruption runs deep. As if the above weren't bad enough, there is this:

"An apparent lack of discipline has even led to violence between coalition forces and Afghans, most recently on Friday when an Afghan policeman on patrol with U.S. soldiers opened fire on the Americans, killing two of them before fleeing."

I doubt very much this has anything to do with "lack of discipline"--shocking as that is in Afghanistan. It has to do with Islam, and the willingness of Muslims to use deceit against Infidels--even those who are trying to help them.

These German police trainers will be facing more of the same.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hrbxycLTYC1dRvmD17yCsNsw9axgD9B6R9100

droptheveil | October 11, 2009 8:47 AM

And it has everything to do with the ease that muslims can kill another human being with absolutely no compunction. The west is dealing with very primitive people whose mindset has no value for human life, so if these newly trained police offers feel like killing anyone, they will.

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