Berlin wants Afghan UN mandate

BERLIN - Germany offered Wednesday to send 250 soldiers to the northern Afghan province of Kunduz to rebuild roads, schools and hospitals, but underlined a difference with Washington by stressing that Berlin needs a United Nations mandate before acting.

German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder said other European countries were discussing contributing personnel to the team, which Berlin wanted to deploy before the onset of Afghanistan's fierce winter.

Brushing aside German opposition claims that Berlin could not afford the deployment, he said, "The money will be found".

The current UN mandate only authorizes protection of the Afghan capital Kabul by the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF). Germany provides 2,000 men, half of ISAF. Schroeder called for a U.N. Security Council resolution extending ISAF's mandate.

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http://www.expatica.com/germanymain.asp?pad=190,205,&item_id=33773

I have always thought that just to protect Kabal was the stupidest policy imaginable, but then I remembered whose policy it is.