Germany eyes Afghan exit road map by 2013

MESEBERG, Germany,  – The German government wants a framework for the withdrawal of its forces from Afghanistan to become “visible” in this parliament, due to end in 2013, Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle said on Wednesday.
“We don’t want Afghanistan to be a mission that lasts for ever and ever. We want to push on with a [...]

Germany sending 120 more troops to Afghanistan

KUNDUS, Afghanistan  – Germany will send 120 more soldiers to northern Afghanistan to reinforce its base in the Kundus province, Defense Minister Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg said on Friday.

German Defence Minister Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg (C) walks between Chief of Staff (Generalinspekteur) of the German Army, Bundeswehr, Wolfgang Schneiderhan, in Mazar-e-Sharif.November 12, 2009 (Reuters)
Guttenberg announced the modest [...]

Germany admits errors in deadly Afghan bombing

BERLIN  – German troops made mistakes but acted appropriately when they ordered an air strike on two fuel trucks in Afghanistan that killed dozens of civilians, Defense Minister Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg said on Friday.
In his first comments on the September 4 attack, Guttenberg backed up the German army’s initial assessment of a confidential NATO investigation [...]

Germany may review Afghan troop levels in 2010

BRATISLAVA,  - Germany is likely to stick with its 4,500 troop ceiling for Afghanistan when it renews a parliamentary mandate in December but could review that number in early 2010, Defence Minister Franz Josef Jung said.
Speaking on the margins of a NATO meeting in Bratislava, Jung said the German government would take a new look [...]

Northrop Grumman and EADS Defence & Security Unveil First Euro Hawk Unmanned Reconnaissance Aircraft

PALMDALE, Calif.,  – Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) and EADS Defence & Security (DS) introduced the first Euro Hawk unmanned aircraft system (UAS) in an unveiling ceremony today at Northrop Grumman’s Palmdale, Calif., facility.

Euro Hawk, the first international version of the RQ-4 Global Hawk unmanned aircraft system, was unveiled in a ceremony Oct. 8 in Palmdale, [...]

Turkey, Germany sign deal on six Class-214 submarine

ANKARA,  – Turkey will sign an agreement Thursday with Germany to jointly build six submarines for the Turkish Naval Forces, the semi-official Anatolia news agency reported.

Class 214 submarine (Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft)
The deal covers six Class-214 air-independent propulsion submarines for the Turkish Naval Forces and will significantly improve the navy’s capability to undertake longer underwater operations, [...]

Three German soldiers killed in Afghanistan

BERLIN, – Three German soldiers were killed in Afghanistan after coming under attack near the northern city of Kundus, Defence Minister Franz Josef Jung said on Tuesday.

Soldiers of the German armed forces Bundeswehr securing the area as a German liason monitoring team (LMT) walks into a village in Kunduz district, Afghanistan. (Reuters)
The army said the [...]

Merkel visits German troops in Afghanistan

BERLIN, Apr 6, 2009  - German Chancellor Angela Merkel visited German troops in Afghanistan on Monday on an unannounced trip during which no political talks with Afghan leaders were planned.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel watches Afghan police recruit train in the Afghan city of Mazar-i-Sharif on April 6, 2009. Merkel was accompanied by German Defence Minister [...]

Obama: Afghan Strategy Must Include Ending Terror Threat in Pakistan

Baden-Baden City, April 03, 2009 — President Barack Obama said the United States and NATO cannot be effective in Afghanistan without addressing the threat of terrorism across the border in Pakistan.

(From Left) Luxembourg Premier Jean-Claude Juncker, US President Barack Obama, French President Nicolas Sarkozy, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop [...]

Obama seeks world free of nuclear arms

STRASBOURG, France. Apr 3, 2009 – U.S. President Barack Obama called on Friday for a world without atomic weapons and urged allies to stand firm against Iran’s nuclear ambitions and a planned missile launch by North Korea.

U.S. President Barack Obama and German Chancellor Angela Merkel inspect the guard of honour during a welcoming ceremony at [...]