Germany votes for Afghan troops

12/22/2001

By TONY CZUCZKA
Associated Press Writer

BERLIN — German lawmakers on Saturday overwhelmingly approved sending up to 1,200 troops for the international force protecting the new Afghan administration.

Opposition deputies joined Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder's coalition in passing the measure, despite renewing charges that the Berlin government had failed to match its push for a bigger international role with a major boost in military spending.

With the new interim Afghan leadership taking power in Kabul just hours earlier, 538 of the 581 lower-house members present at the special session voted in favor of the six-month German deployment, giving the broad support Schroeder had sought.

``We are deciding in a situation where peace in Afghanistan really has moved closer,'' he said in a speech that opened the debate. ``After everything we've discussed concerning the force's mandate, I believe everyone here can justify a 'yes' vote.''

The U.N. Security Council authorized the British-led force Thursday, paving the way for deploying 200 British Marines on the streets of Kabul by Saturday, when the 30-member interim government led by Hamid Karzai took power.

The force is to number 3,000 to 5,000 troops from about half a dozen countries. It was unclear when the first German contingent might be sent.

Schroeder's Cabinet backed the German deployment Friday, but a lower-house vote was also required before any German soldiers can be sent abroad.

The peacekeeping force was established in principle Dec. 5 as part of the agreement reached in Bonn, Germany, among Afghan leaders that also established the roadmap for post-Taliban rule in Afghanistan, including eventual adoption of a new constitution and elections.

Schroeder, whose center-left government nearly collapsed before approving a separate commitment of German troops to the U.S.-led war on terrorism, made plain to the lawmakers that he believes Germany must also contribute to the protection force.

He said German conditions had been met because the international troops will have a mandate allowing them to use force, they will operate only in Kabul and its immediate surroundings, and because the mission is limited to six months.