Misjudgments: Lindner calls for a committee of inquiry into the Afghanistan mission

The FDP federal chairman Christian Lindner calls for a committee of inquiry into the mission in Afghanistan.
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The Federal Intelligence Service’s misjudgment of the situation in Afghanistan must have consequences, according to the federal chairman of the FDP Christian Lindner. The BND may have to be reorganized.

D.he chairman of the FDP Christian Lindner has called for a committee of inquiry into the Afghanistan mission and the belated evacuation of German citizens and local staff from the country. “Everything has to come on the table” that did not work, Lindner told the newspaper Bild am Sonntag. It must be clarified “which systematic weaknesses we have in these missions”. The Federal Intelligence Service’s misjudgment of the situation in Afghanistan must also have consequences. The BND must “be reorganized if necessary”.

The topic is also important for the federal election: “The events documented a terrifying helplessness. The federal election is therefore also a vote on whether Mr. Maas and Ms. Kramp-Karrenbauer should continue their work, ”said Lindner.

Military intervention with realistic goals

As a consequence of the failure in Afghanistan, he demanded a review of all military operations. It must be clarified whether the goals are realistic and whether there is a prospect of withdrawal. In general, he was of the opinion “that building a state through military intervention from outside is not realistic if there is not broad support for it from within,” said the FDP leader.

Left parliamentary group manager Jan Korte had previously called for a committee of inquiry after the federal election and a review of all missions abroad. He accused Foreign Minister Heiko Maas (SPD) of “total failure”.

• Johannes Leithäuser, Berlin

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