Afghanistan event: parliamentary groups cancel Kramp-Karrenbauer

Working through the Bundeswehr’s Afghanistan mission – this is what a conference that Defense Minister Kramp-Karrenbauer has planned will be about. But rejections have come from several parliamentary groups – including their own.

Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer’s relationship with the defense politicians in the Bundestag, which was recently marked by tension, is enriched by an anecdote: The opening event for the Afghanistan balance sheet, planned by the CDU minister in charge, will be the factions of the SPD, the Greens, the FDP and also stay away from the Union. That is what the four of them have according to information from ARD capital studios so discussed among each other.

The time was “completely inappropriate”, it is said from the groups in agreement. Starting a topic as important as coming to terms with 20 years of engagement in Afghanistan in the middle of the exploratory phase for a new government is out of place, according to parliamentary circles.

Foreign Minister and General Inspector agree to attend

For Wednesday, Defense Minister Kramp-Karrenbauer has invited to a full-day event entitled “20 Years of Afghanistan – Starting Shot for a Balance Sheet Debate”. Foreign Minister Heiko Maas and the General Inspector of the Bundeswehr, Eberhard Zorn, will take part.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg gives a welcoming address. According to the schedule, there was also a discussion with members of the Bundestag in the afternoon on the question “What are the lessons from Afghanistan?” intended. Well-known parliamentarians have now rejected the event.

Communication style in the criticism

Defense politicians in the Bundestag had repeatedly complained about the communication style of the minister in recent months. Especially with such central issues as the Bundeswehr reform or the restructuring of the scandal-ridden elite KSK unit.

Criticism of the planned timing of coming to terms with Afghanistan so shortly after the federal elections had been loud weeks ago. The fact that Kramp-Karrenbauer stuck to it is met with incomprehension by not a few MPs.