The first extension of a Bundeswehr foreign deployment by the traffic light coalition in the new year runs into difficulties – not only because of the Greens, but also because of an important social democratic politician.
Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock’s party has always rejected the use of German armed forces to fight the terrorist militia Islamic State (IS). But SPD parliamentary group leader Rolf Mützenich also quarreled with the mandate.
The passionate foreign politician, who likes to go his own way and does not always have an eye on Germany’s ability to form alliances, has now proposed, according to information from the Tagesspiegel, that the new mandate be limited to just six months. A spokesman for his group denies this, however.
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Since June 2015, at the request of the Iraqi government, the Bundeswehr has been participating in the international coalition against IS, which is led by the USA. Unlike important partners, German armed forces have never flown air strikes against IS positions, but ultimately supported the allies by refueling their fighter jets from the air.
The Bundeswehr operates an air surveillance radar from the Iraqi air base Al-Asad, and it is also helping to set up Iraqi security forces in central Iraq and in the independent Kurdistan region. The use of German Tornado aircraft for reconnaissance had already ended in spring 2020.
Because the previous mandate of the Bundestag expires at the end of January, a decision must be made quickly. For the Greens, the vote raises the question of credibility: While their group voted very inconsistently on other missions abroad, it had repeatedly rejected the Iraq mandate.
Both Baerbock himself (“simply irresponsible”) and her current Minister of State Tobias Lindner (“entangled, confused, contrary to international law and unconstitutional”) criticized the operation with drastic words and called for its end.
Changes to the mandate should now make it easier for the Green MPs to make new decisions. Originally the cabinet was supposed to approve the mandate on Wednesday, but the complicated negotiations between the Foreign Office, the Ministry of Defense, the Chancellery and the traffic light parliamentary groups prevented that. The cabinet should decide next Wednesday, otherwise the Bundestag cannot accept the mandate at the end of January extend.
One of the concessions made to the critics is the promise that the Bundeswehr will no longer use Syrian airspace. In addition, the upper limit of 500 soldiers is to be lowered, which would not create any immediate problems, since only 280 soldiers were deployed recently. A particularly sensitive point is the duration of the mandate. Some in the coalition are surprised that the ministry allegedly proposed twelve months to former mandate critic Baerbock, much longer than SPD parliamentary group leader Mützenich thought appropriate. Now it should come down to nine months. The evaluation, a requirement of the coalition agreement for all missions abroad, is also laid down.
The Left Party speaks of falling over and brazen electoral deception
The Liberals have the fewest problems with the mandate. Even if lower Bundeswehr capacities may not create a military disadvantage in the fight against IS, reductions could strengthen the reputation of the Germans among the Allies as slackers in terms of security policy. The ability of Germany to form alliances is “of central importance” in this mandate, warns FDP foreign politician Bijan Djir-Sarai.
The Chancellery, AA and Ministry of Defense can no longer change the legal basis of the mandate. The previous German government always referred to the right to “collective self-defense” (Article 51 of the UN Charter) and the November 2015 resolution of the UN Security Council on the fight against IS.
However, in January of the same year the Scientific Service of the Bundestag came to the conclusion that the deployment was not covered by the Basic Law, which the Greens were happy to take up. “If it goes through like this, then it will simply be unconstitutional,” criticized Katja Keul, who is now also Minister of State in the Foreign Office.
No wonder that the Left Party, as an opponent of any foreign operations, accuses the new ruling party of opportunism. “It didn’t take a month before the Greens fell over during military operations,” criticized MP Sevim Dagdelen.
It was “negligent” to further endanger the security and life of German soldiers in Iraq with an operation that the opposition had rejected because of the unclear legal situation and the dangerous situation. Conclusion of the left-wing politician: “Here, too, it shows how quickly green principles become withered. One can only classify this as a brazen electoral deception on the part of Foreign Minister Baerbock.”
