Military costs in Afghanistan outstrip reconstruction spending

The Foreign Ministry told The Left party MP Roland Claus that Berlin’s participation in the NATO mission in Afghanistan cost €515 million in 2007 and €536 million in 2008, whereas spending on rebuilding only measured €125 million and €210 million respectively.

Claus told the Halle-based Mitteldeutsche Zeitung daily the figures showed the troop deployment in Afghanistan was “predominately a mission for the German defence industry” and that he feared Chancellor Angel Merkel’s incoming centre-right coalition would “pump even more tax money into military deployments.”

Germany currently has 4,400 troops in Afghanistan as part of NATO’s security force. However, Berlin has resisted attempts to have its troops take part of combat operations in the more troubled southern half of the country, arguing the transatlantic alliance must focus more on reconstruction efforts.