Afghanistan call

The head of Germany's protestant churches has taken aim at Berlin's military involvement in Afghanistan.

In interviews with two German newspapers, female bishop Margot Kaessmann called for the withdrawal of the country's 4,400 troops from Afghanistan.

Kaessmann represents some 22 branches of Protestantism in Germany, as the head of the umbrella organisation for German Protestants, the EKD. Her appeal comes as Germany's parliament prepares to consider increasing the troop deployment.

"There is no just war. I cannot legitimise it from a Christian point of view," Kaessman said. But Kaessman, leader of the EKD since October, warned against a hasty retreat, stressing the need for an exit strategy.

Exit Strategy

She said that the real aim of the German deployment had not been defined and that drug- and weapon-dealing should be stopped. Talks should also be attempted with the Taliban, Kaessmann said.

"All that should be asked is how to conduct an orderly withdrawal and come up with a civilian solution," she said.

Kaessmann, who is the Lutheran Bishop of Hannover, made her comments in the newspapers Berliner Zeitung and Hannoverschen Allgemeinen.

She rejected the idea of withdrawing military chaplains, saying that this did not sanction war but provided help to those who needed it.

The German government has said it will make a decision on whether to commit more troops to stabilizing Afghanistan following an international conference on how to assist the country in late January.

Earlier this month, German newspapers reported that the defense ministry was drawing up plans to send an extra 2,000 troops to Afghanistan.

rc/KNA/dpa/epd/Reuters
Editor: Nathan Witkop