Tanks for Afghanistan

[Skybird]

http://www.defenseindustrydaily.com/...nada/index.php

http://www.sfu.ca/casr/bg-leopard2-netherlands.htm

http://www.focus.de/politik/ausland/...aid_57703.html

While German media so far do not say much about the 100 tanks Canada will buy from the Netherland (20 A6 and 80 A4 the Dutch have bought before from the Germans, other sources say it will be 40 + 60), it is clear now that Germany'S approach to Afghanistan will remain to be schizophrenic at best: it will loan the Canadians 20 Leopard-2A6, maybe currently the best protected tank with the greatest firepower in the world, and call it "alliance-solidarity". A long, loud and deep "hmmmmm" from me. Not about the Canadians, but about the Germans.

Although the delivery is free for Canada, and will be supported by training of the crews in Germany, and delivery of special equipment and items for maintenance, the German approach still is schiozophrenic, for the tanks will be given back at one day, but the treaty demands the Canadians to give them back unharmed and unchanged, in the state in wich they got delivered. That may proove to become a difficult task after their deployment in Afghanistan, to put it mildly.

The A6 incarnation, according to the little I know, is even more armoured than the STRV122, the A5-variant delivered to Sweden which was beefed up with even more armour protection. It offers superior crew protection and additional protection against mines and ATGMs, it also includes probably the most modern suite of sensors and SA-increasing information systems of any tank of the present, and has even further enhanced speed and mobility. It comes with a new tank-gun, too.

I hate it to see the Geman government to sneak around like this. They should make a clear decison and statement concenring the commitmeent in Afghanistan. I personally believe it is a folly to stay there even longer. Accepting risks is okay if there is something that makes up for compensation, but I do not see how the the war can be won anymore: too many moistakes have been made in the past 5 years, and now the situation is out of control. But not to say that, while thinking it, half-heartedly making lip-confessions and try to calm allies by doing little favours like sending (useless) Tornados (no digital life processing of DTV images, what gives Taleban hours of time to react to them), or lending tanks to the Canadians who have choosen to get involved in the dirty work, simply is mean and disgusting. It shows neither backbone, nor honour.

http://www.spiegel.de/international/...485289,00.html
http://www.spiegel.de/international/...485299,00.html

[AntEater]

Disgusting
I mean it is one thing to question the purpose of the Afghanistan mission (I do) but another thing, to leave your allies to do the dirty work for you.
But this whole charade continues against the germans as well, until today, there has been no casualty list of germans in Afghanistan.
I am ashamed of how my government handles military affairs.

[Skybird]

There is a casualty list, and it reads "21". But that is not what it is about. I want Germany to make a clear stand either on this or on that side of the line. Instead, they zigzag around and try to please everybody, America, Canada, Britain, Afghanistan, Muhammedan givernments, and loose track of reality meanhwile. As I see it the troops are left in danger without a realistic mission perspective, and without the situation offering them a realistic chnace anymnore to accomplish the mission they had been sent for. the Pashtuns are more allied with the Taleban than they ever were before 2001, and major parts of the population in general have been seriously alienated by the many losses they suffered from mthe hands of coalition troops, and the low speed of progress made. Over 80% of their young men have no chance to find work and make a living for themselves, not to mention their families. This is too much as if the reconstruction aid can compensate for that ammount of alienation anymore. Afghnaistan literally has become a victim of the Iraq war 2003. All the effort that was put into Iraq by amrica -should have been focussed on Afghanistan exclusively. If that would have been done and the akistani would have been getting rid of, I am sure that the situation would look much, much brigther now. But as it is now, it is a victory that was follishly turned into a major defeat, at the cost of two countries being brought to total ruins.

Of all stupid defense minsters in Germany of the past 20 years, our current one, Jung, is by far the most idiotic and unrealistic one anyway. Redet der einen Schwachsinn, wenn man ihm ein Mikrophon hinhält!

[Heibges]

At least folks want to buy the German tanks.

The turbine engine in the M1 scares many potential buyers away, due to increased mainentance requirements. I heard they were going to replace the turbine on hte M1 with an English-made V-12 in hopes of increasing exports (and keeping the factories open).

[The Avon Lady]

And not a word from Skybird about the Leopard tank's carbon footpint.

Pffffff

:p

[Oberon]

Don't you mean Carbon Tread AL?