Apparently intended not to be ironic, France and Germany have joined the UK and US in pulling their administrative staff out of Afghanistan due to “security concerns.”
In all fairness, the decision came after two senior Nato officers were shot and killed last weekend, following a week of protests over Koran burnings that have left 30 people dead. But still… security concerns? In a war zone? Like… what did you expect?
The BBC reports that the French embassy in Kabul was temporarily withdrawing all French civilian mentors and advisors from Afghan government institutions:
“The move, thought to affect several dozen staff, could be rescinded once ‘conditions permitted.’
Afghan officials earlier named police intelligence officer Abdul Saboor from Parwan province as the main suspect behind Saturday’s attack.
The identities of the dead Nato officers have not been confirmed, but they are believed to have been an American colonel and major.”
Just last month France suspended its training program and threatened to withdraw its forces from Afghanistan a year ahead of schedule after an Afghan soldier shot and killed four French soldiers on a base in the east.
Is this it for Afghanistan? Should France have been in there in the first place?
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