German Troops Seek AFG Mission Clarity, Too

I see Canadian politicians aren’t the only ones out there not explaining clearly what the mission in Afghanistan is all about – this, from Bild.com:

The badge comes in desert beige or NATO green and is rather inconspicuous. But it is a big seller amongst German soldiers at the ISAF camp at Mazar-e-Sharif – and it’s whipping up a storm!

It declares: “I fight for Merkel”

But it is not loyal fans of the German Chancellor buying the patch. Rather, it is a silent protest from soldiers who do not feel they have sufficient support from their superiors.

They want the Chancellor, their ultimate boss, to finally find the clear words to put the war against the Taliban into black and white.

The troops aren’t actually allowed to wear the badges. Unofficial add-ons are strictly forbidden from Bundeswehr uniforms, and the army command enforces this rule with a keen eye.

Nonetheless, many soldiers are taking the badges home with them – as a souvenir of a war which in official German political speak is not a war at all ….

Interesting concept. Unlike some European forces, Canadian soldiers don’t have a union, so this kind of action would not go over in the CF. Still …

What do you think?