The Bundestag didn’t say we could shoot
Remember when Germans used to shoot first and ask questions later? Me neither, but I’ve read about it a few times (not counting those East German border guards, I mean). And it looks like we’re not the only ones who can’t remember. Specially trained German special forces-type soldiers themselves appear to be at a loss as to what to do whenever on the hunt for, say, one of the Taliban’s most deadly bomb makers and then, well, actually finding him.
After locating and staking out their target for a full week (this guy was the prime suspect behind one of the deadliest terrorist attacks in Afghanistan, a sugar factory bombing in 2007 which killed 79 people, among them dozens of children), the Taliban commander was allowed to escape during an attempt to arrest him because the Germans had not been authorized to use lethal force.
I guess this is what makes German special forces so special. They are the only ones on earth that aren’t allowed to bump off the people they have been specially trained to kill. But it’s understandable, really. So much is not allowed in Germany these days that, when in doubt, Germans naturally assume that what they are about to do is most likely verboten, even when they are not about to do it im Ausland (overseas).
Politicians concerned about human rights aren’t supposed to talk to the Dalai Lama, for instance, journalists concerned about weapons exports aren’t allowed to bring up Germany’s role in that business, I mean, national security matter. You know, stuff like that. So why should we expect that German soldiers armed with these cool exported weapons will ever use them? Actually, we don’t. And when you don’t expect nothing, nothing is all you get.
Das war keine Panne. Nicht wirklich.
After locating and staking out their target for a full week (this guy was the prime suspect behind one of the deadliest terrorist attacks in Afghanistan, a sugar factory bombing in 2007 which killed 79 people, among them dozens of children), the Taliban commander was allowed to escape during an attempt to arrest him because the Germans had not been authorized to use lethal force.
I guess this is what makes German special forces so special. They are the only ones on earth that aren’t allowed to bump off the people they have been specially trained to kill. But it’s understandable, really. So much is not allowed in Germany these days that, when in doubt, Germans naturally assume that what they are about to do is most likely verboten, even when they are not about to do it im Ausland (overseas).
Politicians concerned about human rights aren’t supposed to talk to the Dalai Lama, for instance, journalists concerned about weapons exports aren’t allowed to bring up Germany’s role in that business, I mean, national security matter. You know, stuff like that. So why should we expect that German soldiers armed with these cool exported weapons will ever use them? Actually, we don’t. And when you don’t expect nothing, nothing is all you get.
Das war keine Panne. Nicht wirklich.
Kommentare auf Deutsch? Logisch.
