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Viewing cable 09BERLIN882, German Out-Of-Area Deployment Update: July 2009

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Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
09BERLIN882 2009-07-21 20:42 2011-08-24 01:00 UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY Embassy Berlin
VZCZCXRO2859
PP RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHDA RUEHDBU RUEHDF RUEHFL RUEHIK RUEHKW RUEHLA
RUEHLN RUEHLZ RUEHNP RUEHPOD RUEHROV RUEHSK RUEHSL RUEHSR RUEHVK
RUEHYG
DE RUEHRL #0882/01 2022042
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 212042Z JUL 09
FM AMEMBASSY BERLIN
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 4665
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE
RHMFIUU/COMSOCEUR VAIHINGEN GE
RHMFISS/CDRUSAREUR HEIDELBERG GE
RHMFIUU/HQ USAFE RAMSTEIN AB GE
RHMFISS/HQ USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 06 BERLIN 000882 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: MOPS PREL MARR NATO EUN GM AF SU KV BK LE GG ET
SUBJECT: German Out-Of-Area Deployment Update: July 2009 
 
REF: 09 Berlin 403 
 
------- 
SUMMARY 
------- 
 
1. (SBU) As of July 7, Germany had approximately 7,100 military 
personnel deployed in the following out-of-area (OOA) missions. 
More detailed information about each mission can be found in the 
indicated paragraphs: 
 
ISAF: 4,143 (paras 5-17) 
KFOR: 2,031 (para 18) 
OEF: 87 (paras 19-22) 
UNFIL: 229 (paras 23-24) 
Atalanta: 454 (paras 25-27) 
EUFOR Bosnia: 130 (paras 28-30) 
UNIMIS/UNAMID: 34 (paras 31-33) 
EUSEC: 3 (para 34) 
UNAMA: 1 (para 35) 
 
2. (SBU) In addition, Germany has 2,900 military personnel on 
stand-by for the NATO Response Force (NRF).  Germany also provides 
one operational HQ of 70 personnel for the EU Battle Group.  All 
armed military OOA deployments, with the exception of those in 
support of UN observer missions, require parliamentary approval. 
OOA deployments are defined as deployments outside Germany's 
territory where the German military could become part of an armed 
conflict.   This cable also provides an overview of the law 
governing OOA deployments (paras 3-4), Bundeswehr transformation 
(paras 37-38), total expenditures for OOA deployments (para 39) and 
statistics on German military personnel killed during OOA 
deployments (para 40).  END SUMMARY. 
 
------------------ 
The Deployment Law 
------------------ 
 
3. (SBU) According to a landmark 1994 Constitutional Court decision 
and a subsequent 2005 Deployment Law, the Bundestag must pre-approve 
the deployment of any German armed forces outside of Germany.  The 
Deployment Law does provide for urgent armed deployments to go 
forward without the prior approval of the Bundestag, but most German 
officials view this exception as applicable only in the most exigent 
of circumstances, e.g. when there is literally no time to obtain 
Bundestag approval between the outbreak of a crisis and the need to 
respond militarily.  Even in these circumstances, the Deployment Law 
requires the government to seek Bundestag approval as soon as 
possible.  If approval is not granted, the deployment must be 
terminated. 
 
4. (SBU) The German Constitutional Court ruled in May 2008 that the 
government's decision to allow German air crews to participate in 
the NATO AWACS mission in Turkey in 2003, on the eve of the war in 
Iraq, without first seeking approval of the Bundestag, was 
unconstitutional.  This ruling is likely to make it even more 
cumbersome for the government to deploy German armed forces 
overseas.  The Court dismissed the assertion of the then-Social 
Democratic/Green coalition government that the AWACS deployment was 
just a "routine," unarmed reconnaissance mission, holding that there 
were "tangible, factual indicators" that the German AWACS air crews 
could have been drawn into armed conflict.  The Court reaffirmed the 
Bundeswehr as a "parliamentary army," underscoring that the German 
Basic Law (Constitution) "entrusted the decision about peace and war 
to the German Bundestag as the representative body of the people." 
The Court emphasized that when in doubt about whether it is 
necessary to obtain Bundestag approval, the government should err on 
the side of seeking parliamentary permission. 
 
--------------------------------------------- - 
International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) 
--------------------------------------------- - 
 
PARLIAMENTARY MANDATE 
 
5. (SBU) The Bundeswehr currently has 4,143 military personnel 
operating under ISAF in Afghanistan (up from 3,881 in April).  These 
personnel are deployed under a mandate approved by the Bundestag on 
October 17, 2008, which will run until December 2009.  This means 
the mandate will not come up for renewal until after the scheduled 
parliamentary elections on September 27, 2009 and after the new 
Bundestag is seated.  The mandate authorizes the German government 
to deploy up to 4,500 military personnel, 1,000 more than the 
2007-08 mandate.  The mandate also includes language that puts the 
 
BERLIN 00000882  002 OF 006 
 
 
deployment of German radio operators in the southern province of 
Kandahar on firmer legal grounds. 
 
6. (SBU) On July 2, the Bundestag approved an additional mandate, 
authorizing up to 300 military personnel (including German air 
crews) to deploy in support of the NATO AWACS operation over 
Afghanistan.  The mandate expires on December 13, 2009, the same 
time the regular ISAF mandate runs out.  It is expected that the 
ISAF and AWACS mandates will be combined at that point, with an 
overall of ceiling of up to 5,000.  As long as the AWACS planes are 
stationed in Konya, Turkey, the German deployment is expected to 
number about 100.  That number would increase to 200 or more if and 
when the planes are stationed outside the NATO area in the UAE or 
elsewhere in the region. 
 
GENERAL 
 
7. (SBU) Germany has been active in ISAF since the operation's 
inception in January 2002, and was the first country to volunteer to 
lead an ISAF Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) outside of Kabul. 
Germany currently commands ISAF's northern region (RC-North), where 
it leads two of the five PRTs (Kunduz and Feyzabad) as well as the 
Forward Support Base in Mazar-e Sharif.  Since July 2008, Germany 
has also provided the bulk of the troops for the RC-North Quick 
Reaction Force.  Germany has recently built the QRF up to battalion 
size, as required by the new ISAF Combined Joint Statement of 
Requirements.  On February 23, 2008 Germany inaugurated a Provincial 
Advisory Team (PAT), a mini-PRT in Takhar province, which consists 
of some 45 soldiers and civilians. 
 
RECENT DEPLOYMENTS 
 
8. (SBU) The Bundeswehr has just completed the deployment of 620 
additional troops to Afghanistan.  Some 220 soldiers have been 
deployed temporarily in support of the Afghan presidential election 
in August, while 400 were sent to permanently augment the German 
contigent. 
 
9. (SBU) The temporary election support forces include a logistics 
company, several infantry platoons, a deployable medical unit, and 
several CIMIC and PsyOps teams.  Germany also temporarily deployed 
two additional CH-53 helicopters during that time period.  The 400 
permanent troops are being used to bring the RC-North QRF up to 
battalion size and to reinforce the PRTs in Kunduz and Feyzabad. 
 
SUPPORT FOR THE ANA 
 
10. (SBU) Germany currently provides Operational Mentoring and 
Liaison Teams (OMLTs) for Afghan National Army (ANA) maneuver units 
based in Mazar-e Sharif and Feyzabad that are part of the 209th ANA 
Corps.  It also contributes to two multinational OMLTs -- one for 
the HQ of the 209th Corps and the other for the HQ of the 1st 
Brigade of the 209th Corps.  Both HQs are located in Mazar-e Sharif. 
 
 
11. (SBU) Germany plans to contribute five additional OMLTs as a new 
ANA brigade (2nd Brigade, 209th Corps), and its subordinate 
battalions, are fielded in the north over the next several months. 
Germany has already built garrisons for some units of the new 
brigade and has already started thinking about how to accommodate 
the possible deployment of a third brigade in Region North as part 
of the enlargement of the ANA to 134,000 personnel. 
 
12.  (SBU) Germany has expanded a drivers and mechanics school in 
Kabul into an ANA logisticians' training center, and is now planning 
to expand it further to create a combat support school encompassing 
several different specialties.  In support of a CSTC-A plan for ANA 
branch schools, Germany is also planning to establish a combat 
engineering school in Mazar-e Sharif. 
 
AREA OF OPERATIONS 
 
13. (SBU) The German ISAF mandate defines their area of operations 
as the northern region and Kabul.  Nevertheless, an exception in the 
mandate allows for temporary, limited deployments to other parts of 
the country on a case-by-case basis if deemed "absolutely necessary" 
to the overall ISAF mission. 
 
14. (SBU) In the fall of 2007 and again in May 2008, Defense 
Minister Jung approved the temporary deployment of a small number of 
Bundeswehr soldiers outside the north to provide medical and 
intelligence support to combat operations against insurgents in 
Region West.  None of the German soldiers, however, were directly 
involved in combat operations.  German OMLTs assigned to infantry 
 
BERLIN 00000882  003 OF 006 
 
 
ANA battalions have not been allowed to deploy outside the north, or 
in some cases, on certain missions within the north. 
 
15. (SBU) Meanwhile, the ISAF mandate allows German Tornado 
reconnaissance aircraft to operate throughout Afghanistan, but 
restricts the resulting information from being distributed outside 
of ISAF channels.  The information can only be passed to OEF in 
instances where doing so directly supports ISAF operations.  Since 
the end of January 2008, Germany has provided two additional C-160 
Transall aircraft in Afghanistan to ISAF, bringing the total to 
eight. 
 
SUPPORT FOR FDD 
 
16. (SBU) Germany began participating in the CSTC-A Focused District 
Development (FDD) police training program in January.  The Germans 
have committed to train and mentor the police forces of 20 districts 
around Mazar-e Sharif, Kunduz and Feyzabad by the end of 2010.  Each 
German Police Mentoring Team (PMT) consists of four military 
policemen, four civilian police officers, and two interpreters. 
Some 45 military policemen support Germany's participation in FDD, 
along with 60 civilian police officers.  The Ministry of Interior 
has committed to triple the number of civilian police trainers to 
200 by 2010.  To support this expansion, the MFA increased its 2009 
budget for police training from 35 million to 42.7 million Euros. 
 
COST 
 
17. (U) Germany expects to spend 688.1 million Euros on its ISAF 
deployment from October 2008 to December 2009. 
 
------------------- 
Kosovo Force (KFOR) 
------------------- 
 
18. (SBU) Germany currently has 2,031 military personnel (compared 
to 2,516 in April) in KFOR.  The authorized troop ceiling approved 
by the parliament on May 28 is 3,500, far below the previous level 
of 8,500. These reductions are in line with the recent decision by 
NATO defense ministers to move a deterrent presence in Kosovo in a 
series of stages over the next 12-24 months.  In cooperation with 
Austria, Germany provides an Operational Reserve Force (ORF) 
battalion on stand-by in Germany to reinforce KFOR as necessary. 
The ORF was in Kosovo for a familiarization exercise February 
15-March 15. 
 
--------------------------------- 
Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) 
--------------------------------- 
 
19. (SBU) The 2008 OEF mandate, approved by the Bundestag on 
November 14, significantly reduced the geographic area in which the 
Bundeswehr is allowed to operate under OEF.  South and Central Asia 
(including Afghanistan), the Arabian peninsula and Northeast Africa 
were removed from the mandate, leaving just the Horn of Africa and 
surrounding waters.  Moreover, the overall troop ceiling was cut 
from 1,400 to 800, and the controversial authorization to deploy up 
to 100 German Special Forces (KSK) was eliminated.  This means that 
Germany's participation in OEF is now restricted solely to maritime 
operations.  German military forces will no longer have the ability 
to participate in combat operations under OEF in Afghanistan.  The 
mandate expires on December 15, so that it will not come up for 
debate and renewal until the new Bundestag is seated after the 
September 2009 parliamentary elections. 
 
20. (SBU) While these changes may have been symbolically important, 
they had no practical effect on German contributions to OEF 
operations in Afghanistan or elsewhere.  The Germans had reportedly 
not deployed the KSK under OEF since 2002-03, which was one of the 
arguments used by OEF skeptics to push for eliminating this part of 
the parliamentary mandate.  During its command of OEF Task Force 150 
in early 2009, Germany provided one frigate and almost 260 sailors. 
Currently Germany has just one P3-Orion reconnaissance aircraft and 
87 military personnel deployed under OEF.  German navy ships 
deployed under OEF still are not authorized to conduct 
counter-piracy operations, beyond providing emergency help to stop 
the take-over of a ship by pirates.  However, the parliamentary 
mandate for the Bundeswehr's participation in the EU "Atalanta" 
Operation provides the option of temporarily reassigning German OEF 
ships to the EU so they can carry out counter-piracy tasks. 
 
21. (SBU) Despite the removal of the controversial KSK element from 
the OEF mandate, a notable number of Social Democratic (SPD) 
parliamentarians (25 out of the 222-member caucus) defied their 
 
BERLIN 00000882  004 OF 006 
 
 
party leadership and voted against the mandate in the fall of 2008. 
The upward trend in SPD opposition reflects first and foremost that 
the OEF brand name in Germany has been badly maligned in recent 
years.  It also reflects the growing sentiment among left-of-center 
political forces that seven years after 9/11, it is time to 
"regularize" OEF and have it mandated through a UNSCR, rather than 
continuing to base it on the self-defense provisions of Article 51 
of the UN Charter. 
 
22. (U) The German government expects to spend 48 million Euros on 
its participation in OEF from November 2008 to December 2009. 
 
--------------------------------------------- --- 
United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) 
--------------------------------------------- --- 
 
23. (SBU) Germany gave up command of UNIFIL's naval component in 
March 2008, but still has 229 military personnel deployed (compared 
to 227 in April).  The current mandate, authorizing up to 1,400 
military personnel, was extended on September 17, 2008 and expires 
on December 15, 2009.  On February 29, 2008 Germany handed over the 
command of UNIFIL's naval component to EUROMARFOR, a joint, 
non-permanent fleet including Portugal, Spain, France and Italy.  An 
Italian officer assumed command. 
 
24. (U) Germany expects to spend 89.6 million Euros over the next 
year on its UNIFIL contributions. 
 
---------------------------------- 
EU Counter-Piracy Mission Atalanta 
---------------------------------- 
 
25. (U) On December 19, 2008, the Bundestag approved a parliamentary 
mandate for the Bundeswehr's participation in the EU counter-piracy 
"Atalanta" operation off the Horn of Africa.  The mandate, which 
expires December 15, 2009, authorizes the German navy to perform the 
full spectrum of tasks authorized under the EU Joint Decision, 
including the use of force to end acts of piracy and to conduct 
"opposed" boardings.  The mandate also gives the German navy 
authority to sink pirate ships if necessary, but does not authorize 
the pursuit of pirates on land.  There are no national caveats from 
the EU mission. 
 
26. (SBU) Germany currently has two frigates (the "Rheinland-Pfalz" 
and the "Brandenburg") assigned to Atalanta, each with a 200-man 
crew.  Germany also provides one P3 Orion reconnaissance aircraft. 
All total, there are currently 454 sailors and other military 
personnel under Atalanta, but the mandate has a troop ceiling of 
1,400, so other German naval ships which happen to be in the region 
on other operations (i.e., a Standing NATO Maritime Group or OEF's 
Task Force 150) can be brought under the EU mission temporarily to 
carry out counter-piracy missions as required.  In response to 
piracy activities occurring further off the coast of Africa, the EU 
expanded Atalanta's area of operation to the Seychelles Islands on 
May 19.  The Bundestag quickly authorized the German Navy to operate 
throughout this expanded area of responsibility 
 
27. (U) The government expects to spend 45 million Euros on this 
deployment over the next year. 
 
----------------------------------- 
European Union Force (EUFOR) Bosnia 
----------------------------------- 
 
28. (SBU) Germany currently has 130 soldiers (compared to 139 in 
April) in Bosnia as part of the EU's Operation "Althea."  Most of 
the German soldiers are deployed as liaison and observer teams.  The 
mandate, last amended December 1, 2007, allows the deployment of up 
to 2,400 military personnel.  This operation extends automatically 
unless there is a change to its underlying UNSC resolution.  In 
2007, Germany reduced its military presence in Bosnia by more than 
700 military personnel in coordination with other allies.  Germany 
is relying more on home-based reserve forces and less on deployed 
troops to provide the necessary security support for the 
implementation of reform measures mandated by the Dayton Peace 
agreement. 
 
29. (SBU) While some Allies have been pressing to end the EU 
deployment, arguing that there are no longer any military objectives 
to achieve, Germany supports EUFOR remaining in place until the 
5-plus-2 agenda of objectives and conditions is implemented, 
allowing the Office of the High Representative to close down and 
transition to a EU Special Representative. 
 
 
BERLIN 00000882  005 OF 006 
 
 
30. (U) Germany spends 158 million Euros per year on EUFOR Bosnia. 
 
------------------------ 
Sudan (UNAMID and UNMIS) 
------------------------ 
 
31. (SBU) Germany currently has 32 military observers (compared to 
34 in April) taking part in the UN Mission in Sudan (UNMIS).  These 
observers monitor the implementation of the Comprehensive Peace 
Agreement.  The parliament imposed a caveat barring military 
observers from going to Darfur without prior consultation with the 
Bundestag Foreign Relations Committee's chairman and ranking 
members.  The mandate, which was extended for an additional year on 
July 2, 2009, allows for the participation of up to 75 German 
military observers.  The mandate expires on April 30, 2010.  Germany 
spends approximately 1.4 million Euros per year for its support to 
UNMIS. 
 
32. (SBU) In November 2007, the Bundestag replaced its old AMIS 
mandate, with a new mandate supporting the UN/AU hybrid mission in 
Darfur (UN Assistance Mission in Darfur, UNAMID).  This mandate was 
extended on July 2, 2009.  It authorizes the Bundeswehr to deploy 
transport aircraft and up to 200 troops in support of the UN/AU 
hybrid mission.  Currently, there is just one Bundeswehr member 
serving under mandate.  The mandate is expires on August 15, 2010. 
 
33. (U) Germany spends approximately 1.89 million Euros per year for 
its support to UNAMID. 
 
---------------------------------- 
EUSEC Democratic Republic of Congo 
---------------------------------- 
 
34.  (SBU) The Bundeswehr currently has three military personnel (no 
change since April) serving in the EU mission to the Democratic 
Republic of Congo (EUSEC), which is charged with providing advice 
and assistance on security sector reform to the government.  EUSEC 
has been in place since 2005 and currently totals 46 personnel. 
 
----------------------- 
Other minor deployments 
----------------------- 
 
35. (SBU) One military observer is seconded to the United Nation 
Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA).  The Bundeswehr has 
seconded 41 military personnel to Strategic Medical Evacuation 
(STRATAIRMEDEVAC), for which no parliamentary mandate is required, 
since it is not an armed deployment, and the stand-by aircraft are 
stationed in Germany. 
 
----------------------- 
Other force commitments 
----------------------- 
 
36. (SBU) The Bundeswehr currently provides 2,900 soldiers for 
NRF-14.  Germany provides one operational HQ of 70 personnel for the 
Czech/Slovak EU Battle Group in the second half of 2009. 
 
------------------------- 
Bundeswehr transformation 
------------------------- 
 
37. (SBU) The Bundeswehr is currently undergoing a transformation 
process, the goal of which is to be able to send up to 14,000 
soldiers to as many as five different theaters for stabilization 
missions by 2010.  The Bundeswehr will be reduced from its 
pre-transformation level of 270,000 to a final strength of 250,000 
(162,300 Army, 62,700 Air Force and 25,000 Navy).  The new 
Bundeswehr will be composed of three different groups: 35,000 for 
intervention forces, 70,000 for stabilization forces, and 147,000 
for support forces. 
 
38. (SBU) Part of the Bundeswehr's transformation is a comprehensive 
re-basing program, which is also intended to be completed by 2010. 
Transformation also includes the procurement of new equipment to 
fill capability gaps, mainly in the fields of strategic air lift, 
network centric warfare, and armored vehicles.  Due to limited 
funding (Germany spends just 1.3 percent of its GDP on defense, with 
few prospects of significant increases in the future) and defense 
industry delays (mainly EADS), the equipment side of the 
transformation is behind schedule. 
 
--------------------------------------------- 
Total Expenditure for Out-of-Area Deployments 
 
BERLIN 00000882  006 OF 006 
 
 
--------------------------------------------- 
 
39. (U) Germany spent 11.5 billion Euros on out-of-area deployments 
during the period 1992-2008.  A break-down by fiscal year, in 
millions of Euros: 
 
FY 1992     39.6 
FY 1993    213.8 
FY 1994     83.5 
FY 1995    131.1 
FY 1996    285.6 
FY 1997    254.8 
FY 1998    182.6 
FY 1999    553.9 
FY 2000  1,076.1 
FY 2001  1,191.8 
FY 2002  1,502.1 
FY 2003  1,352.8 
FY 2004  1,052.3 
FY 2005    884.3 
FY 2006    893.8 
FY 2007    910.7 
FY 2008    917.4 
 
------------------------------------------- 
Personnel Killed In Out-Of-Area Deployments 
------------------------------------------- 
 
40. (U) According to MOD, 17 military personnel have been killed in 
hostile action during out-of-area deployments since 2001.  A total 
of 76 Bundeswehr members died abroad during this time period, but 
this includes accidents, natural deaths, suicides and improper 
handling of ammunition. 
 
Year     Killed 
----     ------ 
2001         1 
2002      none 
2003         5 
2004      none 
2005         1 
2006      none 
2007         3 
2008         3 
2009         4 
 
 
BRADTKE