Taliban to Germany: Leave Afghanistan or lose Oktoberfest
The insurgents' threat to bomb the famous festival is apparently meant to weaken Germany's resolve for the fight in Afghanistan. It follows similar warnings issued by the Taliban and Al Qaeda ahead of Sunday's elections.
By David Montero | Correspondent 09.28.09
The Taliban have a new target: beer and bratwurst.
In perhaps their most bizarre threat to date, Taliban insurgents in Afghanistan have threatened to bomb the Oktoberfest festival in Munich, Germany, which attracts millions of visitors ever year, along with several landmark buildings and government officials.
The threats, while perhaps farfetched, follow a series of warnings from the Taliban and Al Qaeda and underscores a concerted effort by the insurgents to weaken Germany’s resolve for the fight in Afghanistan.
Germany has responded by banning all air flights over Munich for the rest of the 16-day festival, which ends Oct. 4.
The threats were delivered in a series of videotapes issued by the Taliban on Friday, the Guardian reported. One features a German-speaking militant named Ajjub.
The videos coincide with a recent warning to Germany issued by Osama Bin Laden, delivered in Arabic with German subtitles, as The Christian Science Monitor reported.
In fact, for the past two weeks, in the runup to Germany’s elections on Sunday, the Taliban and Al Qaeda have issued several messages, as Germany’s Deutsche Welle news service reports.
No less than five threatening messages have surfaced recently, including a message from al Qaeda’s Osama bin Laden – complete with German subtitles – demanding that Europeans leave Afghanistan.
Whether the Taliban have the capacity to carry out an international terrorist attack remains to be seen. To date, their attacks have all taken place in Afghanistan, or in Pakistan by related militant groups.
The messages are meant to play upon deep divisions in Germany between the government and the public over the war in Afghanistan. Germany has 4,200 troops in Afghanistan, and 35 have been killed since 2002. Most political parties are committed to continuing the mission. But public support for the war effort has flagged, and took a particular dive after a September airstrike in Afghanistan – called in by German troops and executed by American planes – left dozens of civilians dead. Polls suggest that the German public wants to reduce or pull out altogether its troops on the ground.
Noting that dismay, German political parties tried to keep the Afghan mission out of political debates, reports Radio Free Europe. But now that the elections are over, the debate is likely to return to the fore.
In an editorial last week, the Christian Science Monitor advised:
<< Twitter, Facebook help Philippines flood survivors flee | Main“[I]f NATO wants to avoid “going wobbly” (to use a phrase of Margaret Thatcher’s), [German Chancellor Angela Merkel] and others – including President Obama – will have to bring their publics around. Or follow them on a risky retreat.
Comments
2. berlinerstrasse | 09.28.09
Yeah, that’s pretty much it. The German left-wing party “Die Linke” wants to leave Afghanistan as soon as possible. Usually I know the statement “immediately”, but a friend told me that they now said it could need one or two years.
However, the other parties all want to stay there much longer. Somehow they’re right because they can not leave the insecure government alone now, but on the other hand I am also wondering how we as Western world can say that our democracy was the best and therefore force them to use it.
Wouldn’t the people of Afghanistan have risen somewhen to revolt against the Taliban and then it would have ended? I mean Eastern Germany was able to do this in 1989 and somehow we also came from the Middle Ages with king and local rulers to a government (which was then destroyed by the Nazis and rebuilt by the Allied troops).
4. Lee | 09.28.09
Ah ! So the Christian Science Monitor feels that leaving the killing fields where the Russians were bogged down for 10 years and the US has been bogged down for 6 years, LEAVING is risky. Not staying but LEAVING.
5. plaidsportcoat | 09.28.09
The Taliban was the government of Afghanistan that allowed Al Qaeda to take root in Afghanistan. The Taliban never had plans to take over the world. Now, after Iraq, and after the USA FUNDED Al Qaeda for years to help them kick ruskis out of Afghanistan, NOW, thanks to the USA, Al Qaeda was so well funded that it got a big head start and NOW - it’s getting the Taliban of Afghanistan to have the hegemonic tendencies it did NOT have before.
6. tropicgirl | 09.28.09
This is fake. There was no threat to Oktoberfest. Someone is having you on. Get real. Probably connected to their election.
7. Hurrb | 09.28.09
Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan and Pakistan — we should rope them off and charge admission while they wipe each other out. If cars could run on beer, the lot of them wouldn’t be worth the bones of a Pomeranian grenadier. Good old Otto.
8. Spike11b | 09.28.09
Guess it worked in Spain with the bombings, it changed the entire election.
Will it work in Germany?
9. Pat Tillman | 09.28.09
Why is Germany there at all?
If NATO, since when
does .af border the Atlantic?
Why is Germany following the US empire’s
rabid foreign adventures?
Why does Germany think that it does not deserve
what Al Q will pay it back?
10. David | 09.28.09
What most people don’t understand is that our war is not against Islam. The people performing these acts of carnage are not Muslims. Homicide bombings and killing of non-combatants is anti-islamic.
They may claim to be Islamic, but look at the fruit of their spirit. They are using Islam to further their own ends, not that of Islam.
This needs to put out into the public awareness.
11. panda | 09.28.09
bceause kiliin is okay over there is the only reson everything is still going on
12. james baker is not gay | 09.28.09
Yah Horse Dung. Germany doesn’t give a Cheney about alledged Taliban threats.
This story is just more terrorism brought to you courtesy of lazy
journalism and the congressional need to renew elements of the Patriot Act.
13. blarg! | 09.28.09
It’s probably a real bad idea to threaten the beer supply in Germany, least of all during Oktoberfest… If they really did make such a threat, they better watch out! I’ve seen a documentary on this stuff (Beerfest) and i can tell you, they take their beer pretty seriously!!
14. acudoc | 09.28.09
The ideology of the Taliban and al Qaeda (former allies, might I remind you) will not be defeated by guns and war.
The goal of Islam is not total domination. Lumping all Muslims with the Taliban serves only politicians and bankers, whose stock in trade is war and profit from suffering. The Christians who actively pursue Armageddon do not accurately represent all of Christianity.
True Christians, Jews, and Muslims get along very well with each other. It’s time for those people to stand up and say “No more violence against my brother!”
15. paintbox | 09.28.09
I don’t know what al Qaeda is thinking. Last time the world pissed off germany we had the largest full scale global war and tons of other unmentionables. Trust me, just let them have their beer and bratwurst and everyone will be fine.
16. bryan | 09.28.09
germany’s election is over. this was written after the results. so im not sure why people are speaking about that.
18. Chuck Dover | 09.28.09
plaidsportcoat: Yes USA is the root of all world problems, even though they have only been around a couple hundred years.
Any bombing of civilian justified by US actions against the people who attacked the US first is asinine. US sat by while Taliban enslaved there women and blew up ancient Buddhist art. You brought the blood on your own heads with you actions.
US does not respond to threats, and I down the German people will either. (it only strengthens our resolve)
19. Albatros | 09.28.09
Zu Kommentar von “Berliner Strasse”: Mein Gott, wie gut die Umerziehung gelungen ist! Dass jemand wirklich glauben mag, die Ex-Gegner haetten uns befreit und uns “unsere Regierung” zurueckgegeben, ist wahrlich bemerkenswert blauaeugig. Weiter so, damit Deutschland bluehe im Glanze dieses Glueckes!
20. Dark1 | 09.28.09
The Taliban per se have no desire to conquer the world. However, countries like Iran and many of the heretical muslim schools and people DO. It is quite clearly stated as the end goal. To have but one faith worldwide. Included in this is Sharia Law. Of course there would be only one religion allowed. Islam. Anyone with any different faith would not be tolerated… Just killed. I do not make this up. I wish I did. We dare not give in to either their threats or even their actions. The civilized world needs to stand up to this. Not the way Englishmen did before world war 2 when after reaching an agreement with Hitler, were surprised that he actually renigged on the deal. We must wake up and stand up to this enemy. This IS a fight to the finish whether we admit it or not.
21. zarathustra | 09.28.09
Only an evil mind is capable of threatening a beer party.With theses threats,you can see why the Taliban/Alqaeda are evil without a doubt.Thus it is duty of every good person to oppose evil and defeat it as much as possible.If you read islamic writings,you will see islam is indeed against music and beer and you will see that islam is indeed the product of an evil mind;and thus,it deserves to be defeated as islam is indeed against liberty and because there is no liberty in islamic countries,many of them flee to places like Germany ,US,ETC.
22. Tmiller | 09.29.09
Here’s the deal al Qaeda and the Taliban play by no rules. They have killed more innocent people world wide for one thing, world domination through religion. We need to play the game the same way. There should be death squads shadowing and killing their leasdership and soilders any where in the world as we speak. The object to war is to win, not to negotiate. And that means use all resources at our disposal. If that requires using tactical nuclear weapons then so be it. They would not hesitate to do so themselves. Using such weapons would limit the area to clear on foot. If the population won’t help us fight for their own freedom, then their part of the problem. Needless to say the enemy won’t have place to plan attacks abroad. They attack and kill innocent people!!! Thats what they do!!! This is kill or be killed!!!! Wake up!!!!
23. jop | 09.29.09
I asked my friend about last day on Oktoberfest.
He asked back; Why should Al Quida idiots want all muslims being killed here?
24. Just my opinion. | 09.29.09
Well, that makes sense jop. Because I feel confident when I say that if any radical muslim group kills German civilians, on German soil, they would create a huge backlash on their own kind in that country. Germans have no qualms regarding revenge. Period. No offense, but they are very different people than the Spanish.
25. richard potter | 09.29.09
The world cannot move forward with the threats to international peace by extremist organizations. The United Nations Securtiy Council should have an immediate response to these threats (NUTS.
26. Sameer | 10.01.09
If we look at the world event in the last two decades, we see plenty of terror acts carried out by the so called Islamic militant. From event such 1991 world trade center bombing to 9/11 in 2001 we can find one thing in common, No Afghans has ever been involved in such act. Yes, we may have had the Taliban or the seven viscous and power hungry function who were all was foreign imports for a proxy war but we never been engaged in any terror act outside Afghanistan. However it seems it can be change too.
The German government increased the terror level during October fest in Munich, claiming that the Taliban are trying to attack Germany. I seriously laughed when I heard it, but it seems many people bought it very well. Well, as some old Marxist philosophers argue the in the capitalism society reaches to really stupid level. Not wrong, when people get to spend money in order to find out about an ignorant celeb who know noting but drug and sex, of course they would believe what they are told.
Let’s see some facts. German troops were in Afghanistan since 2001. They were leading Isaf troops for six months. They are now in the north of Afghanistan where it is mostly peaceful. Taliban always threatened all the western troops including their arch enemy the Americans troops to leave or face the consequences. However they never threatened to bomb US, or UK. In fact it is claimed by the United Nation that 50% of the suicide bombers in Afghanistan are foreign fighter whom belong to Al Qaida. Any one who is fairly aware of the Afghan politics would know that the Taliban leadership would not even know about the October fest, yet it is claimed by one of the biggest powerful country in the world that Taliban want to attack October fest.
So what is going on? Why would the Taliban issue such so called terror warning now? Beside Afghans are the people who try to fight you face to face, not hide and shoot.
Germany had troops since 2001, so why suddenly Taliban are talking about it now? Or I guess they woke up one day and looked at the map and said “ OK, here is Germany and we need to bomb it.” and it is co incidentally during German Election, where the rule party’s move to be in Afghanistan it very largely unpopular.
German claim is based on a Taliban video apparently showing Taliban threatening to attack Germany. It can not be role out, or either some people trying hard to stop Germany polling out Afghanistan or some politicians are secure their post but at the end as usual we the Afghans loss. Not only, hundreds of us are killed in aerial bombardment every day but we got a new title “The new terrorist. Well done the West
27. Macky | 10.04.09
I was in Octoberfest last night, and yes I’m muslim! And I effing loved it! Taliban and AlQeada is fooliish!
Trackbacks/Pingbacks
1. Twitter Trackbacks for Taliban to Germany: Leave Afghanistan or lose Oktoberfest | csmonitor.com [csmonitor.com] on Topsy.com | 09.28.09
2. Munich Cordons Off Oktoberfest, Two Islamic Extremists Held - MassCops - Massachusetts Law Enforcement Network | 09.28.09
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1. Dwight Messner | 09.28.09
This underscores the connection between the Taliban and Al Queada where they can no longer be saparated. It must be all out war against both. Any government that bargains in “good faith” with a Muslim is lead by fools. The goal of Islam is total domination, and in their eyes time is on their side.