German Minister Resigns Over Afghan Airstrike

[mcablue]

Source: New York Times

November 27, 2009

By NICHOLAS KULISH
BERLIN — A top German official in Chancellor Angela Merkel’s cabinet, Franz Josef Jung, resigned Friday, saying he accepted “political responsibility” for accusations that the military withheld information on an airstrike in Afghanistan in September that killed civilians as well as insurgents.

The announcement by Mr. Jung, 60, who was defense minister at the time of the strike, added to the disquiet in political and military circles here after the resignations of two other high-profile figures in the Berlin defense establishment on Thursday.

Mr. Jung resigned as labor minister less than a day after standing before the German Parliament to defend his role in the widening controversy over the deadly bombing.

Calls for his departure grew louder after his speech, and at a news conference in Berlin on Friday Mr. Jung bowed to the growing pressure from opposition politicians and a sharply critical German press.

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/28/world/europe/28german...

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Italy and Germany have set good examples by convicting people involved in extraordinary rendition and holding this man accountable, in that order. These are actions we should strive to match.

Today's news is not to be confused with the resignation of the armed forces chief yesterday over the same scandal, also in Germany.

[Arctic Dave]

1. They only killed a hundred of the wrong people. Talk about the small time.

We've tens of thousands, do you see us caring?






















Sarcasm.

[Sinti]

2. K&R and welcome to DU mcablue :) n/t

[harlfxstc]

3. I saw an interview with Afganson at the location and they didn't have a problem with the hit.

The Afghans they interviewed, granted it was their opinion, said most of the people gathered were taliban and those that were not were helping the taliban free the trucks. The fuel would have been sold to help fund the Taliban's attacks on the allies and the AFghan people.

[ShortnFiery]

5. Newsflash: The Taliban did not attack us on 9/11. We are injecting ourselves into an UNHOLY ...

Civil War. Supporting The Mayor of Kabul's Government, one each, Hamid Karzai.

[harlfxstc]

6. Civil war? The Taliban controlled Afghanistan after 9/11; all we did was take them out when

they refused to turn over Bin Laden. I don't have a problem with taking out a group controlling a country that tears down schools, forces women to remain indoors, executes people simply accused of adultery, refuses to turn over the 9/11 brain, etc.

I do have a problem with allowing such a group to regain power in Afghanistan.

[ShortnFiery]

4. Wow, if only high ranking officials in the USA would take responsibility like those

have within the German Government?

Who RESIGNED due to the Tillman Lies and Cover-ups?

Who RESIGNED due to Abu Graib?

Who Resigned due to GITMO Torture by the CIA, et. al.?

Who Resigned due to the Afghanistan BOMBING of the Wedding Party?

Etc. Etc. Etc.

American AUTHORITIES rarely, if every, take responsibility ... and that's UNSAT!