Manfred Betzin was a fighter pilot in Afghanistan.
Jetzendorf's mayor knows the country very well.
After it was captured by the Taliban, he was very worried about the people there.
In passionate words, the 46-year-old gives an insight into their way of thinking.
At the same time, he sharply criticizes the behavior of German politicians.
Jetzendorf - The whole world is currently looking worriedly to Afghanistan, because very few people in this country would have dreamed that the Taliban would take one city after another at such great speed. Hence probing questions arise. Did the western military and politicians misjudge the situation? After the troops withdrew, did the mission to bring democracy to Afghanistan fail? The Dachauer Nachrichten asked the mayor of Jetzendorf, Manfred Betzin, how he sees the situation.
Before his time as mayor, Betzin (46) was a pilot in the German Armed Forces and flew reconnaissance flights in a tornado in Afghanistan in 2008 and 2009.
The retired Lieutenant Colonel does not mince words on the subject.
“Basically, it is extremely difficult to assess the current situation on site because you have too little information to get an idea of the current situation for yourself.
The reporting, however, shows us a dramatic exceptional situation in which for many people it is only a matter of survival, ”says Betzin at the outset.
His thoughts, he says, are with the citizens who lived in Afghanistan and the so-called local staff, i.e. all those who have supported the German soldiers over the past few years as interpreters, kitchen helpers, drivers or security guards.
The West was an occupier, not a savior
“From my point of view, developments in Afghanistan are by no means surprising.
When a community of many nations invades a country, as happened in Afghanistan after September 11, 2001, these troops will always be the occupiers and not the saviors.
Even if this was always conveyed that way, especially in the German media, ”says Betzin.
The population cannot or does not want to oppose the Taliban
"During the entire period of deployment, many situations have clearly shown that the own population cannot or does not want to oppose the Islamic State or the Taliban," he continues. As soon as the foreign troops withdrew from certain areas or villages, for example the operating military units whose job it was to support and protect the reconstruction of the infrastructure, schools were closed. Local police forces have disbanded.
And not only that. According to Betzin, quite a few of the police officers and soldiers trained by the international troops switched sides, which in some cases also culminated in attacks.
“Right from the start, we sent our troops to Afghanistan without any exit strategy.
Out of a misunderstood loyalty to the allies and to the Afghan people, we and many other nations have repeatedly extended an operation or given a new mandate.
From my point of view, the whole thing happened with the full knowledge that there is no real way out, or that there has never been, ”says the former fighter pilot.
You cannot impose a western worldview on all states
Instead, the West should have been clear beforehand "how we can get out of Afghanistan and what our aspirations and goals are," said the 46-year-old. Was the goal to fight terrorism, or was the goal to impose our western worldview on a state once again? Betzin: “Probably more likely the latter, and from my point of view that is the cause of the current, inevitable, dramatic situation after many years of service. We should finally break away from the claim that all states in this world must function like our democratic world. "
In his opinion, a forced overlay of democratic structures does not last, or only if it would bring immediate improvements and / or prosperity for the population, which unfortunately does not work.
Betzin: "What would we do or how would we react if an alliance of Islamic states put Sharia law on us?"
Little learned from assignments in Korea, Vietnam, Iraq or Somalia
The former pilot does not want to fundamentally question military operations, as some parties in our country are doing.
"These should and must, however, take place with a clear goal, for example the short-term fight against terrorist groups in their areas of retreat, and should not take place without any exit strategy."
For him it is astonishing and at the same time frightening how little we have learned from the military history, for example the operations of other nations in Korea, Vietnam, Iraq and Somalia.
“Even if that may sound harsh to many, a country must want and bring about changes itself and not be forced to do so.
The Afghan people must want to reform and pacify their own country, ”said the Afghanistan expert.
Large majorities accept a Sharia state
If many were to flee from an Islamic regime now, it would be sad, regrettable and at the same time astonishing, says Betzin and asks the question: Why did the Afghan military and the local police forces not or hardly defend themselves and their own people in the lurch calmly? The answer comes promptly: "One has to ask oneself whether large majorities of the Afghan population still accept a Sharia state more than the occupying powers."
Betzin thinks that there is no solution to the messed up situation.
But: “It cannot be a solution to bring people to Europe in large numbers.
Aid cannot and must not look like this, especially because only individual states are ready to take in people. ”Instead, an attempt should be made to help the people on the borders with Afghanistan.
Above all, those people with advanced degrees and education should be ready to reform their own country and return.
The Federal President is a professional preacher and the Chancellor is silent
But Betzin's thoughts are also with those people who have lost their loved ones in Afghanistan or whose relatives have returned traumatized or wounded. Now at the latest, he believes, “our politicians should ask themselves whether it is not time to draw personal conclusions”. For him, as a former soldier, "it is more than embarrassing when you only ever see our Federal President when he appears as a professional preacher at funeral and memorial services, and when our Chancellor largely holds back".
Your own people, regardless of whether they are soldiers or civilians who you send abroad, Betzin continues, are of no interest at all, and you are happy if you have nothing to do with them.
“Sad, shameful and degrading behavior.
This was actually confirmed when our returnees from Afghanistan were not received. "
Last but not least, Manfred Betzin draws a personal conclusion: “Unfortunately it had to turn out that way.
And right now many will wonder why I was there in the first place.
Wounds will break open again and blows of fate will be provoked again.
All of this is thanks to short-sighted, haphazard and spineless political leadership. "
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