Germans in Afghanistan (pics)

[Berg]

German Bundeswehr army snipers with the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) open fire at a shooting range in Kunduz October 7, 2008. Chancellor Angela Merkel's cabinet agreed on Tuesday to extend Germany's participation in a NATO peacekeeping mission in Afghanistan and raise the number of troops it can send there by 1,000, a government official said.

German ISAF soldiers are seen as they patrol the outskirts of Feyzabad, east of Kunduz, Afghanistan, Friday, Sept. 18, 2009.

 

[Brass Fetcher]

Niiiice

Thanks for the pics!

 

[Berg]

A German ISAF soldier, a member of the Quick Reaction Force (QRF), checks his machine-gun prior to a mission outside Kunduz, Afghanistan, Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2009. German Chancellor Angela Merkel said the world should reserve judgment on whether civilians were killed in a German-ordered airstrike in Afghanistan, even as NATO said it believed that civilians had died in the attack.

Cool vehicle

German ISAF soldiers get ready for a mission outside Kunduz, Afghanistan, Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2009. The NATO-led force acknowledged for the first time Tuesday that Afghan civilians were killed in a German-ordered airstrike last week on two stolen fuel tankers, and the top commander appointed a team to investigate. German Chancellor Angela Merkel said Tuesday that her government won't accept premature judgments over an airstrike suspected of killing Afghan civilians but she pledged German support for a thorough investigation.

 

[paintballdude902]

what are the rifles?

 

[Berg]

HK G36 in 5.56

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heckler_&_Koch_G36

 

[Dr. Fresh]

Machine gun? That's a rifle.

 

[Jager01]

Thanks for the pics. Its nice to see that one of the original warrior cultures is back. Glad they are on our side this time.

 

[THE DARK KNIGHT]

Nice, you can grow a full beard in the bundeswher

 

[Oonzpoonz]

Germans always have such neat toys.

 

[nwilliams]

Very cool pics! Thanks for posting!

I suddenly have the urge to join the German Army

 

[akodo]

Machine gun? That's a rifle.

also seems odd to me that all the 'snipers' are using assault rifles + low magnificaiton optics.

The assault rifle being termed machinegun makes me think the captioning is done by an ignorant reporter. I wonder if the term 'sniper' is being incorrectly applied simply because the reporter/photographer saw the firearms had 'scopes' on them

 

[denfoote]

Gott segnen die deutsche Armee.

 

[Shung]

Thanks for the pics. Its nice to see that one of the original warrior cultures is back. Glad they are on our side this time.

so true !

good or bad, german soldiers made their part of History.

 

[red rick]

Looks like most of them are holding there weapons awkwardly to me.

 

[Sav .250]

Looks like they`ve got some good stuff.........

 

[Speedo66]

Glad I wasn't the one taking the photos!

A little too scary looking into those muzzles, even from the comfort of my home.

 

[PandaBearBG]

Well their rifles are a bit "chunkier" than the M4, nice pictures.

 

[HoosierQ]

Their CAMO looks pretty good relative to the terrain. I always liked CAMO...neat exercise in color.

 

[M2]

Good on Merkel, the tanker trucks incidents have been a point debate given GEN McChrystal's new COIN guidance. I am glad she is not letting it undercut Germany support for the mission in Afghanistan.

Actually, I am off to Germany tomorrow for work; I am lucky enough to go there about twice a year on business (I am a govt contractor) as it is "going home" for me (I was born in Frankfurt, my mother is German and I was stationed there for four years while I was in the service).

And if those were Americans, some shoeclerk GO would probably order them to shave!

Cheers! M2

 

[llanite]

Glad I wasn't the one taking the photos!

A little too scary looking into those muzzles

Especially considering all but one have their boogerhooker on the bangbutton!!!! Diese menschen look dangerous - to everyone around them!

 

[Kinzer]

Well, the article did say they were firing their weapons at a range. I'd imagine they'd have to at least touch the triggers, unless I'm underestimating German ingenuity.

 

[Balrog]

Thanks for the pics. Its nice to see that one of the original warrior cultures is back.

After fighting (and losing) two world wars, most of the warrior genes are now eliminated from the German gene pool.

 

[Shung]

Especially considering all but one have their boogerhooker on the bangbutton!!!! Diese menschen look dangerous - to everyone around them

what don't you simply assume the camera is triggered by a remote control ?

 

[average_shooter]

And if those were Americans, some shoeclerk GO would probably order them to shave!

My best friend did a year in Afghanistan and grew his beard out for something like 6 months. I told him to keep it until after he got home, but he wanted to look good when meeting his wife at the airport upon his return so he shaved oh his way out. I asked him about it and basically he said if you're in the right unit and/or know the right people you can get waivers on that stuff.

 

[GRIZ22]

Glad they are on our side this time.

I helped train some West German troops before the wall came down. The German troops wanted to get involved in helping the US in various NATO missions at the time but the West German government was reluctant to send any troops for fear there would be cries of "here come the Germans again". This is one of the reasons their counter-terrorist guys, GSG9, is from their border patrol (a police organization) and not the military. West German troops were also not permitted to train in some other NATO countries they occupied furing WWII. Don't know if this is still so.

US troops that are working with Afghan forces in an advisory role are usually allowed to grow beards as that's a sign of masculinity among Afghans.