Former German Chancellor Angela Merkel was the last witness to testify before a parliamentary inquiry into Germany’s military role during the 2021 Western withdrawal from Afghanistan. She described the hasty exit as a “terrible failure.”
Merkel, who was in office during the chaotic withdrawal, recalled how she was briefed about the worsening situation in Kabul after returning from vacation in August 2021. She authorized the evacuation of German troops the following day as the Taliban approached Kabul, and Afghan President Ashraf Ghani fled the city shortly after.
When asked about the German government’s preparedness for such an event, Merkel admitted that Ghani’s flight surprised everyone, including the United States. She emphasized that no one expected the country to be without a president so suddenly.
Reflecting on the broader failures in Afghanistan, Merkel acknowledged the international community’s shortcomings, particularly in areas like the rule of law and women’s rights. She cited corruption, nepotism, and drug trafficking as major contributing factors to the failure of the mission.
While Merkel did not fully condemn the US-led intervention, she defended Germany’s initial support for the military operation after the 9/11 attacks, stating that the hope of quashing the terrorist threat at the time was “well founded.” The German inquiry, which has questioned 111 witnesses over two years, concluded with Merkel’s testimony.
