Early Afghan pullout would be worse than 9/11: Merkel [View All]

Source: Agence France-Presse

BERLIN -- Leaving Afghanistan too soon would be "far more disastrous" than 9/11 due to the risk of extremists acquiring nuclear materials, Chancellor Angela Merkel said Thursday, defending an unpopular mission.

"The international community went in together, and we will pull out together. If we do not then the consequences, I am convinced, would be far more disastrous than the results of the September 11, 2001 attacks," Merkel said.

"Just looking at the map makes this clear. Right next door to Afghanistan is nuclear-armed Pakistan, and we have to assume that another neighbour, Iran, is also doing everything it can to become a nuclear power," she said in parliament.

In a spirited defence of the deployment following the deaths of seven German soldiers this month, Merkel noted that a recent conference organised by US President Barack Obama had agreed that "nuclear terrorism is one of the world's biggest security dangers."

Read more: http://rawstory.com/rs/2010/0422/afghan-pullout-worse-911-merkel/