Tuesday, July 20, 2010

Intercultural Mission Advisors

Newsletter 2010/07/15 - Intercultural Mission Advisors

BERLIN/MAYEN/TUBINGEN (Own report) - The Bundeswehr's psychological warfare department is recruiting engineers, development aid personnel and journalists for combat operations in Afghanistan. A "profound understanding" of the Afghan "cultural landscape" is demanded of applicants. "Civilian advisors" who have "lived at the Hindu Kush for several years" are in particular demand. The so-called intercultural mission advisors (IEB) are under direct command of German combat commanders. They are required to establish informational networks within the indigenous population and win over Afghan disseminators for the occupation forces' propaganda. Following their Afghanistan mission, the IEBs must remain at the disposal of - not closer defined - "civilian and military authorities" for an exchange of information. This formulation suggests that they will also be debriefed by intelligence services. In the past, Bundeswehr soldiers were already being prepared for combat operations with "intercultural training". Running parallel to this development, authorities of German agencies of repression are advertizing for scholars in Islamic studies and ethnologists. The recruitment of civilian experts is being facilitated by the fact that IEB veterans will receive teaching positions at German universities.

more
http://www.german-foreign-policy.com/en/fulltext/57863