Germany’s government has recommended pulling the Bundeswehr from the Incirlik air base. Defense Minister Ursula von der Leyen said earlier that the troops at Incirlik could be moved from Turkey to a base in Jordan, Deutsche Welle reports.
Germany’s cabinet on Wednesday recommended pulling troops from the Incirlik air base in Turkey. The Bundeswehr has about 280 military personnel stationed at Incirlik, from where they fly Tornado surveillance missions over Syria and refueling flights for partner nations in the coalition against the Islamic State (IS).
Ahead of the meeting, Bundestag deputies sought to remind the cabinet that parliament has the last word on military deployments. “In all circumstances, the Bundestag, which has the relevant authority, must consider the new situation,” Hans-Peter Bartels, the parliamentary ombudsman for the armed forces, told the RND newspaper group for reports published on Wednesday.
A majority of deputies, including Greens and the legislators for the ruling Christian Democrats and their junior coalition partners, the Social Democrats, support moving the troops from Turkey to a nearby location. The Left would like to see the Bundeswehr pull out entirely of its mission against IS.
