File photo of a German Bundeswehr army soldier of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) instructing Afghan National police men during their drill in the German army camp in Feyzabad, north of Kabul, September 21, 2008. It would be a mistake to set a concrete date for the withdrawal of German troops from Afghanistan because it could encourage the Taliban, Chancellor Angela Merkel said January 27, 2010. Germany on Tuesday outlined a news strategy for its role in Afghanistan, saying it would send at least 500 extra soldiers there and nearly double its civilian aid to help create the conditions to start a withdrawal from next year. (Reuters/Daylife)

File photo of German Bundeswehr army soldiers of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) instructing Afghan National police men during their drill in the German army camp in Feyzabad, north of Kabul, September 21, 2008. German Chancellor Angela Merkel's cabinet approved the deployment of a maximum of 850 additional German troops to Afghanistan February 9, 2010.