The Associated Press

Tue, Oct 7, 2008 (4 a.m.)

Chancellor Angela Merkel's Cabinet voted Tuesday to extend Germany's military mission in Afghanistan for 14 months, a German official said.

The decision keeps the German military in Afghanistan until after next year's national elections in Germany. The official was present for the decision but spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss it ahead of an official announcement.

With the new mandate, the ceiling for the number of German troops serving with the NATO-led international force is expected to increase this year by 1,000 to 4,500. There are currently about 3,300 German troops in Afghanistan, most in the relatively calm north.

Some 40 countries contribute troops to the 47,600-strong ISAF mission, led by the United States with some 18,000 troops and Britain with more than 8,000. Germany is the third largest contributor, but has been criticized for not sending its troops to the volatile south.

The extension needs approval by the lower house of parliament, where Merkel's coalition holds a commanding majority. The issue is to be debated later Tuesday.

The Afghanistan mission is generally unpopular in Germany, and some politicians have been talking of setting a date for an exit strategy.

But Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier warned ahead of the debate it was "not very responsible to wave exit dates around."