under the carpet it is closely 
Berlin. of Defense is currently using the no longer to clear up. The black-red-gold flag in the back to Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg at noon on Thursday in Berlin a few reporting teams and promises to "fully investigate". Immediately, he must double his ministry in unpleasant incidents comment that "of course" to Consequences could result: mutiny allegations on the sail training ship "Gorch Fock" and inconsistencies after the death of a soldier in Afghanistan. Barely 24 hours since it is ago that the CSU-politician also had announced before a television camera "immediate" investigation. It was about the field post of the Bundeswehr soldiers in Afghanistan, which must have been open on her way home from anyone.
Two days, three bad news - it's not a pretty picture that gives the army in those days. And it's an image that threatens to rub off on the defense. The most popular member of the Cabinet under pressure.
Since helps Once it little that Guttenberg reacted quickly at first sight. No sooner had the unpleasant reports in the world, he went to the public. But the hands-demonstrative appearance, trying to maintain the minister since he took office, protects him, as in the Kunduz affair not of critical questions: Does Guttenberg known earlier about the incidents, but kept silent? Or has the chief executive can not control his troops?
The opposition now speaks of the suspicion of the "cover-up" and "secrecy" and wants to invite the Minister of the defense committee. There he will take all three incidents position. Guttenberg is "trying as always to keep things from themselves," SPD-criticized defense expert Rainer Arnold. "The man has his shop not under control", Omid Nouripour etched from the Green Group. Left-defense politician Paul Schaefer asks Guttenberg, comply with his "Bring guilt" for transparent information to the Parliament.
Not only the opposition parties to shoot up now to Guttenberg. The FDP deputy Elke Hoff accuses the army "leadership failures" before and calls on the Minister to do more to democratic structures within the force. In the shelter of anonymity can be of some liberals to ridicule run free. "The job of a minister includes not just nuclear, but also hard labor," states from leading FDP parties with a view of the Afghanistan visit in which settled for Guttenberg accompany a talk show on the spot by TV presenter Johannes B. Kerner.
the coalition partner has no objection to get the radiant image of the favorite minister of the German a few scratches - as a kind of revenge. Finally, Guttenberg had last like taunting Foreign Minister and FDP leader Guido Westerwelle by its exit strategy from Afghanistan in late 2011 publicly questioned.
The strained relationship between foreign and defense ministers in Union circles nourishes least a suspicion: Apparently, some wanted in connection with named Guttenberg give the impression that chaos prevails in the Bundeswehr. It refers to the Union that all cases were from military officers of parliament, the FDP politician Hellmut Royalty triggered. "It is at least very remarkable that the accumulation of temporally disparate cases just now appearing," says Union circles. Perhaps the military officer had used his independence in order to damage Guttenberg one. When the Liberals has to suspect that vehemently.
What is it specifically in the three cases?
- makes Guttenberg Since Wednesday to create the "Gorch Fock" affair. A report of the Commissioner According to rule on the sail training ship of the Navy appalling situations: from massive intimidation of the cadets is talk even of sexual harassment of cadets. Public was only now, after soldiers surveys after last November, a soldier fell from a mast on the deck and died. After that it should have come on the ship to fierce clashes. Meanwhile, the "Gorch Fock" canceled their planned trip and has entered into an Argentine port, where the Navy investigators come on board to the "serious allegations" educate.
- The case of German soldiers in December in an outpost the army camp in Pol-e-Chomri died, raises new questions. The accusation against the armed forces - and thus their top employer: cover-up. For obviously the soldier came not, as initially reported by a shot from own gun died accidentally while cleaning the disbanded. Now details of the investigation report of the Military Police have been known according to which the soldier may have been killed while fooling around with weapons, when a shot from the gun of a fellow solved. The prosecution Gera - the deceased soldier was part of a Thuringian unit - now under investigation for manslaughter.
- And then there's the matter with Post of the field is that over the past three months, letters from soldiers appear to have been opened in large numbers and systematically "to be - it is certainly in a further report of the Commissioner Royalty. Accordingly, letters came from the Afghan army camp Mazar-i-Sharif "in the home to some with content, but open, sometimes without content". Here, too, is running an internal investigation.
particularly the case of the dead soldiers for Guttenberg is extremely delicate. For obviously his house had been recently informed of the new findings from the Operational Command. And like the fall of Kunduz, it goes back to a military police report, which might was retained.
this time so it is serious for Guttenberg, the hitherto untouchables? Did he actually held back information? Or does the minister who enters public like to research for information and transparency, painfully discover that in the Bundeswehr apparatus still has a penchant for there to conceal rather unpleasant - if necessary even against the top employer.
In the Union we trust the time being to Guttenberg's educational work. You are allowed to be that the attacks will fall flat on the minister. "All who have tried in the past to attach Guttenberg something had to discover later that he was then more popular than before, "says the group head Or so was now in fact the unwritten Guttenberg rule
but also applies in politics:.. rules not hold forever
