Berlin, September 15, SPA -- German Chancellor Angela Merkel appealed to Germans in her weekly online video message Saturday to support German troops deployed in war-torn Afghanistan. "There is no alternative," she said, amid continuing criticismfrom opposition parties, which have called for a partial or completepullout of Germany's biggest force abroad from the conflict. She said the issue was not just the welfare of the Afghan peopleHowever, Germany's own security as well. Foreign troop deployments require regular votes of approval fromthe German parliament. The mandates for the peacekeepers and forces backing the war against the Taliban come up for renewal in October and November. "We must not leave Afghanistan to the terrorists again," saidMerkel. "Instead Afghanistan had to be helped to establish robustGovernment institutions."--SPA www.spa.gov.sa/482863