Ministers decline Afghanistan inquiry

Former Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen and former ministers Per Stig Møller and Søren Gade have declined or not found time to participate in an independent inquiry into Denmark’s involvement in Afghanistan. The Danish Institute for International Studies (Diis) is conducting the inquiry, commissioned by all political parties except the New Right in 2021, to learn from the involvement and understand how the Taliban regained power. The effort ended chaotically as the Taliban retook power in August 2021 after a two-decade war and significant civil and military efforts. The participation of these key decision-makers was expected to support the inquiry’s written material. Rasmussen’s firm communicated a willingness to interview if a suitable time is found, while Møller and Gade refused, suggesting prior statements be used instead. Their reluctance has drawn criticism for evading accountability for the war’s consequences.