Source: BBC
Should Germany become a major military power? And will it happen?
With Vladimir Putin destabilising the east, Middle Eastern and Asian conflicts spurring new migration into Europe, and Donald Trump questioning US commitment to NATO, Germany has good reason to feel insecure.
Chancellor Merkel told Germans in May that “we must fight for our future ourselves as Europeans”. German troops have been deployed in locations ranging from Lithuania to Afghanistan and Mali. And Merkel has promised to raise German defence spending.
But Germany and its Chancellor face a fundamental problem. Most Germans are very reluctant to go down this road.
They regard their own army with suspicion – an attitude reinforced by a recent scandal involving the Bundeswehr. Foreign deployments are tightly restricted by German law and parliament.
Above all, attitudes are shaped by the shadow of history.
Categories: Europe, Europe and Australia, European Union, Germany
Gone are the days to win with weapons. It is an era to win hearts and minds with love and peace all around. Currently Germany is in lead to do so. Better would be to boost the economy of poor nations rather than spending on defense against so called super powers. Hope sanity will prevail with German leaders.