GER politics thread [Archive] - Page 8 - SUBSIM Radio Room Forums

Skybird

11-17-22, 04:17 AM

The Neue Zürcher Zeitung fires this cruise missile of a comment on Berlin, and it impacts right on target:
----------------------------------

Berlin is a symptom of everything that is wrong with Germany

Neglect, bad education policy and now invalid elections: In the German capital, the entire vote for the House of Representatives must be repeated. Three lessons can be learned from this.

In the city-state of Berlin, the recent state elections, which here are called elections for the House of Representatives, must be repeated by order of the state constitutional court. Completely. Within 90 days. The conduct of the election on September 26, 2021 was a spectacular disaster with traffic chaos, missing ballots and completely different opening hours of polling stations.

Berlin's governing mayor Franziska Giffey (SPD) had the chutzpah to announce on Twitter on Wednesday that there would be no more "a flawed election like last time" with her. Yet it was her Red-Green-Red Senate that was responsible for the election debacle - as well as many other abysses of Berlin's urban politics.

It's not that there haven't been mistakes in determining election results in Germany before, though quite rarely, in 2009 in Schleswig-Holstein, for example, or in 2018 in Hesse. But never before has there been such a feeling, in the face of the hubris and sausage-making of an election administration, that it might be better in the future to call in OSCE election observers.

The dysfunctionality of the German capital is not just a Berlinalie, it is a portent for the entire country. For everything that, due to negligence, decision-making fear and party-political internal orientation, no longer functions as it actually corresponds to the German self-image.

This starts with Berlin Brandenburg Airport (BER), which was supposed to have opened in 2011 and was not completed until 2020. Today, it already looks like a redevelopment case and does not even begin to do justice to the number of passengers it can handle. And it is - as the capital's airport! - is anything but a hub for international air traffic.

This continues with a Berlin judicial policy that sets limits neither on climate extremists or squatters nor on clan crime or open drug trafficking.

Berlin sees itself as social, cosmopolitan and diverse - but an overburdened, structurally overstrained administration produces precisely not socially desirable conditions. During the refugee crisis of 2015/16, while "Refugees welcome" was posted on billboards, desperate refugees camped out for days in undignified conditions in front of Berlin's State Office for Health and Social Affairs (Lageso) until they were even given a place to stay.

Long-term integration is handled just as laxly as the initial reception of refugees: In some Berlin schools, more than 80 percent of the children do not speak German. There is no convincing plan to change that. Anti-Semitism and verbal abuse of children of German origin who eat their break bread even in Ramadan are not isolated cases.

In the nationwide performance ranking of schools, Berlin is far behind. The fact that its universities continue to enjoy the greatest popularity is due less to their academic level than to the fact that Berlin is Germany's undisputed party capital. That, after all.

The city is failing to tackle the neglect in the districts and in its actually grandiose showcase park Tiergarten. It has no recognizable concept for combating homelessness, begging, and wild dumping of bulky waste. It accepts the desolation of the city centers and even promotes it - by consistently destroying parking space. In large areas of Berlin's center, investor-driven but without comprehensible urban planning, the ghettos of tomorrow are emerging.

Neglected infrastructure, massive traffic problems, failed integration, poor education policies: these are all plagues that are also being dealt with in Duisburg-Marxloh or Hamburg-Billbrook. But in Berlin, the undesirable developments are as clearly visible as under a burning glass. The election catastrophe of 2021 now calls into question the most important, highest principle of any democracy: that elections are indeed equal, always, everywhere.

There are three lessons to be learned from this. First, Germans should be a bit more careful when lecturing other European countries like Hungary or Poland about their democratic processes. Second, those who don't think the Berlin disaster is a bad thing should stop hypocrisy about the supposedly deplorable abstention rate in Germany (recently 45 percent in state elections). Obviously, it is not the case that every vote counts after all.

Third: If the state election in Berlin is completely inadmissible according to the court ruling - how can the federal election held on the same day (and just as flawed) stand?
--------------------------------------

Skybird

11-17-22, 05:47 AM

The situation in Berlin is so stupid that I only now realize how stupid it actually is: it is not only about the repetition of the election to the Berlin House of Representatives, which has to be repeated in its entirety, but also about a partial repetition of the Bundestag election, which was held at the same time last time. But there are legal regulations which mean that the repeated election to the Bundestag could be delayed in time, and if there are legal objections to this, it could be delayed until well into the year 2024. Several members of the Bundestag who see their mandate in jeopardy, as well as party members who see the current power structure between the parties in jeopardy, have already announced their intention to do so in order to somehow save themselves over the legislative period.

In any case, the Berliners will have to repeat not one but TWO elections, and at different times - and many months, even years, and even almost a legislative period later.

The whole monkey circus is so - well, yes how is it? So German it is, I would say.

But wanting to lecture other countries about God and the world. :har:

mapuc

11-17-22, 09:42 AM

Your German newspapers description about Berlin is a common thing around the world-Reading it is like reading a local newspaper in Denmark or Sweden where they talk down about their capital.

I call it the Capital syndrome

When I lived in Sweden-Stockholm was terrible while Copenhagen and even Berlin was great cities to visit.
In Denmark - Copenhagen was terrible, while Oslo, Stockholm and Berlin was great cities to visit.

Markus

Skybird

11-18-22, 06:25 PM

The state, your worst enemy. The Neue Zürcher Zeitung writes:
-----------------------------------
Cold-called BSI president: Did Arne Schönbohm get caught in the gears of power?

German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser wants to keep security loopholes open and use them, among other things, to monitor citizens. The cybersecurity agency doesn't want that.

When a senior official is removed from a top position, what you see is often not what actually happens. Arne Schönbohm was recently placed on forced leave as president of the Federal Office for Information Security (BSI). Germany's Social Democratic Interior Minister Nancy Faeser chastised him for "damaged trust."

"What you see" was three events earlier. On Oct. 7, comedian Jan Böhmermann's program on public radio scandalized the alleged "closeness to Russia" of an association Schönbohm had founded before his tenure. The contents of the broadcast were old news. The second: On October 8, all train traffic in northern Germany was cancelled due to a targeted attack on two neuralgic points of the railroad infrastructure. Public discussion now turned to the security of the country's "critical infrastructure" and "cybersecurity." On Oct. 10, the interior minister barred Schönbohm from conducting official business and banned him from speaking. Cybersecurity is the BSI's core business.

Schönbohm did not let himself be disposed of quietly, however, but demanded disciplinary proceedings against himself. After all, he is convinced that there is nothing against him. And "trust" may be a valid reason for dismissal in the case of political officials, but not in the case of a regular civil servant like him - that would contradict the basic ideas of German civil service law. Schönbohm's complaint is now before the Cologne Administrative Court. Since the ministry had not been able to present any case against him by the deadline last Tuesday, it has been granted an extension of the deadline until December 9.

In order to take the complaint until then the ground, the employer Faeser tries it now with a transfer - such a thing must put up with civil servants as a rule, if the procedure is kept and they come on a at least equivalent post. According to reports, Schönbohm is to become president of the Federal Academy for Public Administration in Brühl.

Of course, this is not an equivalent post, as everyone in the Interior Ministry knows. It has a lower salary and is not comparable in terms of staff, money and powers. The BSI has about 1700 posts and an annual budget of 240 million euros; in the new office there would be a mere 55 employees, and the modest budget is 3.5 million euros. The pay has now been adjusted in a rush. The idea: if the transfer is successful, Schönbohm's complaint would be groundless. At present, however, things are not looking bad for him.

So what could be the motivation for Faeser's action if there is nothing against Schönbohm? The coalition agreement of the governing coalition states that the BSI should become "more independent" of the Ministry of the Interior. The German Informatics Society (Gesellschaft für Informatik) has just called on the federal government once again to implement this. But the ministry is making no effort to do so, as the coalition partners complain.

Is there perhaps no interest at all in a more "independent" BSI in the Ministry of the Interior? The Greens' proposal to make it completely independent was not open to discussion by the SPD during the coalition negotiations. The BSI is currently kept on a short leash by the ministry.

The predecessor organization of the BSI, founded in 1991, was the Central Office for Ciphering as part of the Federal Intelligence Service. Its task was exclusively to protect the state. Over time, new tasks were added for the BSI, including the protection of citizens and the economy.

But these two tasks contradict each other: If, for example, citizens are protected from security gaps in the operating systems of their cell phones by informing the manufacturers about them, this weakens the ability of government agencies to monitor citizens using these very security gaps. But that's what Faeser intends to do, for example, with chat control.

The BSI, under a self-confident president who has repeatedly emphasized the independence of his agency, thus inevitably gets in the way of a political apparatus that has expanded the legal possibilities of open or covert state surveillance in recent years with a wide variety of justifications.

The obvious thesis is: Schönbohm was deposed because he is interfering with this. At the same time, the issues are pressing, especially in the area of cybersecurity, and everything here is connected to everything else. The coalition agreement had promised a lot, but nothing has been tackled so far, complain the opposition and digital associations alike. Faeser herself has no digital expertise, and she has not brought in any experts to change that. Her office doesn't seem to care much about the coalition agreement; it's carrying on as before.

If Nancy Faeser becomes head of government in Hesse in less than a year's time, as many expect, and if Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht then succeeds her, the lack of digital expertise will remain. Here, too, the government's proclaimed "turnaround" urgently needs to be implemented.

Schönbohm is a CDU man. He was brought in from outside in 2016. He once said that he had taken on the job in order not to always complain about the state, but to do things better. The IT scene met him with skepticism when he took office, but Schönbohm has greatly upgraded the agency and gained respect. As is often the case when someone from the outside comes into an established and ultimately politically controlled apparatus, he did not have an easy time with the ministerial staff.
Knowing vulnerabilities means power

One point of contention is how to deal with security vulnerabilities. It's important to know that the state also employs hackers inside it. The German intelligence services - i.e., BND, Verfassungsschutz, Militärischer Abschirmdienst - are allowed to commit crimes, within the scope of legal powers, of course; this serves to protect the country's internal and external security. They are allowed to keep discovered security gaps secret and exploit them.

Faeser wants to keep it that way. Vulnerabilities are to be "managed," but not fixed in conjunction with manufacturers. Security vulnerabilities give power to those who know about them. Faeser and her security agencies have an overall tendency to distrust their own people, you might say. She also wants the state Trojan, chat controls, so-called hackbacks and data retention. Schönbohm, on the other hand, wanted to report security gaps to manufacturers - so that they can be closed. This puts him in line with the IT scene.

There one sees the work of the Minister of the Interior critically. "Faeser continues to disappoint and acts populistically instead of taking concrete measures to increase IT security," says, for example, Manuel Atug, founder and spokesman for AG Kritis, a group of experts concerned with the protection of critical infrastructures. Faeser, he says, is still calling for more powers for security agencies to put citizens at risk with broken encryption: "However, all these requests weaken overall security for all of us."
----------------------------

Great. For keeping chat control to monitor unwanted opinions one actrively keeps open digital IT infrastructure prone and vulnerable to hostile as well as allies' digital spoying and sabotage operations.
But some people are wondering why I laugh about state standards for data security and do not trust governmental services.
Both the political left and right are enemies of freedom and liberty. Ther eis absolutely no differenc ebetween the two. Libertarians are their shared enemy number one - because they cannot corrupt him.

Skybird

11-21-22, 09:08 AM

:har:

The anarcho-senate in Berlin asks the OSCE to send official observers to the upcoming repetition of elections. A first in German history, AFAIK.

Jimbuna

11-22-22, 05:40 AM

Russia Banned From Munich Security Conference, Won't Be Given 'Platform'

The Munich Security Conference (MSC) is taking place in February, but Russia will not be a part of it.

Christoph Heusgen, new chairman of the conference and former German ambassador to the United Nations, tweeted Monday that Russian officials aren't invited to the 59th MSC from February 17-19 in Munich, Germany, that includes foreign and security policy debates from high-level global diplomats.

It is an event normally attended by heads of state and government, ministers and diverse voices from international organizations, the private sector and the media.

"Russian officials are not invited to #MSC2023," Heusgen tweeted. "We will not give them a platform for their propaganda. We want to discuss Russia's future with Russian opposition leaders and exiled people - THEIR voices need to be heard and amplified."

The MSC website says the 2023 event will provide "an opportunity to take stock of cohesion within the Alliance and political commitment to the rules-based international order."

"The Russian war of aggression in Ukraine, which began just a few days after the Munich Security Conference in 2022, marks a 'turning point,'" the MSC says on its website. "The war of aggression has not only caused enormous suffering in Ukraine, but has also exacerbated crises in other parts of the world."

Questions that will further come to light at the next conference will include how the world looks one year after Russia's invasion, and whether it is a harbinger of more violence supported by impunity.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken attended this year's MSC just days before the Russian invasion occurred, previously calling it an opportunity to meet with NATO allies and partners to discuss "coordinated, ongoing efforts to urge Russia to deescalate and choose diplomacy, as well as our readiness to impose severe costs should Russia further invade Ukraine."

President Joe Biden attended his first MSC in 2021 as a way to better the relationship with European partners.

Events involving Russians, as well as artists intending to perform in Russia, have dramatically altered since the invasion began February 24.

Musicians Green Day and comedian Louis C.K. canceled events in Russia, while the Met Opera and Cannes Film Festival banned artists allied with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Formula One terminated a contract with the Russian Grand Prix, and Spotify suspended both free and paid streaming subscriptions.

Reuters reported last month that Russian and Belarusian athletes will continue to be barred from skiing competitions—a ban initially designed for only the 2021-2022 season but has been extended.

Newsweek has reached out to the Kremlin for comment.
https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/world/russia-banned-from-munich-security-conference-won-t-be-given-platform/ar-AA14ody7?ocid=mailsignout&pc=U591&cvid=c8021b282afd4be3b42e920c198633a9

Skybird

11-22-22, 03:38 PM

Der Tagesspiegel:
--------------------
They are wooing frustrated conservatives: What does the new party "Bündnis Deutschland" want?

Disappointed former members of the CDU, FDP, Free Voters and AfD have come together to form a new party. The founders see a gap in the political spectrum.

Steffen Große has had an odyssey through the party landscape. In 2006, he left the CDU out of anger over the VAT increase and the eco-tax, because he "felt made fun of" as a simple member. Later, he worked on the federal board of the "Free Voters," and was chairman of a micro party called "Citizens Alliance Germany."

This Tuesday, the 55-year-old Saxon is sitting with four comrades-in-arms in the conference room of a Berlin hotel and presenting his new party: "Bündnis Deutschland". On Sunday, it was founded in Fulda, initially with 50 members. Große is the new party chairman. With the slogan "Freedom, Prosperity, Security," the project wants to fish in the conservative camp. Disappointed CDU members are among them, according to the party, as are former members of the SPD, Free Voters, FDP, AfD and LKR, the failed party of AfD founder Bernd Lucke.

A number of parties have been founded to the right of the CDU in recent years - Lucke's project, for example, or "The Blue Party" of ex-AfD leader Frauke Petry. They always sank into insignificance. And so, in the case of "Bündnis Deutschland," the question arises as to whether the project is relevant at all.

The party founders are at pains to emphasize that they are in a much better position than other start-ups. Unlike Luckes' or Petry's project, "Bündnis Deutschland" is not a "one-man show. Nor is it a split-off, but a rallying movement in the conservative camp. And it is also not a "structural quick fix. One has an office and is financed for the next two years, due to numerous donation promises of middle-class people. There is a four-digit number of people interested in joining the party.

To justify its relevance, the party commissioned an Insa survey. There, respondents were asked whether they could imagine voting for a party like "Bündnis Deutschland," which campaigned against the use of "gender language" in state institutions and public broadcasting, for tax cuts and for an affordable energy supply. Accordingly, 45 percent answered with "(rather) yes."

However, the party finds it difficult to explain what its unique selling point is in terms of content. Again and again, the founders emphasize that they want to make "reason-driven rather than ideology-driven" policies and that they are committed to an economic upswing in Germany. They also see "Alliance Germany" as "ideology-driven politics" in the CDU. Law student Jonathan Siebert, for example, resigned from the CDU after it passed a women's quota at its last party conference.

Party leader Große believes there is a "representation gap in the bourgeois sector" because the AfD drops out as a coalition partner and the citizen, no matter what he chooses, always gets a policy that is red-green. Bündnis Deutschland" also sees a gap for itself because many citizens do not trust the established parties to solve the country's problems. In order to give voters back their trust in politics, they have developed a "contract" with the voters. This contract defines what "Bündnis Deutschland" will stand for in the parliaments.

Differentiating itself from the AfD is a sensitive issue for "Bündnis Deutschland. Former members of the party, some of which are far-right, are also members of "Bündnis Deutschland. For example, Markus Scheer, who pulled the strings for the AfD behind the scenes in NRW for a long time and whom Große describes as an "organizational talent." The head of "Bündnis Deutschland" explicitly does not want to evaluate the AfD.

However, "Bündnis Deutschland" wants to prevent it from becoming a gathering place for extremists. Members of the officially disbanded far-right "wing" in the AfD, led by Björn Höcke, should not be able to become members. Every new member must go through an admissions interview. And because party expulsion procedures are difficult in Germany, every new member is first accepted for a two-year trial period.

And co-founder Sieber emphasizes that they also want to distinguish themselves from the AfD by their tone. When AfD leader Alice Weidel rails against "headscarf girls," "knife men" and "other good-for-nothings" in the Bundestag, that is a "populist and denigrating tone," says co-founder Sieber. There would be no denigration or disparagement of anyone.
Whether there are any takers for the politics offered by "Bündnis Deutschland" will soon become clear. The party wants to take part in the election for Bremen's parliament in May 2023.

-------------------------------

Skybird

11-24-22, 11:14 AM

Die Welt, short and sweet:
------------------------------------

There is something frighteningly emblematic about the key moment of the World Cup so far: the German national team comes along with grand gestures, but fails when it comes to performance. The event is reminiscent of Germany's Ukraine policy, the energy transformation and the special path it has taken with nuclear power.

--------------------------

Some used a nickname for the team in past years. They called it "die Merkel-Bubis".

Skybird

11-24-22, 12:20 PM

Die Welt:
-------------

Habeck's planned economy does not drive away the energy crisis, but prosperity

In times of crisis, Germany as a business location needs reliable guard rails. But Economics Minister Habeck is using the energy crisis to secure an ever greater role for the state. No predecessor in office has ever bent the rules of the market economy in such a way.

Astonishing news is coming out of the Federal Ministry of Economics these days. There, the costs of floating terminals for liquid gas have more than doubled. The rescue of the reeling gas giant Uniper is now expected to cost taxpayers at least 50 billion.

And the "double winter aid," i.e. bringing forward the electricity and gas price brake by two months to January 1 of next year, is driving the debt sum used to finance this subsidization of energy costs to dizzying heights. Because the state takes over finally already the December Abschlagszahlung completely. The double relief goes against the advice of the expert commission and threatens to dampen the urgently needed pressure to save on consumption.

Economics Minister Robert Habeck is a driven man in the energy crisis. The acute shortage of gas caused by the Russian war of aggression in Ukraine has made spirited state intervention unavoidable. But the Green politician is shimmying from one ad hoc measure to the next.

The economy has long since lost track of the situation thanks to the ever new interventions. And so, while companies gratefully accept all subsidies, they remain reluctant in their uncertainty to invest in the future with all their might themselves.

Because it is completely unclear where this economic policy is leading the country. There are only ambitious goals: for climate neutrality, the expansion of renewable energies, electrification or the nuclear phase-out. But a convincing strategy for Germany as a business location is missing.
Permanent subsidies as an answer to a self-inflicted supply shortage

Especially in difficult times, reliable guard rails are needed. But Habeck is using the energy crisis to give the state an ever greater role. Never before has a federal economics minister bent the rules of the market economy in such a way.

The extreme price increases for all energy sources are an expression of a shortage situation. It would be economically sensible to increase the supply as quickly as possible. Habeck is doing the opposite with nuclear power and coal. The Green also rejects fracking in Germany. And when it comes to liquefied gas imports, the minister will not acquiesce to the demands of Qatar or Canada to conclude longer-term supply contracts. Permanent subsidies in response to a self-inflicted supply shortage are financially unsustainable and harm the competitiveness of the economy.

Expanding the renewables also remains far below target. In order to accelerate the pace, Habeck is now considering government purchase guarantees. However, the fact that the German government is simultaneously threatening all electricity producers with an "excess profits tax" counteracts all expensive investment incentives. With Habeck's planned economy, it is not the energy crisis that will disappear from Germany, but prosperity.
-----------------

Vertical dive, maximum speed. Brace yourself. Impact is coming.

Skybird

11-25-22, 11:03 AM

Der Tagesspiegel:
--------------------
Military failure instead of reliable partner? Germany's turnaround is becoming a pipe burst before it has even begun

There is growing concern among politicians and experts that Germany will remain unreliable in terms of security policy. Above all, plans for rearmament fall short, they say.

"What you leave behind, you find in front of you again," is a common saying in Finland. It refers to something that you simply ignore and that eventually catches up with you.

The saying comes to mind when Finnish political scientist Minna Ålander talks about German security and defense policy. Germany's mistakes in energy, where it relied on Russia as a partner for a long time and gave little thought to security, are now catching up with the German government in the Ukraine war, she says.

Finland, which shares a 1,343-kilometer border with Russia, is different. The country has always maintained its national defense and relies on strategic foresight in security policy, Ålander explains.
The Tagesspiegel app Current news, background information and analyses directly to your smartphone. Plus the digital newspaper. Download it here for free.

"It is no secret how hard the Bundeswehr has it and where it is lacking. However, the shortcomings have become even more apparent since the war began, and one wonders: what could the Bundeswehr do when the going gets tough?"

For many Finns, it is hard to understand how such a rich, economically strong country like Germany has hardly any military capacity left, the expert lets it be known. In the context of Finland's upcoming accession to NATO, these questions take on a new poignancy when Finland and Germany, as allies, are even more closely committed to each other's security than before.

Finland's southern neighbors - the Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania - depend on NATO's alliance defense, including Germany in particular. But since Russian leader Vladimir Putin decided to attack Ukraine on Feb. 24, people there are no longer so sure that the Germans would be able to help in an emergency, Ålander says.

One question that Latvian Defense Minister Artis Pabriks also asked publicly recently is: "Can we trust Germany when it comes to defending Latvia and NATO? We are ready to die. And you?"

But it is not only in the Baltics that Germany's reputation as a reliable security partner is under scrutiny. In addition to the long list of shortcomings in the Bundeswehr, ranging from outdated equipment to technical problems, it is above all the dispute over energy dependence on Russia and the delays and U-turns in arms deliveries that are causing uncertainty abroad. Experts and observers in Germany also have doubts.

"The rhetoric of warning is slowly increasing. We see on the one hand that in Germany the time buffer for effective action is being used up. And on the other hand, we have the international partners that are absolutely needed," says Christian Mölling, research director at the German Council on Foreign Relations (DGAP).

Cooperation is not just a wish of the German government, he says, but a necessity. But this may be lost step by step, the expert explains.

According to observers, the fact that the two-percent target cannot be reached immediately with the announced 100-billion-euro special fund for the Bundeswehr, but will be "stretched out over a longer period of time," as Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht (SPD) has now announced in the Bundestag, does not exactly lead to more confidence among allies. Moreover, countries such as Poland and Finland already meet NATO's target.

The German image in Finland: unprepared, without crisis management

"What's so surprising in Finland is how unprepared Germany was caught by the war and that there was no crisis management at all - militarily and in terms of energy policy," says Minna Ålander. Her impression is that Germany reacted to events, but did not plan ahead.

The most recent example: After much toing and froing, it was decided that the three German nuclear power plants still connected to the grid would continue to run until April 2023 - "but it can already be assumed that the winter of 2024 will be worse, and what then? Energy is an essential part of security policy," says the Finnish political scientist.

Defense budget dispute

The concern that Germany will remain a military failure in addition to its hard-to-fathom energy policy is also being debated in the Bundestag these days, where the budget for the military is being discussed.
"In my view, the 2023 defense budget is indeed irresponsible, lacks ambition and perspective. Meeting the two-percent target has become a distant prospect," criticized Florian Hahn (CSU), defense policy spokesman for the CDU/CSU.

Specifically, he said, there is a lack of ammunition worth 20 billion euros, for example. "The draft budget now contains one billion euros per year for the procurement of ammunition. That means we need 20 years if we continue like this to reach the requirement," Hahn explained.
In an interview with the Bild newspaper, Eva Högl (SPD), the Bundestag's defense commissioner, also called for the ammunition depots to be completely replenished before the end of this legislative period. She is also skeptical about the announced increase in the size of the force from the current 182,000 soldiers to 203,000 men and women in uniform.
Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) had announced in May that Germany would "soon have the largest conventional army within NATO" in Europe.

Lack of understanding for armaments policy

But even if the Bundestag agreed to increase the special fund, not much would change, notes Christian Mölling. "Defense is a long-term business. Even if they allocate more money for munitions, the question is, do they manage to provide the contracts before the money expires."

"The political leadership has underestimated the complexity of defense projects and the time it takes to set them up," Mölling says. He sees a lack of understanding of how arms deals work, saying other governments before didn't really understand it either.
In general, he says, the issue of war and defense has not been seriously thought through in recent years. "Now all of a sudden you are faced with the challenge that war is in Europe. And of course the decision-makers don't have a good answer to what is best to do. The German government lacks a plan to support Ukraine and build up the Bundeswehr."

Confidence in Northern Europe is crumbling

In Finland, people just shake their heads at this, says political scientist Minna Ålander, while pointing to a difference in mentality. The existential threat posed by Russia is closer to people there, conscription and its necessity have been much discussed but not abolished and are more socially accepted. So is defense spending.

"Like a James Bond movie" This is what Finland brings to NATO militarily.
But the questions being asked there with regard to Germany are not just military ones. They are also about trust.

After all, the hesitant behavior, the unclear communication regarding Ukraine, which seemed like a weighing of the situation, baffled the north. In the Baltic NATO states, in turn, one wonders, should an attack scenario occur, "whether Germany would then also try to negotiate first, or do everything necessary from the first moment to defend the Baltics?"

Poland and the U.S. - the new best friends

The mood in Poland is similar. The country of 38.5 million people is currently arming itself massively - both internally and externally. Which is driven by the fear that Russia could extend the war to Polish territory and invade.

"Defense is a huge priority, and Poland spends a lot of money on it by its standards," Mölling says. The trees may not grow to the sky with this, but the government is prepared to invest consistently and over a long period of time, he says. The Poles are looking primarily to the U.S., which is currently their most important partner.

Conversely, the U.S. also sees Poland as a key ally. "Poland has become our most important partner in continental Europe," Politico magazine quoted a senior U.S. Army official in Europe as saying. He pointed to the crucial role Poland has played in supporting Ukraine and bolstering NATO defenses in the Baltics.

But the shortcomings are also seen in Germany. In a confidential paper first reported by Der Spiegel, Inspector General Eberhard Zorn ordered in September that the Bundeswehr must position itself more effectively for a looming conflict with Russia. Germany must live up to its "leading role in Europe," Zorn summarized in the report.

Has Germany ever had a "leading role"?

The fact that Germany now aspires to this leadership role - Olaf Scholz avoids the term, while his party leader Lars Klingbeil speaks of a "leading power" - was suggested by the chancellor's speech on the turn of the millennium on February 27.

The speech raised high expectations abroad. Minna Ålander analyzed the Finnish view that Germany was doing a U-turn and was now serious about defense. But what followed was disillusionment. Neither the NATO two-percent target would be reached, nor would the 100 billion euros in special assets be enough for an armament that was commensurate with the threat situation, says Ålander.

"The German turnaround has obviously not yet taken place where it should," comments Christian Mölling. In the case of Sweden and Finland, which want to join NATO as a result of the Russian war of aggression, the own turning point is all the more evident, he says.

Moreover, states that have been patient for a long time because they had no security policy alternatives are already looking for other partners, he said. "For Germany, time is running out."

Alternative partner: Great Britain

This is evident in Finland right now. In terms of security policy, the Nordic countries are looking to a different ally: "It has long been the case that the UK is a much more important security partner - for all the Nordic countries," says political scientist Ålander.

"While Germany is often highlighted as one of many like-minded security allies, none of the four Nordic countries see Germany as the most important European security and defense partner," according to a letter from the think tank Norwegian Institute of International Affairs. This is unlikely to change any time soon.

------------------------

Skybird

11-28-22, 09:06 AM

Its considered to be not polite tp tell somebody that one had told him so, but - I told you so.
Der Tagesspiegel:
-----------------------

The Bundeswehr is in an even worse position today than it was before the Ukraine war. Its ammunition reserves would last for two days in the event of war. Does SPD Minister Lambrecht even want combat-ready armed forces?

Do we want armed forces that can defend our country and allies? If you look at the Basic Law [German constitution, Skybird] or current surveys, the answer is clearly yes. However, if you look at the state of the Bundeswehr, doubts are warranted, because governments and the Bundestag have been running the army down for decades.

The fact that Germany's armed forces are no longer feared in Europe may be an advantage. That allies laugh at them is not so good, but it happens more and more often. Even a German battle tank is only as good as its radio communications or its ammunition supply. And when German armored infantrymen borrow stable tents from smaller countries during maneuvers because they can't get any themselves, that's bitter for them. But also embarrassing for Germany.

Now there was a "turn of the times", and after that something changed, at least in words and resolutions. Unfortunately, not in deeds. Because nine months after the beginning of the second Russian invasion of Ukraine, the Bundeswehr is just as "blank" (a word used by the army chief) as it was on February 24. It is probably even worse off because weapons and material from the Ukraine aid are not being reordered.

It is inexplicable why investments in weapons and material have been reduced in the defense budget for 2023 and why the budget of Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht (SPD) speaks more in favor of downsizing than growth. That's why the troops continue to stand still, even literally: by the beginning of October, the tight fuel budget had almost been used up. Only with all kinds of budgetary tricks could the tanks continue to be filled, as a CDU deputy found out in response to persistent questioning.

But there is a "special fund," he retorted. Yes, the parliament has approved a loan of 100 billion euros. However, the ministry had to cut the procurement list sharply because interest, currency losses and inflation were not included. This could have been known, but it was ignored. So the finished economic plan was not available until mid-November. In the meantime, the purchasing power of the 100 billion Chancellor's promise has fallen to about 85 billion. You'd think you could buy all kinds of things with that.

However, four weeks before the end of the year, it emerges that practically nothing has been ordered so far. Parliament has not yet seen any proposals for helicopters, combat aircraft or corvettes. All parliamentary groups, with the exception of the SPD, complained about this during the budget debate and demanded more speed. But why do members of the government and the opposition have to beg Lambrecht to please, please spend the money faster? Does the minister and former functionary of the Parliamentary Left perhaps not want combat power for the armed forces at all?

The budget debate was also embarrassing for Olaf Scholz, and not only because of his broken two-percent promise. The chancellor has promised NATO to have an entire division ready for action again starting in 2025, or about 15,000 soldiers. To equip the "Chancellor's Division," other army units will have to be further plundered. After all, no one in the Ministry of Defense believes that it will be possible to procure the necessary new equipment, tanks and artillery by the end of 2024. Of course, this is especially true if nothing is ordered at all. Whether the chancellor already knows this, and whether the minister has already understood the problem?

Finally, it is puzzling why Lambrecht does not invest in ammunition. Even before the war began, the Bundeswehr lacked artillery shells or rockets worth more than 20 billion euros. The requirement is calculated on the basis of NATO's stipulation that ammunition be kept in stock for 30 days of fighting. Even that is quite modest, considering the past nine months in Ukraine. The Bundeswehr currently claims to have enough for two days of fighting, details of which are secret. So now, a lot would have to be ordered quickly. Why isn't this happening? Does the minister prefer forces without ammunition?

The ammunition issue is one of many. One year after taking office, Lambrecht still has no concept for the armed forces, no reform proposal for the overburdened defense bureaucracy, no idea of European armaments cooperation, no thought of a major restructuring of the procurement system. For eleven months now, a non-expert state secretary and party friend from the judiciary has been tinkering with a so-called "stocktaking". The minister is said to be gradually finding her way into the office she never really wanted. That can hardly be enough.
---------------------------

Dont trust the Germans.

And this saddening carricature of defence mninster is in the main just this: utmost incompetent, clueless and incapable.

The 100 billion budget, btw, also is no longer meant to be "additional" to the regular yeraly defenc ebudget, but is entirely planned to be sued to beef the regular budget to its nominal level. And even this they do not acchieve.

Skybird

11-28-22, 03:33 PM

Der Tagesspiegel:

-------------------

Because hydrochloric acid is missing : The energy crisis also threatens our drinking water

There is a lack of hydrochloric acid for purifying water. High energy prices and disruptions in the supply chain are to blame. If things continue like this, even drinking water is at risk, chemical companies warn.

The energy crisis and faltering supply chains could threaten Germany's water supply. The German Chemical Industry Association (VCI), whose companies supply key products for cleaning and treating drinking water and wastewater, warns of this. "Municipal utilities have their backs to the wall, not only because of pricing, but also because of the low availability of basic chemicals," new VCI President Markus Steilemann said Monday in Berlin.

Under normal conditions, these chemicals would be produced in Germany, but because of high energy prices and compromised supply chains, there are now threatening shortages, he said. For example, there is a shortage of hydrochloric acid dissolved in water for wastewater treatment. As a result, he said, individual authorities have already suspended environmental regulations for the short term: "This means higher phosphate levels in wastewater are tolerated, so you can discharge higher phosphate levels into waterways."

As yet, the grievance primarily affects wastewater, Steilemann said. "But if the supply bottlenecks continue to develop as dramatically as they are at the moment, it is foreseeable that the problem will spill over into the fresh water supply. Then drinking water quality can no longer be guaranteed, or at least there will be drinking water restrictions." In Germany, Steilemann warned, many people don't realize the seriousness of the situation when supply chains no longer function: "It's really the case that in the meantime, due to high energy prices and the collapse of local value chains, certain supplies are at risk for the population."

The VCI president, who is CEO of plastics manufacturer Covestro, called for the German government to tackle the energy crisis much faster and more effectively than it has so far. He said that the chemical industry is dominated by medium-sized companies, with 1700 of the 1900 member companies falling into this category. Among these companies, he said, the need is currently great. "The situation of the energy-intensive chemical and pharmaceutical industry in Germany is more dramatic than ever before." For decades, he said, there have not been as many concerned calls to VCI headquarters in Frankfurt as there are at present. "I expect that we are facing a wave of insolvencies, but it is still unclear when it will come and how big it will be."

He added that the German government has announced many support programs, including the electricity and gas price brakes. However, there is a great danger that the aid for industry will come too late and be watered down. As an example, Steilemann cited the idea of prohibiting companies that use the brakes from paying bonuses and dividends. Among the necessary investors abroad, especially in the USA, this requirement would meet with complete incomprehension.

The manager demanded that Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) put his foot down and immediately introduce the gas price brake as proposed by the Gas Commission. This also included renegotiations with the EU Commission on the obstructive state aid provisions of the Temporary Crisis Framework (TCF). "Our companies need relief now, before it's too late, and they need it without cutbacks and without rampant bureaucracy."
-----------------------

mapuc

11-28-22, 04:41 PM

Skybird

11-28-22, 05:03 PM

^^ It's not only Germany who lack ammo and weapons-Even Denmark is lacking these things and I can from reading Dargos answer in our Ukraine thread it is bad in The Netherlands.
Don't know about Sweden

Markus
I recently said that its a bit better with the Swedes and far batter wiht the Fins since espoecially the latter always have been pretty much on their gaurds againstt he Russian. They just scratch their heads about the Germans' Russia-policies of past years, and never understood the naivety behind them. It was an itnerview with some Finnish former or active giovenrment member,m I forgot. But they are definitely scratching their heads and voiced undiplomatically frank doubts on Germany's capability and willingness to do its dues regarding NATO . I expect that this attitude is widely spread in the Northern and Baltic region, and I fully agree with it.

I would not even be surprised if one day the Funs or Swedes withdraw their bet to join NATO due to being concerned that they would be in too greta danger of ending up where they must compensate for Germany'S weakness instead of benefitting from NATO'S total strength. The deficits oif German armed forces are deep-rooting, and structural, and will not go away within just 5 or ten years. I also quesiton that ther eis liognb lkastign will to imprive the situation. If somebody asks why I have these dihbts, I cvna only reocmmend ti study how stubboirnly Germany sticks with its hoeplessly unrealistric energy policy and climate goal-driven inner polcies when ti comes to housing, infrastrictre,m traffic and such. The reality-denial inherent to Germany must be seen in order to be believed possible. Its the same with the defence policies.

Forget Germany. Its a lost case, as a political actor massively overestimated.There are reaosns why I have become such a grumpy man: I need to live here and witness the degeneration process at closest distance, since many years. ;)

mapuc

11-28-22, 05:20 PM

^ When I did my military in 87-88 the Swedes used 3.5-4 % of their BNP on the military-In 2000 they used around 1.3-1.5 % of their BNP on the military-It was first many years later, from around 2015/16 the government understod that Putin was a threat
Last year it was 1.45 %.

Here is what it says
"Sweden is proposing to scale up its spending on defense and security preparedness to $12 billion in 2028. Sweden allocated $7.3 billion to that budget line in 2022, equivalent to around 1.45 per cent of GDP, the highest level since 2005."

Markus

Jimbuna

11-29-22, 08:02 AM

I recently said that its a bit better with the Swedes and far batter wiht the Fins since espoecially the latter always have been pretty much on their gaurds againstt he Russian. They just scratch their heads about the Germans' Russia-policies of past years, and never understood the naivety behind them. It was an itnerview with some Finnish former or active giovenrment member,m I forgot. But they are definitely scratching their heads and voiced undiplomatically frank doubts on Germany's capability and willingness to do its dues regarding NATO . I expect that this attitude is widely spread in the Northern and Baltic region, and I fully agree with it.

I would not even be surprised if one day the Funs or Swedes withdraw their bet to join NATO due to being concerned that they would be in too greta danger of ending up where they must compensate for Germany'S weakness instead of benefitting from NATO'S total strength. The deficits oif German armed forces are deep-rooting, and structural, and will not go away within just 5 or ten years. I also quesiton that ther eis liognb lkastign will to imprive the situation. If somebody asks why I have these dihbts, I cvna only reocmmend ti study how stubboirnly Germany sticks with its hoeplessly unrealistric energy policy and climate goal-driven inner polcies when ti comes to housing, infrastrictre,m traffic and such. The reality-denial inherent to Germany must be seen in order to be believed possible. Its the same with the defence policies.

Forget Germany. Its a lost case, as a political actor massively overestimated.There are reaosns why I have become such a grumpy man: I need to live here and witness the degeneration process at closest distance, since many years. ;)

Fair points in my estimation :yep:

Skybird

11-30-22, 10:07 AM

Neue Zürcher Zeitung:
-------------------------
The ditherer: one year of German foreign policy under Olaf Scholz

The chancellor talks a lot about turning the tide - but it remains unclear where he wants to position Germany in the new geopolitical landscape.

When Olaf Scholz was sworn in on December 8, 2021, he may have already sensed that his first year would not go according to plan. The Russian troop deployment on Ukraine's borders already caused irritation. But the new chancellor may still have hoped at that point that a warlike confrontation could be prevented through negotiations.

This was probably brought home to him by his foreign policy adviser, Jens Plötner. Plötner, who was a diplomat stationed in Israel, Sri Lanka, Tunisia and Greece - not in Russia or the post-Soviet space - had been involved in the Minsk negotiations with Russia and Ukraine as a close associate of Steinmeier during his time as foreign minister back in 2014. When the tensions with Russia came to a head, Scholz focused entirely on diplomacy.

As late as Feb. 10, Plötner invited a Normandy-format meeting (Russia, Ukraine, France, Germany) to Berlin, which was unsuccessful. With the attack of February 24, it then became clear to even the last person that the efforts to find a diplomatic solution since 2015, driven primarily by Berlin, had had only one goal from the Russian perspective: To buy time to weaken Ukraine's and the West's will to resist.

War dominates the agenda

The start of the Russian war of aggression also made it clear that the red-green-yellow federal government would have to put aside its carefully crafted program for the time being. The Greens in particular had set their sights high: the climate-friendly restructuring of the market economy not against but with industry. Habeck, who had established a strong position for himself as Minister for the Economy and Climate Protection and as Vice Chancellor, stood for this. His rival within the party, Baerbock, had secured the foreign ministry - where little can be achieved, but sympathy points can be gained.

Scholz himself had chosen the classic social democratic "social justice" as his trademark. His motto "You'll never walk alone" signals continuity with the old social democracy before Gerhard Schröder - the all-encompassing state is supposed to regulate it, not the active civil society. The FDP was then left with only the trademark "economic reason": As finance minister, party leader Lindner would ensure that debt did not get out of hand.

The leisurely structural change that the "traffic light" had set out to achieve was then pushed aside by the staccato of crisis mode. Every day there are new problems to which the government must conjure up a quick answer.

Scholz, who had been able to study the merits of sitting out with Kohl and Merkel, was immediately put under considerable pressure by the Russian attack. After a few days of hesitation, he decided to strike a liberating blow: The "turn of the times" speech in the Bundestag put an end to Germany's old Russia policy, opened up the prospect of arms deliveries to Ukraine and made the promise that the Bundeswehr would be decently equipped.

Primacy of domestic policy

A chancellor who had begun his career in 1985 in the "old" Federal Republic as a labor lawyer and had distinguished himself for decades in domestic politics suddenly found himself thrown into a world where issues of war and peace dominated the agenda. Instead of being able to focus on Germany's transformation, within a stable international framework, Scholz now had to help ensure that this framework was not blown apart.

However, even when dealing with international issues, Scholz's focus was primarily on their domestic dimension: stability and prosperity at home were his first concern. Thus, the chancellor opposed tough oil and gas sanctions against Russia - keeping in mind not primarily the consequences for the Russian war, but the reaction of the electorate at home.

In his first year in office, Scholz, a domestic, social and economic policy expert, has not developed into a geostrategist. The pool of his ideas remains very limited; for the most part, he draws on the old familiar.

Scholz responds to the new global geopolitics, in which power conflicts are at the center, with the doctrine of cooperation between different centers of power, which Merkel has repeated over and over again - as if there were no competition between ideas of order and no conflicts over supremacy.

Sticking to the old line

At its core, Scholz's thinking on world politics revolves around globalization, which he sees as threatened by a division of the world into different spheres of power. However, one hardly hears anything from the chancellor about the causes of this division and how to deal with the reality of tension and conflict.

Scholz has no answer to the central global political challenge of the present, the power and system-political conflict with Russia and China. There is no sign of a conceptual realignment of German foreign policy. Instead, the former mayor of Hamburg is almost stubbornly sticking to the old line, as can be seen in particular in his dealings with China: economic interdependence while ignoring the changed situation in China under Xi - a country that is developing in the direction of totalitarian dictatorship on the inside and aggressive revisionist power on the outside.

The strategic gap is filled by maximum leaning on the Biden administration. When the chancellor declares he is in line with the White House on Ukraine, that is true - Team Biden is also trying to calibrate Ukraine support to achieve two goals: Ukraine is to hold its ground, but Russia is also not to be cornered in such a way that Moscow might escalate further.

The difference, however, is that the U.S. is far more aggressive about getting weapons to Ukraine - and leading the way. Scholz, on the other hand, is careful to stay on the Western "convoy"; his fear of escalation often seems greater than his concern that the war will drag on endlessly and that Russia might feel vindicated in its neo-imperial approach by gaining considerable ground.

In terms of foreign and security policy, Berlin has, with great relief, ceded leadership of the West back entirely to Washington. This allows Scholz to turn his focus to domestic policy - the "comfort zone" of a chancellor who was still politically socialized in the old Federal Republic.

More than friendly diplomacy

In the long run, however, that won't do; not even for four years. Even in a good transatlantic partnership, a player as central as Germany should also position itself strategically and assume co-leadership responsibility. The U.S. will foreseeably focus more on China, which means that Germany will have to take on a greater share of the support for NATO's "eastern flank" - defense and deterrence against Russia. And whatever the outcome of the war in Ukraine, Berlin will have to play a central role here as well, including in military affairs.

Germany must learn that security policy is more than just support for the main allies, the United States and occasionally France, and that foreign policy cannot be limited to friendly diplomacy with challengers to the liberal order.

In a global landscape shaped by geopolitical competition, a strategically oriented foreign and security policy must itself compete and work to shape the international regulatory framework-with partners such as the United States, other Europeans, and key countries in Asia such as Japan and India, and against challengers such as Russia and China. The hope that a focus on economic interests would lead to a dissolution of geopolitics has not been realized; the dramatic proof of this is Putin's attack on Ukraine.

Germany, as the central power of Europe and a global player, must draw the consequence and enter the geopolitical game itself - not only with the carrot, but also with the stick. This learning curve still lies ahead for many in Germany, including the chancellor.
--------------------------

mapuc

12-03-22, 12:53 PM

Couldn't help laugh when I read this German article.

It's entirely German -

This part I have translated and checked
Doch der Intensivtäter gibt keine Ruhe. „Sie wollen etwas, ich will etwas – Gott entscheidet am Ende“, sagt er zum Richter. Der erwidert: „Allah lassen wir außen vor, hier entscheide ich!“ =

But the intensive offender does not rest. "You want something, I want something - God(Allah) decides in the end," he says to the judge. He replies: "We leave Allah out, I decide here!"

https://www.bild.de/regional/dresden/dresden-aktuell/knallhart-richter-allah-lassen-wir-aussen-vor-hier-entscheide-ich-82104030.bild.html

Markus

Skybird

12-04-22, 03:24 PM

https://www.dw.com/en/german-government-urged-to-address-ammunition-shortage/a-63979130

The Ukraine war has eaten up the Bundewehr's munitions stockpile, sparking concern among politicians and the military. Meanwhile, inflation is eating away at the €100 billion in extra military spending pledged by Berlin.

Skybird

12-04-22, 04:27 PM

Are the Germans actually getting anything done...?

The possible risks revealed by SPIEGEL in the purchase of F35 fighter jets from the USA are causing nervousness and anger in Berlin:
--------------------
Bundeswehr's F35 deal worries traffic light politicians

Previously unknown risks in the Bundeswehr's introduction of the advanced F35 fighter jet are causing considerable unease within the Ampel coalition. After SPIEGEL reported for the first time last Thursday on previously unknown pitfalls in the 10-billion-euro project, various budget holders from the Bundestag notified the ministry of the need for talks. The pressure became so great that Parliamentary State Secretary Thomas Hitschler has scheduled a telephone call for Monday, 1 p.m., in which he hopes to allay the concerns of the MPs.

Details about the risks involved in the F35 project, which is intended to modernize the Air Force, emerge in the so-called 25-million-euro submission. The classified paper had been handed over to the budget committee in recent days as it is due to sign off on the first tranche of the budget for the 35 F35 jets shortly before Christmas. In total, the project will cost just under 10 billion euros. The first F35s are scheduled to arrive in Germany in 2027 and will be stationed at Büchel Air Base in Rhineland-Palatinate.

However, the ministry is apparently not entirely sure about the price. The prices are based on "conservative forecasts and derivations of the U.S. government" and are "expressly subject to adjustment," the document states. In addition, as with "all contracts, there are risks" - for example, because German standards might not be met or necessary approvals might not be granted. The passages raised questions among the members of parliament, since procurement for the German armed forces is considered to be very susceptible to breakdowns.

The most concrete risk concerns the Büchel air base. The document states that "a timely realization of the weapons system-specific infrastructure by 2026" under the above-mentioned conditions is "highly ambitious". "Time delays and additional financial requirements until completion of the infrastructure" must be expected, it says. The infrastructure refers to the modernization of the runway at Büchel, where U.S. nuclear weapons are stored, and the construction of new hangars for the F35.

The modernization of Büchel is considered a basic prerequisite for the F35 project. According to insiders, the work there must be completed by 2027, otherwise the U.S. will not send the jets for the air force. In principle, such a construction project in Germany is considered risky because of the short time involved. Nevertheless, the Air Force is confident that it is feasible. If the budget committee gives the green light, the line is, the project managers want to immediately give the go-ahead for the work that has already been prepared.

Consequently, the head of the Air Force expressed himself on Sunday almost angrily about the unrest in the coalition. The German Air Force's Twitter account quoted Lieutenant General Ingo Gerhartz as saying that when it comes to the F35, Germany is looking for problems where other European nations don't see any. "And neither do we, for that matter. Is the air there a different one?" said Gerhartz. The general had long fought for the F35 project because of the urgent need to replace the Air Force's completely outdated "Tornados." Consequently, Gerhartz engaged a task force very early on to ensure that nothing would go wrong with the F35.

Nevertheless, there is a great deal of uncertainty within the coalition. Almost more harshly than the opposition, members of the traffic light coalition are accusing Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht (SPD) of not paying enough attention to the project. Lambrecht's party colleague Andreas Schwarz, for example, said in the newspaper "Bild am Sonntag" that it was "unacceptable that Parliament is only now learning about the problems". He expects "comprehensive clarification of how it intends to get the risks under control. This is just an attempt to get rid of responsibility." Green Party House Speaker Sebastian Schäfer also warned that there were "still many questions" for Lambrecht.

The defense policy spokesman for the CDU/CSU parliamentary group, Florian Hahn (CSU), even called for Lambrecht to be removed. "The troops and all of Germany have only to be ashamed about this new information. The question is whether there is incompetence or intention behind it," Hahn told the Deutsche Presse-Agentur. Addressing the chancellor, Hahn recommended replacing Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht "before it is too late."

From the ministry, however, came only empty phrases on Sunday. A spokesman merely stated that the ministry was in constant contact with parliament and provided information on major armaments projects.

For the German government, the wrangling over the F35 project is more than a trifle. Germany wants to use the U.S. fighter jets to ensure so-called nuclear sharing. In the event of an emergency, German fighter jets are to carry nuclear bombs stored in Büchel and deliver them to their target on behalf of NATO. If word got back to the U.S. that the Bundeswehr could not even manage to modernize Büchel, it would certainly cause a lot of ridicule.

But the construction work at Büchel is apparently not the only risk in the project. According to the submission, there is also a risk "that timely issuance of a national certification for flight operations would not be possible in a timely manner, as the relevant documents are not available (in a timely manner) or cannot be made available in the future due to legal requirements."

In addition, the F35A model currently "does not meet all air traffic control equipment requirements for flights under instrument flight rules and is not expected to meet them in the foreseeable future." As a result, there is "the risk that restrictions on flight operations must be expected in the event of deviations from the relevant requirements for operation in German, European and international airspace in accordance with instrument flight rules." In short: Christine Lambrecht has a problem.
--------------------------

Skybird

12-05-22, 08:03 AM

Like in German football, so in German politics, I say. And FOCUS writes:
---------------------
We experience the relative decline of a nation - not only in soccer

Germany has been eliminated from the World Cup. This defeat "feels like the end of something," wrote the Guardian. A sentence that shows that it is about much more than soccer.

Soccer is a game, but a game that reflects our soul. In the way we play, a society finds its expression. We look at Hansi Flick and dimly recognize Olaf Scholz's little brother. We look at the national team and look at ourselves.

On the pitch, our relationship of risk to safety, our attitude towards fairness and violence, but also our work ethic, the stock of courage and the capacity for creativity become visible.

In a sense, a visualization of our operating system takes place. Sociologist and soccer expert Norbert Seitz says, "There's a symbolic correspondence and atmospheric similarities between politics and soccer."

Which brings us to the humiliating defeat of the World Cup. The British newspaper The Guardian wrote: "Despite Flick's urgent talk of new beginnings, this feels like the end of something."

At this point, at the latest, it is not only the national coach and the players who should be paying attention. We, as citizens, are also participating observers of a long coming to an end that relates to our previous way of living, working and doing politics.

We are not bad, but the others are better.

We are witnessing the relative decline of a nation that - after the wartime rubble had been cleared away - was repeatedly hailed as the world champion of prosperity, growth and exports. This new Germany has struggled.

It has inspired. It found itself in reunification. We were often enough the tournament winner of globalization. The world as a summer fairy tale [reference to the football woprld cup 2006 in Germany, Skybird].

This self-confident but not arrogant country no longer exists. We have become strangers to ourselves, although - or precisely because - we have hardly changed at all. Germany is still playing with the operating system of the 20th century - and not just in soccer.

The team lacks "the dirty - we are a very, very dear team," said defensive player Antonio Rüdiger, who earns his money at Real Madrid. His diagnosis extends beyond soccer.

German statehood looks like a big DFB - flaccid and often downright impotent. It not only lacks the dirty, it also lacks the desire to innovate. Our public service is an analog system in which the paper rustles and the coffee machine rattles.

Our welfare state pays out more and more to people, even though on the payer side the supply chain is broken. The two large state-owned companies - Bundeswehr and Bahn AG - are dysfunctional: lazy and unimaginative, they get by.

This economy has not been able to win an economic tournament for a long time, even if the BioNTech founders were able to score a much-noticed surprise hit.

But Germany as a whole is no longer admired, but often ridiculed. The presenter and his round of talks on Qatari television covered their mouths in derision as the tournament drew to a close for the Germans. And goodbye!

No one wants to take responsibility for what Johannes B. Kerner called a "historic defeat" in the evening. The DFB functions like the party state; it is only in its ability to persevere that it is still at the top.

The similarities are systemic: In his former life, the football president was SPD state director in North Rhine-Westphalia and spokesman for the SPD party executive committee in Berlin.

Lessons have been learned: In parliaments as well as at the DFB's press conferences, people hand each other the prefabricated punched phrases. The government exalts itself, the opposition puts it down. And every few years there is a change of roles.

Only the playing system always remains the same. The DFB boss wants to "now look ahead" and "initiate an orderly procedure on how we deal with this situation."

Those who cannot deliver the core of their mission - in soccer, winning the tournament; in politics, creating prosperity - swerve into questions of attitude.

From now on, things get creamy. Instead of hard indicators, people now want to be morally superior. Suddenly, politics and soccer are no longer successful, but right. One flies out, but with attitude. The balance sheet used to be clean, now it's the conscience.

Value-based soccer means the politicization and thus defocusing of the players. Value-based economic policy is tantamount to a subscription to becoming poor.

Robert Habeck is getting out of coal and nuclear energy at home and is not getting into fracking, which is why we have to buy fracking gas from America and Arabia and nuclear power from France for a lot of money.

But be careful, comparing does not mean equating: Hansi Flick and his national team are clearly at a disadvantage here. If the national coach were allowed to buy extraterritorially like the minister, Flick would have ordered three additional goals on the spot markets in the Japan game.

If the DFB were allowed to buy its victories on credit, it would have long since set up a special fund to finance missing game ideas.

"I'm afraid of falling into a hole," Kimmich said after the premature exit. And that's exactly how many people feel today. The federal government's bought-in victories don't warm them. On top of the mountain of debt, the eternal ice age reigns.

Yet there are great players in the land of family businesses. They are called hidden champions because they have mastered their technology, because they know how to storm, stonewall and clear the field from behind in a compact formation in cooperation with suppliers and dealers.

But even the greatness of an economic nation does not result from the addition of its moves. Just as on the soccer field, a mental bracket is needed here, too, a game idea that connects the many I's into a we.

This guiding idea is missing from the DFB and the Chancellor's Office. Why do we score goals? Why do we increase the gross national product?
Indifference is dangerous for soccer and politics

Everything seems piecemeal; in everyday government and on the soccer field. The players suffocate in their rituals and please themselves in the staging of significance.

We see them, but we don't feel them. They speak, but not to us. When they have their say on the radio, the cab driver searches in routine indifference for the nearest music station.

This indifference is dangerous for soccer as well as for politics, because it leads to social torpor and bad humor. Before the ascent comes the belief in the ascent.

And after faith comes hard work. Or to put it in Jürgen Klopp's words: "Sometimes I have the impression that I'm the only one in this country who believes more in training than in transfers."

----------------------------------

August

12-06-22, 11:02 PM

Apparently you aren't allowed to die in Germany unless you are fully vaccinated against covid. Amazing.

Irony has been declared many times in this pandemic but now, from Covid-riddled Germany comes the final proof: you can’t kill yourself now unless you’ve been vaccinated. As European countries battle to limit the spread of the virus, Verein Sterbehilfe – the German Euthanasia Association – has issued a new directive, declaring it will now only help those who have been vaccinated or recovered from the disease.
https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/german-euthanasia-clinics-refusing-unvaccinated-customers/

Ostfriese

12-06-22, 11:57 PM

Apparently you aren't allowed to die in Germany unless you are fully vaccinated against covid. Amazing.

https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/german-euthanasia-clinics-refusing-unvaccinated-customers/

a) that article is more than one year old
b) the writer simply doesn't understand what the press release means.

So, August, you just fell for one-year-old bull****.

August

12-07-22, 12:30 AM

a) that article is more than one year old
b) the writer simply doesn't understand what the press release means.

So, August, you just fell for one-year-old bull****.

Maybe, but it sure sounds like he does:

Close encounters in closed rooms’ – what a fabulous German euphemism for assisted suicide. The term ‘2G’ meanwhile refers to a system which only allows free movement for leisure activities for the geimpft oder genese— ‘vaccinated or recovered.’ God forbid that a person without the jab should try to end it all – talk about a vaccine passport to the afterlife…

Jimbuna

12-07-22, 05:53 AM

Germany arrests 25 accused of plotting coup

Twenty-five people have been arrested in raids across Germany on suspicion of plotting to overthrow the government.

German reports say the group of far-right and ex-military figures planned to storm the parliament building, the Reichstag, and seize power.

A minor aristocrat described as Prince Heinrich XIII, 71, is alleged to have been central to their plans.

According to federal prosecutors, he is one of two alleged ringleaders among those arrested across 11 German states.

The plotters are said to include members of the extremist Reichsbürger [Citizens of the Reich] movement, which has long been in the sights of German police over violent attacks and racist conspiracy theories. They also refuse to recognise the modern German state.

An estimated 50 men and women are alleged to have been part of the group, said to have plotted to overthrow the republic and replace it with a new state modelled on the Germany of 1871 - an empire called the Second Reich.

"We don't yet have a name for this group," said a spokeswoman for the federal prosecutor's office.

Three thousand officers took part in 130 raids across much of the country, with two people arrested in Austria and Italy. Those detained were due to be questioned later in the day.

Justice Minister Marco Buschmann tweeted that a major anti-terror operation was taking place and a suspected "armed attack on constitutional bodies was planned".

The federal prosecutor's office said the group had been plotting a violent coup since November 2021 and members of its central "Rat" (council) had since held regular meetings.

They had already established plans to rule Germany with departments covering health, justice and foreign affairs, the prosecutor said. Members understood they could only realise their goals by "military means and violence against state representatives" which included carrying out killings.

Investigators are thought to have got wind of the group when they uncovered a kidnap plot last April involving a gang who called themselves United Patriots.

They too were part of the Reichsbürger scene and had allegedly planned to abduct Health Minister Karl Lauterbach while also creating "civil war conditions" to bring about an end to Germany's democracy.

The latest plot is also said to have involved a former far-right AfD member of the lower house of parliament, the Bundestag, who was lined up to be installed as the group's justice minister, with Prince Heinrich as leader.

Heinrich XIII comes from an old noble family known as the House of Reuss, which ruled over parts of the modern eastern state of Thuringia until 1918. All the male members of the family were given the name Heinrich as well as a number.

As well as a shadow government, the plotters allegedly had plans for a military arm, with active and former members of the military a significant part of the coup plot, according to reports. They included ex-elite soldiers from special units. The aim of military arm was to eliminate democratic bodies at local level, prosecutors said.

One of those under investigation is a member of the Special Commando Forces, and police searched his home and his room at the Graf-Zeppelin military base in Calw, south-west of Stuttgart.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-63885028

Moonlight

12-07-22, 06:49 AM

Goodness me, a few old men who need to up their medicines and they accuse them of "plotting a coup", you couldn't make this bollocks up. :haha:

Skybird

12-07-22, 06:59 AM

https://www.dw.com/en/german-police-arrest-25-suspects-over-plot-to-overthrow-state/a-64011136

Spinner - but dangerous to a degree. They remind of stupid children who play with grenades and believe that their game can measure up to the size of the world.

Ostfriese

12-07-22, 07:03 AM

If they were left-wingers and not far-right fascists the media (especially those for the low-IQ crowd) would be on the brink of collapse.

Skybird

12-07-22, 07:12 AM

Hardly. everbyody would do his best to play it down: propaganda apparatus, parties, government, public "opinion leaders", influencers - everybody.

Ostfriese

12-07-22, 07:17 AM

Hardly. everbyody would do his best to play it down: propaganda apparatus, parties, government, public "opinion leaders", influencers - everybody.

So, same as right now?

mapuc

12-07-22, 08:22 AM

Jimbuna

12-07-22, 08:53 AM

Night of the Long Knives part2 :)

Skybird

12-07-22, 09:32 AM

The question is can they stop this movement or is it unavoidable that sooner or later-Either by coup or through election.

By following Skybirds writing about Germany and some of my Danish and German friends writing on FB on how the society is becoming unmanageable

Markus
The Reichsbürger are far from becoming a maintream movement. They are far more extreme - and individuals of theirs often being violently resisting to the state - than the mainstream clients of the AfD, though the AfD holds hardcore Nazis as well, but its spectrum is much wider, including more moderate criticis of the mainstream opinion and society as well. The Reichsbürger are a minority group, but an extremist group nevertheless, and often they are militant, and weapon fanatics. Usually they want to go back to the Germany even before Hitler - the imperial Germany, that is.

You are right, I said repeatedly that such movements are to be expected as the natural anti-reaction to the extreme left-swinging political and zeitgeist pendulum. A law in physics: every action has reaction, and the force you infolict, inevitably returns. You may remember that I repeatedly said the same about Trump: that he is not the origin, but a symptom of the mess associated with him. The harder you push people to become leftist-marxist, the more people will try to resist to that by becoming tolerant to political movements from the right, even if the individual is not right or extremist itself: it may find that it has no other space to move anymore due to the extreme pressure to become left. In the end it is about left brute force against right brute force.

I dispise both and do not ally with any of the two. If they fight against each other, then I cheer for both of them to make them maximise the damage to the other. I distribute my disgust equally to both of them, completely impartially. And when they go for each other's throats, I help at best to make sure that no one disturbs them.

mapuc

12-07-22, 11:48 AM

Two comment from fb.

The first is a friend who gives the muslim and the left wings all the blame

GERMANY: MAJOR POLICE ACTION AGAINST "RIGHT-WIGHT EXTREMISTS"
It is the sleazy politicians' own fault that desperate groups such as these arise.
Western Europe's politically correct collection of politicians, "experts", media etc. misses no opportunity to crow about the "threat from the right", but turns blind and deaf to the constant, insidious Islamic colonization of Europe and the influx of violent men from the Middle East and Africa.
So today is a really good day for political correctness. Finally something good to swallow.
But I dare say that it will not be "right-wing extremists" who are going to abolish democracy in Europe. It will be the people of Allah.
There is a lot of talk about division, polarization in our democracies. But who is it that divides and polarises? It is the sleazy politicians with their deeply irresponsible values, legal and immigration policy. And it is the puffed-up, better-informed "experts" and media people etc.

This one catch my eyes-Cause he could very well be true

25 people..??? I wonder how much "coup" there is in that when it comes down to it..? Isn't it rather a insignificant collection of lunatics' doings and actions, to introduce even more control, surveillance and even more restrictions in the German society...? I smell a rat here.

Markus

Von Due

12-07-22, 12:50 PM

Two comment from fb.

The first is a friend who gives the muslim and the left wings all the blame

This one catch my eyes-Cause he could very well be true

Markus

One gun can do an awful lot of damage. 25 guns even more so. Whether they would succeed or not, 25 guns shooting at people inside a building is a nightmare I can live without.

mapuc

12-07-22, 01:13 PM

One gun can do an awful lot of damage. 25 guns even more so. Whether they would succeed or not, 25 guns shooting at people inside a building is a nightmare I can live without.

No doubt about it-I think however this friends friend mean to make a coup you need A LOT more than just 25 ekstreme far Right people. What I meant by writing
"he could very well be true" Is that the government most likely will impose new restriction on the Germans democracy.

I've been searching this section GT. Because I know that a certain friend posted a yt video clip showing some neonazis conduct some training in the forrest of Bayern. How many years ago he posted the video I don't know.

Markus

mapuc

12-07-22, 01:58 PM

Coup

To make a coup it's not enough to occupy the parliament-Only thing is it would turn into a hostage situation-Like it happened in Spain some years after Franco's dead.

There are keyposition here and there in Germany who has to be taken under control. Radio and TV is one of them.

Another important key component is powerplant producing electricity and other important things to the Germans.

Meaning these 25 German lack knowledge-If they had they would have understood that the Bundestag isn't the most important.

Markus

Skybird

12-07-22, 06:16 PM

The Neue Zürcher Zeitung comments:
------------------------------------------
The Putsch That Would Never Have Happened

Did Germany's security authorities really thwart the great Reichsbürger conspiracy, or were they possibly shooting at sparrows with cannons? The historic large-scale operation and the accompanying media coverage raise questions.

Even though there is great excitement about the alleged "Reichsbürger" conspiracy that German security authorities have uncovered and foiled, an upheaval or civil war is truly not imminent in Germany. The delusions of a few sectarian die-hards are in no way comprehensible to the overwhelming majority of Germans.

Constitutional protectors estimate that the entire "Reichsbürger" scene comprises around 21,000 people, or 0.025 percent of the population. In this specific case, 52 people have been arrested or accused. Good work by the authorities, one might say.

Nevertheless, there are points to be concerned about and questions to be asked. Point one concerns the danger posed by radicalized members or cells of extremist movements: Terror is always possible. An open society, a democratic-accessible government quarter, the transportation and energy infrastructure for 83 million people cannot be protected one hundred percent.

Violent overthrow by military means?

In this context, the record of German police authorities and intelligence services is to be commended: Neither right-wing extremist nor Islamist terror has hit the Federal Republic as hard as, for example, the United States, France, Belgium or Great Britain. Hopefully, this will continue - without excesses in surveillance legislation.

What is disturbing, however, and this is point two, is the involvement of active and former soldiers and police officers in plans for a "violent coup with possibly military means," as the Attorney General puts it. Again, the overwhelming majority of German police officers, soldiers and reservists are loyal to the constitution and are likely to be appalled by the confusion of their (former) comrades. But apparently the milieu of the security forces also always attracts some authoritarian anti-democrats.

Such people have no place in the civil service. The sooner they are identified and gotten rid of, the better. At the same time, the defense minister, the interior minister and their state colleagues have a duty to put themselves before all the others, the upright guardians of the state's monopoly on the use of force. The general suspicion that some media are always quick to formulate against the police and the Bundeswehr must be resolutely rejected by the leaders of the executive branch.

The confused logic of the conspiracy theorists

The self-declared Reichsbürger advocate ludicrous positions, such as that the German state does not exist at all, or that Germany is a "limited liability company" (GmbH) that regards its citizens as "personnel" - which, according to the logic of madness, can already be recognized by the name "identity card."

The third question that must be asked accordingly is: How do adult, apparently not even uneducated citizens come up with such ideas? And how can the emergence of such conspiracy-theory-based world views be prevented?

A look at the U.S., where former President Donald Trump is supported by the supporters of the QAnon group, shows that these can be politically dangerous. They are trying to abolish representative democracy, and to do so, they make use of ludicrous tales about "satanic elites" and politicians who allegedly drink the blood of children.

Radicalized educated citizens

What to do? In Germany, one knee-jerk reaction to right-wing extremism is to call for more political education. But would a Frankfurt financial advisor, a judge, a doctor of law, and a doctor (all of whom were probably slated for the "cabinet" of the new coup government) have been reached by this?

We are dealing with an extremism that, to all appearances, exists in the middle of society without causing any offense in everyday life. The alleged ringleader, Henry XIII Prince Reuss, is 71 years old. Possibly it is also about violent fantasies of pensioners who feel powerless - think of the 75-year-old woman who was unmasked in October as the head of a gang that had planned the kidnapping of the health minister.

Without wishing to offend any of the 20 million over-65s in Germany: Perhaps political moods that lead to conspiracy extremism today also have something to do with demographics? If so, it would be a matter of not remaining silent about aberrant opinions because it is so exhausting to argue with those who hold them: All democrats would be called upon to take that effort upon themselves.

A lot of press for police action

Finally, a fourth point is disturbing: there had been talk in political Berlin for days that there was "a big deal in the bush." Some media outlets obviously knew about the impending raids and arrests, because many editorial offices published extensive reports almost simultaneously - as if after a blackout period - on what was actually quite new breaking news.

A moderator of the parliamentary channel Phoenix used the peculiar formulation "We are quite glad that we have not heard anything about it beforehand, then the news afterwards is all the more stormy". This sounded almost as if someone felt obliged to reject the suspicion of broad advance information.

Why would organized media coverage of the operations be a problem? Because it could have meant either an incalculable risk for the success of the whole action. Or because it would indicate that the matter was not yet so dangerous. In the latter case, the impression could arise that this was primarily - or also - a political public relations exercise. That would then be water on the conspiracy theory mills, which must be fought.
------------------------------------

Jimbuna

12-08-22, 06:57 AM

'We're not a colony!' WW2 row explodes as Poland demands £1trn from Germany

The Deputy Speaker of the Polish Parliament has erupted at the German government's refusal to hand over €1.3trillion (£1.1trillion) in reparations for Nazi Germany's crimes in Poland during World War 2. Poland has made a formal request to Berlin for compensation which has been rejected out of hand by the German Government, leading to an escalating diplomatic row. Magorzata Gosiewska, from Poland's ruling Law and Justice Party, has levelled a brutal swipe at Germany's position in an interview with Express.co.uk and warned the Polish Government is not willing to back down over reparations.

Ms Gosiewska told Express.co.uk: "We have absolutely every legal right to ask for compensation. The Polish state has never legally dismissed the compensation, the Polish Foreign Office recently sent a note to Germany about this.

"We will never give up on this.

"We are not a German colony and we will never allow ourselves to be treated like one."

Ms Gosiewska recalled how the Polish capital Warsaw was reduced to rubble by the German Army, as countless cultural artefacts were looted and destroyed, and ordinary Poles were massacred or forced to work as slave labour.

Ms Gosiewska told Express.co.uk: "We are speaking from Warsaw, a Warsaw that was annihilated, the aim was for the city to never again stand up, it was the heart of Poland that was aimed to be destroyed.

"There was no one left in the city but the Germans continued to destroy every house, and every building one by one just to completely destroy it.

"Works of art were stolen and any monuments that were left were destroyed.

"Poles were not just tortured, not just killed, just shot those who survived were brought to camps where they had to work for German companies, so their work profited the German companies - some of whom are still operating to this day in Germany."

Poland lost as much as seventeen percent of its pre-war population during the Nazi occupation in World War Two.

Germany has maintained that Poland's claim to reparations was abandoned in the 1950s by the then-communist government in Warsaw, something strongly denied by the current Polish Government.

The German foreign ministry argues the country has already paid a total of €74 illion in reparations since the end of the war, with 29 billion of that earmarked to Isreal for victims of the Holocaust.

Warsaw in turn has threatened to take its case for reparations to all "international forums" - including the United Nations assembly.
https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/world/we-re-not-a-colony-ww2-row-explodes-as-poland-demands-1trn-from-germany/ar-AA150lEj?ocid=mailsignout&pc=U591&cvid=6ddb27280dc2429a9ea6eaa392d10723

Skybird

12-08-22, 10:16 AM

If in need of money - turn for the Germans. :ping:

Kaczynski has really no more tightened all the screws.Der Spiegel writes:
-------------------------------

With a reference to Nazi Germany, the PiS leader warns against German dominance in Europe. The agitation against the neighbors is supposed to bring his party votes. Even the opposition is denounced as stooges of the Germans.

When it comes to Germany, Jaroslaw Kaczynski is particularly vicious. That was the case in Legnica, Lower Silesia, where the powerful leader of Poland's national conservative ruling PiS party gave an hour-and-a-half speech over the weekend. Germany is striving for supremacy in Europe, Kaczynski warned his audience. And followed up: Germans today want to achieve by peaceful means what they once set out to do by military means.

The allusion to Nazi Germany is typical of Kaczynski. For months, he has been touring the country weekend after weekend, railing against Germany. Behind this is above all a domestic political calculation: The PiS is sinking in the polls, and Kaczynski hopes that anti-German tones will bring it voters.

In Legnica, the 73-year-old also lashed out at Brussels. If one believes Kaczynski, then behind the EU lies a plan by the Germans to create a "European state" where they will call the shots. But Kaczynski stressed that his party sees the strength of Europe in the diversity and sovereignty of individual countries. "And a situation of dominance, a situation in which one of the European states - today the largest next to Russia - implements by peaceful means those plans it once wanted to impose by military means, is a path to crisis and disaster." This, he said, concerns both Poland and Europe. "And also this country itself, namely Germany."

Kaczynski holds no government office. And yet he is considered the strong man in Poland's politics. Polish media like to write that he controls both head of government Mateusz Morawiecki and President Andrzej Duda "from the back seat." Together with his twin brother Lech, Jaroslaw Kaczynski founded PiS in 2001. Lech Kaczynski later became Poland's head of state; in 2010, he died in the crash of the presidential plane in Smolensk.

What Kaczynski's "taxes from the back seat" looks like was recently experienced by Poland's Defense Minister Mariusz Blaszczak. He initially accepted the offer of German Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht (SPD) to protect Poland's airspace by deploying German Patriot air defense missiles. A day later, Kaczynski spoke up. German air defenses would be better stationed in Ukraine than in Poland, he suggested. Artfully, Blaszczak repeated the idea shortly thereafter. And Kaczynski had achieved his goal: Once again, Warsaw had given the Germans a good run for their money. In addition, the PiS government is using its demand for more than 1.3 trillion euros in reparations for the damage suffered during World War II to stir up public opinion against Berlin.

Poland is due to hold its next parliamentary election next fall. Whether the PiS, which has been in power since 2015, can win the election for a third time in a row is questionable. Poles are groaning under a horrendous inflation rate; in November, it was almost 18 percent.

The liberal-conservative opposition Civic Platform (PO) party of former EU Council President Donald Tusk currently leads the polls. During his tenure as Polish head of government, things went well between Warsaw and Berlin. This was reason enough for Kaczynski to put the cloak of the evil German on Tusk as well: "We have a German party in Poland," he said in mid-November at an appearance in the district town of Pabianice, referring to the PO.

Already once it has benefited the PiS in a dirty election campaign to link Donald Tusk with Germany. When the Gdansk native ran against Lech Kaczynski in the 2005 presidential campaign, PiS strategists floated the story of Tusk's "grandfather in the Wehrmacht." Tusk's grandfather Jozef had been recruited into the Wehrmacht in 1944 as a concentration camp inmate; he defected to Polish troops after a short time. The PiS's ploy caught on: Tusk lost the election.

The obsession with which Kaczynski and his followers are agitating against Germany and the opposition, which is supposedly dominated by Germany, is taking on strange forms. Last Thursday, when Germany's national team played Costa Rica in the World Cup in Qatar, Deputy Environment Minister Jacek Ozdoba asked for a recess in the Polish parliament - so that the deputies from Tusk's party could watch "the game of their German team.
--------------------------

Skybird

12-08-22, 10:23 AM

I did not know the Germans had negotiated the F-35 deal this idiotically. Maybe I should have known, but I can hardly copyright for every pessimistic thought possible in the world.

FOCUS:
------------------------
Germany pays 286 million euros per aircraft, Switzerland 167 million

However, the terms of the procurement that are gradually leaking out are somewhat inconceivable, once again raising the question of whether all the players in political Berlin are still capable of living up to the responsibility entrusted to them. The German taxpayer is expected to pay ten billion euros for a complete package including service, maintenance and subsequent upgrades for 35 aircraft. That sounds expensive, and it is, because we're talking about a unit price of crun 286 million euros per flying unit.
F-35 over the Eifel
Harald Tittel/dpa An F-35 in the skies over the Eifel region.

Once again, before the German Michel goes black in the face, a look over the garden fence might help him: Last year, Switzerland launched its order, and Bern purchased a package almost identical in scope and duration. Admittedly, the Swiss government is shelling out pretty much exactly six billion Swiss francs for its 36 aircraft, which comes to about 167 million euros per unit for exactly the same F-35 version "off the shelf." But Switzerland can procure.
Success at any price to put it in the shop window?

Berlin, on the other hand, seems to specialize once again in shoveling the "dumb German money" of its taxpayers out the window with coal shovels. How is that possible, and who negotiates such things for Germany? Should the government in Berlin be so blindly committed to its F-35 "whammy" that it is willing to pay any price just to save the big hit for the showcase?

Some sources in the German Ministry of Defense (BMVg) suggest that this is the case, although the BMVg does not appear to be entirely innocent of this disastrous deal: the Tornado is 40 years old, and from the Air Force's point of view, naked necessity is now forcing them to close their eyes and get on with it; they want to have the 2022 contract signed and sealed.
Berlin foregoes compensation contracts for German industry

The consequences for German industry are devastating. Not only is the overpriced contract ludicrous, but Berlin has apparently completely dispensed with the so-called "off set", i.e. the usual compensation contracts for its own industry, while Bern has ensured that almost 50 percent of the contract sum will flow back to Switzerland through participation and countertrade.

Worst of all, maintenance and upgrades of the F-35s are to be carried out exclusively by U.S. defense contractors, so that Germany will have neither an insight into nor even a share in the technology ("intellectual property", IP) of the aircraft and will thus be left behind technologically for an entire generation cycle. And this also leaves Germany completely dependent on the continued goodwill of the U.S. for 25 years in terms of maintenance.

But what if Trump returns or another figure of this provenance? In view of such a negotiation outcome, once again only bewilderment remains among almost all experts who can show a little insight into arms matters in this country.
--------------------------
:o

Skybird

12-09-22, 06:22 AM

FOCUS:
-----------------------
At the Christmas market we see the true reality of life for many Germans

If you are looking for the reasons for the alienation between politics and the population, for the increasing political apathy of large sections of society and thus also for the high proportion of non-voters, you can ask sociologists or read the dispatches of the pollsters.

But it would always be more promising to start looking for clues directly at the source, i.e. among the people themselves. For example, with people like Oliver Börner from the Eifel, a person unknown to me, who shared his view of the world with me this week:
https://p6.focus.de/img/fotos/id_180441512/leserbrief.png?im=Resize%3D%28630%2C1260%29&hash=3f533a82278a1b3f1677e26a71d3ebc2a2b0ef04e7d0a 5a18ab34de65aa14301

We should not exclude that the Christmas market of Ochtendung is more representative for our country than the German Bundestag. In our mind's eye we see the festively decorated Christmas trees, the mulled wine stand and the charcoal grill. In reality, however, we are looking into the soul of the cultural and economic center of the country.

In places like Ochtendung, people don't want to save the world, but their own normality. People's favorite vocabulary is not Breakthrough Innovation, but Gemütlichkeit. This "inner life district of man," as Sebastian Haffner once put it, is defended by passive resistance against the hostilities of modernity. Here, people want prosperity and an after-work beer, not revolution and socialism.

In these cathedrals of normality, people don't dream of car sharing, but of carports. One does not fight against soil sealing, but for a plot in the new development area. One has nothing against binary personalities, but unfortunately one does not know them at all. One has here nothing against the call of the Greens for an extension of the public local traffic. Only one would like that apart from slogans also now and then a bus comes by.

It is not the construction of the new Federal Chancellery per se that is disturbing, but the simultaneity of new construction in Berlin and the closure of the library, swimming pool and savings bank in one's own town. In the past, the state built village community centers; today it builds homes for asylum seekers.

Given the choice between another evening at the Schwenkgrill or an identity politics lesson from Ricarda Lang, the majority of people in Germany would know how to decide. In places like Ochtendung, Winnetou is still an Indian and not a representative of an indigenous tribe. Here, people expect our national soccer team to hit the goal, not the note first.

And the youthful part of Ochtendung will presumably not gender at the Christmas market, but dance, drink and flirt. One feels part of a new, not the last generation. One hangs on to habits, but does not stick to the street.

One does not want to do without here, but travel. Of course, you would also like to save the world, but getting to know it first wouldn't be bad either. Because one suspects that behind the place name sign of Ochtendung there is a colorful, a crazy variety of countries and peoples to discover.

While young people are drawn to faraway places, politicians and capital city journalists should definitely travel in the opposite direction. Perhaps they will find in Ochtendung in the Eifel what they lost in Berlin many years ago: the political center.
-------------------------

Skybird

12-09-22, 10:20 AM

FOCUS:

-----------------------------------

Ten inconvenient truths about the budget of the traffic light coalition

The country's true opposition does not sit in the German Bundestag under the dome of the Reichstag, but resides at Adenauerallee 81 in Bonn. This is the control center of Kay Scheller, the president of the Federal Audit Office.

With his 900 auditors, he investigates the financial behavior of Berlin's politicians. His weapon is the slide rule. He draws his strength from the facts.

In the midst of a world of self-marketing and public relations, the Federal Audit Office is the small island of the factual. There are opinions. And there are facts. Here are the ten uncomfortable truths that Kay Scheller and his team have unearthed in recent weeks and published yesterday.

Truth 1: The state can do anything but be thrifty. It prefers, like Theodor Storm's little he-man, an eternal more, more, more. Compared with the last pre-crisis year, 2019, budget spending in 2021 rose by a peak of 200 billion euros to a high of 556.6 billion euros - an increase of almost 65 percent.

Truth 2: The future ranks below the rest for the state, contrary to what is promised in election campaigns. Around 12 percent of the budget is spent on investments. Some 88 percent of the budget is effectively withdrawn from change because it involves legal entitlements (for example, social benefits) or contractual obligations (for example, interest payments). Federal budgets, says the Court of Audit, are "largely fossilized."

Truth 3: By shifting debt into so-called special assets, the government is trying to disguise the situation, Scheller says. By 2020, the federal government's debt stood at 1.3 trillion euros and was built up over 70 years.

In the 2020, 2021 and 2022 crisis budgets, 800 billion in new debt was added, which is why the total federal debt now stands at 2.1 trillion. No wonder: real net borrowing is significantly higher than the amounts shown in the federal budget.

Truth 4: The interest burden will weigh heavily on future generations, especially now that the ECB's interest rates are rising and with them the debtor's borrowing costs. Four billion euros were the interest figures in 2021, for 2023 is now planned due to the interest rate increases of the ECB with about 40 billion euros.

Truth 5: The state is a big spender that primarily feeds its own bureaucracy. The basic pension that has been in effect since January 2021 - which primarily benefits those people who have worked hard and whose pensions are still not enough to live on - is a veritable bureaucratic monster. 1.3 billion euros in benefits are offset by 0.4 billion euros in administrative costs. That means 31 percent of the money goes to bureaucrats and not to those in need.

Truth 6: Unbelievable, but true - taxpayer money is in part not allocated according to measurable criteria, but raffled off. With its Digital Now program, the German Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology wanted to promote the digitization of companies in Germany. However, the companies are selected at random. The Federal Court of Auditors writes: "In the 500-million-euro Digital now program, the Federal Ministry of Economics is raffling off funding for the digitization of companies instead of aligning it with meaningful criteria."

Truth 7: Even climate protection is being misused to fund self-employment in the public sector. Only 16 percent of the Forest Climate Fund's funding - still 88 million euros over the past nine years - "directly served to adapt forests to climate change, reduce CO2 or increase CO2 sequestration." Most of the money went to monitoring forest dieback and producing brochures and websites. The Federal Court of Auditors judges, "For nine years, the federal government has been funding projects with 88 million euros from the Forest Climate Fund, most of which have no demonstrable improvement for forests and climate."

Truth 8: The state is cheating itself. For the stimulus package that was actually intended to deal with the Corona pandemic, the Department of Defense unceremoniously invented a new use of funds. The Federal Court of Auditors says: "Instead of bringing forward investments and thus providing short-term economic stimulus, the Federal Ministry of Defense used funds from the stimulus package to pay rents, leases and guarding of real estate."

Truth 9: When it comes to Europe, the German government deliberately looks the other way. It has "failed", writes the Court of Auditors, to determine the EU's liability risks. Borrowing from the EU pot, declared legal by the Constitutional Court yesterday, is being permanently expanded - without any risk assessment for the federal budget: "The federal government must keep an eye on whether and to what extent EU liabilities can impact the federal budget."
Conclusion:

These figures tell a story of longing for permanent presence. Or, to paraphrase Martin Luther, "A lie is like a snowball: The longer you roll it, the bigger it gets": truth number 10.
----------------------------------------

Skybird

12-09-22, 10:32 AM

Neue Zürcher Zeitung:
---------------------------
Germany is like its football: complacent and comfortable

2022 is a bankrupt year for the Federal Republic: high energy prices, a failed Russia policy, and now Qatar's exit. Once again, the country has hit rock bottom. But Germany has a trump card.

The German national team's disgraceful performance in Qatar serves as a parable for the state of the country. Typically, politics and soccer in Germany go through three phases:

Phase 1: First, the Federal Republic is strong, its economy dominates world markets. It is the world champion, whether in exports or in soccer. Then the country becomes complacent.
Phase 2: At the latest, when the country celebrates itself as "Model Germany," it is obvious: Things are going downhill. Efforts slacken, the descent begins.
Phase 3: At some point, the pressure of suffering becomes so high that Germany recalls its qualities. It then consistently tackles the problems and solves them with a thoroughness that sometimes makes you dizzy. Then comes the resurgence and with it a new round in the eternal pig cycle.

This is how it was in the 1990s, when Germany fell into a state of shock after reunification. The country was soon regarded as the sick man of Europe and ended up in one of the last places in the EU in economic comparison. The national team, too, was mainly a failure after winning the World Cup in 1990. Germany, pretty far down.

Representing the forward-looking part of the nation, German President Roman Herzog demanded that a jolt go through Germany. The German Football Association improved youth development and training methods. Jürgen Klinsmann played modern soccer and finally enchanted Germany with the summer fairy tale.

Gerhard Schröder tackled what his predecessor Helmut Kohl had lacked the strength to do. He gave the country a complete overhaul. His social reforms played their part in the rapid economic recovery. An achievement - by a Social Democrat, of all people - as improbable as the 7:1 victory over Brazil in Belo Horizonte.

Too many foreigners receive social welfare

To this day, Germany still thrives on the courage of a chancellor who accepted his party's crisis and an electoral defeat. Schröder still deserves a monument for this, even if he would be the first to tear it down with his behavior.

Since then, however, the country has done little to maintain or even increase its competitiveness. Like the 2014 soccer world champion, it is resting on its laurels. Angela Merkel did not use the sixteen years to build on Schröder's foundation. Instead, each group received a little subsidy: Retired women, young parents, drivers, builders and hoteliers.

Merkel became the Jogi Löw of German politics. She was glued to the coach's bench in an endless stoppage time. The final whistle was a salvation. Her team, the CDU, was relegated. It is still far from advancing to the government league in terms of content and personnel.

The German Football Association appointed Hansi Flick, Löw's former assistant, as national coach. Let there be no change, no breath of fresh air and no unconventional ideas.

The German voters were wiser and sent a new team onto the pitch a year ago. However, the new team quickly fell into the same old rut. In the economic and social spheres, it has only one reform to show for itself after one year. The citizen's income also serves to deal with the SPD's Hartz trauma. Additional costs of five billion euros are quite a lot of money for social democratic Vergangenheitsbewältigung.

At the same time, the reform does not take care of the elephant in the room of the welfare state: 40 percent of welfare recipients are migrants. In 2010, their share was still 20 percent. Ukraine refugees are not included in this figure.

All governments since the end of the Kohl era have tried to reduce the share of welfare state immigrants and increase the number of qualified migrants. The opposite has happened. In Germany, asylum seekers receive extensive benefits at an early stage compared to other European countries, even though a high percentage of them have no prospect of recognition.

The state keeps expanding

The welfare state is having a hard time with change. "Reforms," as in Merkel's day, are mainly limited to pumping more money into the system.

Genuine structural reforms like Schröder's Agenda 2010 are as absent as regulatory reforms. In the noughties, there was a spirit of optimism, and the state changed under the influence of the zeitgeist.

Some things succeeded permanently, such as the major reform of corporate taxation, which led to the dissolution of the "Deutschland AG. Some things remained piecemeal, such as the federalism reform and the reform of old-age security; and some things have been successively watered down since then, including Agenda 2010.

Instead of dynamism, comfort and stagnation now prevail. People are satisfied with the average. It's like in soccer. At the 2021 European Championship, Germany was eliminated in the round of 16. A warning shot, but the jolt failed to materialize. The receipt is painful. After Russia 2018, the team was knocked out in the preliminary round of a World Cup in Qatar for the second time in a row. There has been nothing like this in the last sixty years.

Not much is moving in politics either. The tax system is still one of the most complicated in the world. The inflexible labor laws make it seem more attractive in many cases to hire an employee in Switzerland than in Germany.

The reduction of subsidies, a favorite topic in Sunday speeches a few years ago, has not only come to a standstill. With pandemic aid and all the programs to make energy cheaper, the trend is rapidly moving in the opposite direction.

Less government and more freedom for private initiative? That's as out of the question as the last time Thomas Müller scored in the national jersey. On the contrary, in the pandemic, the chancellor and prime ministers imposed restrictions on freedom of a kind that previously would have been associated only with dictatorships.

Politicians and journalists patted each other on the back for initially managing the pandemic better than Italy and France. Model Germany. In the end, however, the mortality rate was not lower than in Switzerland, but at a much higher cost and with considerably more restrictions.

At the same time, politics spread an image of man that sees the citizen only as a source of danger: as a virus smuggler, and soon as a CO2 emitter. It does not take much imagination to imagine that the instruments created in the pandemic will one day be used to force citizens to behave in a climate-friendly manner.

Structural reforms are more urgent than ever

The traffic light coalition claims to be fully occupied with mitigating the consequences of the energy crisis and inflation. That is true, but the means used to do so are making the problems worse.

The government is reaching for the watering can to relieve the citizens. Once again, a lot of money is supposed to fix the unwillingness to make structural improvements.

There is no idea how the world's leading exporter can increase its competitiveness at a time when its strongest sector, the automotive industry, is coming under pressure from the regulation-hungry EU and Asian manufacturers of electric vehicles.

Germany is also being hit harder economically by the Ukraine war than other Western European countries. That's the price of its Faustian pact with Putin. Energy-intensive companies are toying with the idea of leaving Germany. Or they are foregoing investments and prefer to build new production sites abroad. BASF is building a huge chemical plant in China. At the same time, its CEO Martin Brudermüller announced that it would reduce its activities in Europe as quickly as possible and permanently. This is likely to have the greatest impact on the company's headquarters in Ludwigshafen.

Structural reforms would be all the more important to secure the company's position in Europe and the world. This is a difficult task. So for the time being, people prefer to bury their heads in the sand. At the moment, Germany is really playing the kind of football that suits its politics.

But the pressure of suffering is growing, and Germany has a strong capacity for self-criticism. That's why reforms will be tackled at some point. In soccer, this point seems to have been reached; after all, Oliver Bierhoff had to resign.

In politics, it will probably be a while before things start to look up again. Then the next round of the pig cycle will begin there, too.
-----------------------

I believe it when I see it. Too many things are different this time.

mapuc

12-09-22, 06:17 PM

I could have remembered wrong.

It's about yesterdays event contra todays event in Germany.

Before Hitler and his few followers tried to complete this coup the so called Beer Hall Putsch, he had not so many followers beside those he had as the leader of NSDAP But the years after this fiasco the numbers of people being a member of the party supporting him exploded.

Back to todays event.

A group consist of 25 hardcore member of this radical right wing group was arrested for planning on completing a coup.

So here is my thought-Will History repeat itself ? Will we see a huge increase of Germans being loyal to this Radical group ? In the next couple of years to come.

Markus

Jimbuna

12-10-22, 06:35 AM

The self-proclaimed kingdom that doesn't recognise Germany

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-63916812

Skybird

12-14-22, 07:04 AM

The self-proclaimed kingdom that doesn't recognise Germany

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-63916812
The nurses have been photoshopped out of that picture.

Jimbuna

12-14-22, 12:14 PM

The nurses have been photoshopped out of that picture.

:haha:

Skybird

12-15-22, 04:09 AM

Neue Zürcher Zeitung:
--------------------------
Rheinmetall expands ammunition production in Germany

(dpa) Rheinmetall is building an extensive new ammunition production facility in Germany with the aim of supplying the Bundeswehr independently. The facilities for so-called medium-caliber ammunition should be ready in January, the defense company confirmed upon request. Earlier, there had been political anger in Berlin over the Swiss veto of ammunition deliveries from Germany to Ukraine. The export of old stocks of the weapons material needed for the Gepard anti-aircraft gun tanks would have required the approval of the Swiss government, which, however, refused, citing its own neutrality.

Rheinmetall also pointed to considerable backlogs of ammunition in Germany and gaps created by support for Ukraine. These would have to be filled in accordance with NATO requirements. A spokesman for the defence company told DPA that at the heart of the new requirements was the desire to "reestablish ammunition supplies in Germany that are, in principle, independent of foreign production facilities". The decision had been made to build a new production facility in Germany for the 20-35 millimeter caliber. Production is scheduled to start in June 2023.

In addition, Rheinmetall will then be in a position to deliver a first batch of Gepard ammunition as early as July, the spokesman said. According to reports, this will involve up to 300,000 rounds for Ukraine if the German government now places a corresponding order. Germany has given the Gepard to Ukraine, but initially could only add a small amount of ammunition. The Gepard tanks decommissioned in the Bundeswehr and handed over to Ukraine are equipped with a twin 35mm gun made by the Swiss armaments manufacturer Oerlikon. The Swiss manufacturer of weapons and ammunition is now part of Rheinmetall.
----------------------------------

This took them NINE months.
Deutsche Welle writes:
-------------------------
Bundestag clears way for purchase of F-35 fighter jets

The Budget Committee has approved major procurement measures for the German armed forces by a majority "beyond the traffic light". These include a new assault rifle and the upgrade of the Puma infantry fighting vehicle.

The Defense Ministry has received the green light from the Bundestag for projects worth billions of euros to equip the German armed forces, including the procurement of the F-35 stealth fighter jet. Members in the Budget Committee approved a total of eight so-called 25-million bills, totaling around 13 billion euros. These included the decision to purchase a new assault rifle as a successor to the G-36, the procurement of military radio transmission systems, the upgrade of the Puma infantry fighting vehicle and new snow vehicles.

The Budget Committee must approve Bundeswehr procurements that exceed 25 million euros. The Defense Committee is also dealing with the bills, but approval is considered certain. Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht welcomed the Budget Committee's approval and expressed her gratitude for broad agreement "even beyond the traffic lights." This is an important sign that "the breadth of parliament is behind this change of era.

The Inspector General of the Bundeswehr, Eberhard Zorn, spoke of a "starting point" for the implementation of projects from the 100-billion-euro special fund for better equipping the troops. The program had been launched by the German government following the Russian attack on Ukraine and Chancellor Olaf Scholz's "turn of the times" speech at the end of February.

The government had decided to equip the Air Force with a total of 35 F-35 stealth jets because the current Tornado fleet is outdated. The jet, made by U.S. manufacturer Lockheed Martin, is considered the most modern fighter aircraft in the world and is also to be purchased for Germany's so-called nuclear sharing - a NATO deterrence concept in which allies have access to U.S. nuclear bombs.
German F-35s to be operational in 2028

According to the other Bundeswehr statements, pilot and technician training on the F-35 will begin in 2026, with the first jets scheduled to be transferred to Germany in 2027. Initial operational readiness would then be declared in 2028.
---------------------------
Budget Committee and parliament could not decide earlier because Lambrechts defence ministry did not get its acts together.

Jimbuna

12-15-22, 05:56 AM

Good news if it comes to fruition.

Skybird

12-15-22, 10:11 AM

Good news if it comes to fruition.
The irony is that it was the SPD, of which Lambrecht is a member, that for years prevented the purchase of the F-35, and even pushed against it. Now it is buying them in a rush - and is prepared to pay almost twice as much per aircraft as other European customers.
This is misappropriation of public funds, so to speak. All the assets of the Socialist Party should be confiscated, as at least symbolic compensation for the damage.
But the Greens are doing the same thing with energy policy. They cause horrendous amounts of damage, and when it is proven that it did not work, they leave the damage compensation to the taxpayer.

Thank you.

Rockstar

12-15-22, 01:02 PM

As one commenter stated: “ The short version: imagine that when you buy your car, you're paying up front not just for the car but for every scheduled service and every tire change for the next twenty to thirty years, parts and labour included, right down to training the mechanics and buying them their tools. And if a new model comes out with fancy gadgets, you're paying to have those refitted to the model you bought.

Now imagine what that would do to the price”

https://youtu.be/5MEZawAJmJg

Skybird

12-15-22, 01:17 PM

As the NZZ reported and I posted, Switzerland pays 168 per plane, Germany 286. EUR our US Dollar I forgot.
The reason is the Germans negotiated badly and from a weak position. They came late to the party.

Jimbuna

12-15-22, 03:15 PM

Can't say I'm aware of the true facts but the figures do give potential cause for concern.

Rockstar

12-15-22, 04:08 PM

Can't say I'm aware of the true facts but the figures do give potential cause for concern.

Unfortunately for us the particulars of military purchases are usually not publicly disclosed. It's going to be near impossible to determine why there is such a disparity between the price Germany negotiated and the price Switzerland, Finland and others.

Personally, I think Germany is spending more to get more. Costs dramatically vary depending on whether a government also buys additional support equipment and spare parts. Now, I could be wrong but take for instance nuclear payload capability, which is, I think, a NATO requirement for Germany, but I don't believe it is for others. I'm sure something like that is reflected in the price too.

On the other hand, maybe, the other countries are downplaying costs for their domestic audience. "Hey look at the deal we got!" :)

mapuc

12-15-22, 05:24 PM

Denmark has bought 27 of these F-35 for the sum of 20 billion Danish Kroner. This gives around 741 Million Danish Kroner per fighter jet. or 106 Million Dollars.
The Government has additional calculated a maintenance cost of 56 billion Danish Kroner for these 27 F-35 during their life.

Markus

Skybird

12-15-22, 06:23 PM

Again, the Germans came too late.

They need this plane desperately to carry nukie bombs stored in Germany, this thing we call "nukleare Teilhabe". They slept and slept for years to replace the Tornado and then slept more when dreaming of a licensing deal done with the US for the Eurofighter to carry these bombs. The Americans had them on the hook, and refused that licensing, betting for selling them US planes instead /long time the talk was of the F/A-18), and by that also damaging competition from the France-Germany consortium that is (was?) meant to design a new fighter. Now the Germans woke up this year over Russia, and suddenly everything had to go hush-hush. The initial delivery time given by the Us manufacturer probably was too long, they have many other customers, too. The Germans had to put money on the table to accelerate things a bit in their favour.

The Swiss even negotiated for some form of inherent technology transfer included in the deal they did, for much less money. But they had no time pressure and a stronger position, thus the price came down. Though I would assume the needs for logistical preparation and supply are not that much different than that of the Luftwaffe. In the end any nation buying these planes makes itself completely dependent on supply and maointence domninated by the mafucatrers and American authorities, national customers' services are not even allowed to run many of the common maintenance. Finally, and this gets never reported, these planes are not to be used by free decision of the customer - any use in a real military scenario must be agreed to by the US government. Much like the Swiss say no to dleoivering ammo for the Germna Gepoards and the Germans said No to Spain wanting to deliver Leopard 2A4s to Ukraine. The US are very concerned that their technology falls into the wrong hands if a plane get lost.

The Germans slept too long, until they found they had run out of time on many fronts and had to pay what was demanded. As a neutral observer I would say: serves them right. As a German I say: completely uneeded, and completely our own fault. And VERY typically German.

Skybird

12-15-22, 06:28 PM

I wonder if the European nations buying the F-35 will regret it one day when the US and China are at war, US must focus its supplies on that war zone, and then Russia goes amok again and starts another war in Europe. What will then happen to the supplies needed to keep the European F-35s flying? Food for thought.

Skybird

12-16-22, 06:59 PM

The Bavarian town of Neumarkt decided to lead the pace and save energy - by switching off the streetlights in town at night. Its a rural place, I assume: this is how it looks now when people need to find their way in the light of their smartphone torches.

https://img.welt.de/img/politik/deutschland/mobile242702209/3361626357-ci23x11-w1600/Fotos-von-Frdric-Schwilden-in-den-Inn-5.jpg

Boah, us Germans are so progressive! :yeah:

Skybird

12-17-22, 03:01 AM

After the Berlin State Constitutional Court has declared the election in Berlin invalid and ordered the repetition of the election in February because of the countless violations, it comes as I predicted and a group of 30 chaots in the jokingly called parliament anarcho-body moves before the Federal Constitutional Court to achieve a non-repetition of the election. Almost without exception, these are "deputies" who must fear for their sinecures and privileges if the election is repeated.

Jimbuna

12-17-22, 01:42 PM

This should help pay for the F-35's

Dresden Green Vault robbery jewels recovered after heist
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-64013430

Skybird

12-17-22, 04:56 PM

Der Tagesspiegel:
-------------------------
Major General writes letter to Lambrecht: The Bundeswehr apparently has serious problems with the Puma infantry fighting vehicle again

A letter is said to be causing a stir in the Ministry of Defense. According to a report, it is about the total failure of the "Pumas".

The Bundeswehr has encountered serious technical problems during exercises with the Puma infantry fighting vehicles for NATO's "spearhead". During a training with 18 combat vehicles, the operational readiness dropped to zero within a few days, reports the "Spiegel".

The magazine referred to a letter from the commander of the 10th Armored Division Major General Ruprecht von Butler to the leadership of the Army and the Ministry of Defense.

According to information from the Deutsche Presse-Agentur, the maneuver took place at the firing practice center of the tank force and the letter caused a stir in the Ministry of Defense since Friday. That's because the new breakdowns concern vehicles in a special configuration with which the Panzergrenadier Brigade 37, which is subordinate to Buttlar, is to participate in the alliance's VJTV force (Very High Readiness Joint Task Force) starting in the new year.

Spiegel" reports a total failure after reading the letter. The last two "Pumas" that were still operational also failed "on yesterday's firing day after one and a half hours with turret defects," the general wrote according to the report. [Skybird: 18 Pumas went into the exercise, after the second day, all of them were out of action due to internal technical problems].

According to the report, the electronics of the high-tech tanks are particularly susceptible, and in one tank there was even a serious cable fire in the driver's compartment.

The type of defects had already been known to the troops, the mail said, but they had "never occurred with such frequency." At the same time, the systems had only been moved on firing ranges in the northern German lowlands, where they had "not been subjected to excessive stress."

According to the estimate of the harness master of the affected company, which he considers very credible, the general writes, it can be assumed that the company will not be fully operational again for another three to four months.

The Puma infantry fighting vehicle, plagued by numerous technical problems, had only been declared combat-ready last year. Developed and produced by Krauss-Maffei Wegmann (KMW) and Rheinmetall Landsysteme GmbH (RLS), the combat vehicle had previously made headlines as a "breakdown tank."
---------------

Oh my, how much I always have loved this hyped super-dooper-mega tank. Practically every time I have read about it, it was something negative. And that still has not changed. But being the most expensive infantry fighting vehicle in the world. :o No one wants to buy it. :har: And then the crutch linkage on the gun without which the thing always warped.... :haha: But it is pregnant-soldieress-safe and fetusses will not suffer from exhaust gas in the cabin. Maybe they should turn the remaining Pumas into ambulance cars.

As the Spiegel put it: In the Bundeswehr, good news usually lasts as long as a chocolate mousse under the African sun. :D

Skybird

12-17-22, 05:09 PM

This should help pay for the F-35's

Dresden Green Vault robbery jewels recovered after heist
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-64013430
The police did not"find" them. Prosecutors, defense attorneys and the court made a deal (the thieves, members of a large Lebanese criminal clan in Germany that has committed and is committing many other felonies in Germany, including breaking into KaDeWe and stealing the large Elizabeth II gold coin, are in custody). The pieces would have been unsaleable anyway, even broken open.

Catfish

12-17-22, 06:32 PM

Yes, what an achievement!
There were negotiations with attorneys of this criminal clan before, and they made a deal! So the clan agreed to give back part of the steal.
Again, what an achievement!
Those "clans" are vermin. And this kind of reports and court decisions are ridiculous.
Maybe better use their own arabian legislation on them :nope:
Unbelievable.

Skybird

12-18-22, 04:40 PM

It has been revealed now why Germany does not deliver Marders to Ukraine.

In Spring, German wannabe-defence minister Lambrecht said that of the 350 Puma the Bundeswehr claims to have, only 150 were operational. It now got reported in the past 48 hours that in fact it were only 40 Pumas being operational. Of these, now 18 have been turned into "non-operational" as described two posts above, leaving the BW with just 22 operational Pumas (of which I assume if they get send into an exercise they soon would turn out to be non-operational as well :) ) So, in order to "enable" the Germans to fulfill their obligation within the spearhead Very High Readiness Task Force, it has now been decided to not equip them with Pumas but - refurbished Marders that already had been sorted out. :haha:

And news from the fleet of 50 Tiger helicopters. The number of oiperaitonal units ha sreac hed a reocrd level of 9, which is 1 more than the last time I read about the Tiger at the beginning of this year. :har:

Well, you give some and you get some. :D Truly a turning point in German history! :O:

Jimbuna

12-19-22, 06:48 AM

I doubt Germany have the ability to defend their own borders.

Catfish

12-19-22, 03:56 PM

^ this is exactly how i see it.
And more of a liablity than an asset to Nato.
But then the reeducation of Germany after WW2 worked :yeah:
:O:

Skybird

12-19-22, 06:19 PM

I doubt Germany have the ability to defend their own borders.
Thats more than doubt - thats a certainty.

Many Germans still do not even understand why they should want to defend themselves.

In the transition phase from great defence minister vond und zu Guttenberg to greta defence mninister von der Leyen they breeded a great plan, that was that Germany would command a league of foreign troops from its bordering neighbours, and equip them while not pariticpating in the man poower, and then have these fighting in case of a war that nobody imagiend to ever com e anyway. Of course said neighbouring sttae showed Germany the middle finger. The Germans wondered why this was so, but let the plan silently disappear under the carpet.

On the Puma, I never was a fan of that thing, and I think I criticised it on sevral occaisosn already years ago. The three modular armour. The cannon that did not aim precise. Electronics and optics problems from day one on. The need of four air lifts to transport 3 tanks in configuration C: three planes per tank,a nd a forth one for the component armor - and this for the Germans with their mighty logistics and big big A400M fleet! . Today they say the turret was build to house the HK MG4 with cal 5.56 and that it is so good becasue thats the same small callibre the ifnantry uses for its assault rifles, but I recall very brightly that years ago it was documented that the turret was mis-planned and did not have enough space to house a cal 7.62 (they now want to build a H&K MG5 into it). And then the main cannon now on crooks. Not to mention the hardening against exhaust gas not to to endanger pregnant soldier girls who go into battle highly pregnant. :wah:

No, its fair to say I never was a fan of that thing. And then the high price, the heavy weight. No wonder nobody wants to buy it. And they still fight a long list of serious problems - since 16 years.

It got reported today the problems that led to the failing of 18 of 18 tanks in easy exercises that were not even material stress tests, came from a software update.

:o

If true, I can only use Adama's words in Battlestar Galactica. That scene could have been written by me, I agree with every single word he says.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OPKGbg16ulU

I like computers. But not networked. Not automatically administring themselves. All my devices, from tablet to computer, are not networked in any way, and use not shared cloud or internet accounts. None of them updates automatically. And so forth. Computer - hell, yessir! :salute: But only kept on a very short line. As little smart-home as possible. Best is: no smart-things-home at all.

Skybird

12-20-22, 06:10 AM

The purchase of a further tranche of around 250 Pumas has been suspended.

Lambrecht is not responsible for this Puma problem, which goes back to the time long before her remarkable regency in the Ministry of Defense. But it is quite clear that she has neither the competence nor the interest to be part of the solution. She is and remains a total failure. In principle, the position of defense minister in Germany has been vacant for many years.

Skybird

12-20-22, 08:57 AM

:dead:

Der Tagesspiegel:

----------------------

After a raid on Berlin's major brothel "Artemis", the state of Berlin must pay damages to the two operators. This was decided by the Berlin Court of Appeal on Tuesday in the appeal process and awarded the two plaintiffs 50,000 euros each plus interest. The interest would amount to 10,941 euros if paid immediately.

The background to the case are statements made by the public prosecutor's office at a press conference in April 2016, some of which were inaccurate and prejudicial, the court reasoned. Among other things, the authority had spoken of links to organized crime. However, the accusations had collapsed, and an indictment was not admitted in 2018. The judicial administration could have prevented the verdict - with a donation of 25,000 euros to the United Nations Children's Fund (Unicef).

According to the court, the accusations made by the public prosecutor's office at the press conference, such as the assignment of the "Artemis" operators to organized crime, were not covered by the results of the investigation. The prosecution had fundamentally violated the principle of the presumption of innocence. The comparison with the gangster boss Al Capone was inadmissible. This had created the impression of massive criminal acts.

The Kammergericht justified the amount of compensation by the fact that representatives of the state of Berlin had again and in depth violated the rights of the "Artemis" operators in the trial and had not been prepared to correct the situation. "The state of Berlin missed the chance to admit the obvious and serious mistakes of the public prosecutor's office in the context of a settlement," said Artemis lawyer Ben M. Irle. The refusal to distance itself from serious breaches of official duty is "testimony to a staggering ignorance as well as a lack of displayed self-reflection," Irle said. "Such behavior by the administration of justice, characterized by stubbornness and complacency, is an alarm signal for the rule of law."

The responsible civil chamber had suggested a settlement to the state of Berlin after long negotiations in the appeal proceedings. However, the Senate judicial administration had not responded to this. The background to the dispute is a raid in April 2016 with hundreds of police officers, customs investigators and prosecutors in the brothel. Afterwards, the public prosecutor's office had spoken of links to organized crime, among other things. But the accusations fell apart.

After the Berlin Regional Court refused to admit the prosecution's charges at the end of 2018, the brothel's two operators sued. They are claiming damages of at least 200,000 euros and demand an apology. In recent months, the Superior Court had made it clear that mistakes had been made on the part of the state - and that an apology, including compensation, was in order. The court suggested paying 25,000 euros to Unicef - instead of paying damages to the brothel operators.

The Senate Judicial Administration had already announced in advance: "A decision by the Kammergericht in this matter will be carefully reviewed by the SenJustVA to see whether the relevant appeal will be filed. If prospects of success are seen here, the SenJustVA will of course take action against any judgment of the Kammergericht." Because the Kammergericht did not allow an appeal on the grounds that the case was not of fundamental importance, the hurdles are even higher. The judicial administration would have to file a non-admission appeal. The operators are currently fighting with the district office before the administrative court over a planned second "Laufhaus" of Artemis.
-----------------------

Catfish

12-20-22, 03:00 PM

[...]
It got reported today the problems that led to the failing of 18 of 18 tanks in easy exercises that were not even material stress tests, came from a software update.
:o
Of course, the internet of things transferred to the military :doh:

"Fire!"
"I am sorry the gun's ai just wants to do an internet update and the enemy blocks communication"
"Please wait"
"Please wait"
.
.
.
Plase wai.. "
Boom.

Jimbuna

12-21-22, 06:40 AM

:haha:

Skybird

12-22-22, 07:28 PM

Suspected Russian spy arrested in German intelligence agency

https://www.dw.com/en/suspected-russian-spy-arrested-in-german-intelligence-agency/a-64190192

Skybird

12-23-22, 06:46 AM

Neue Zürcher Zeitung:
--------------------------

Angela Merkel worries about her place in the history books - and rightly so

The former chancellor is present in many media. She fears that she will come off badly in historical retrospect. Her era was marked by bad decisions that will have long-lasting repercussions.

The image that best describes Angela Merkel's chancellorship is that of the captain in the fog. Merkel needed the unclear situation to be able to do what she did for 16 years: sail by sight. For her, politics was the art of forging compromises, of taming apparatuses, of seizing the day. Alongside that, she was quite concerned about her place in history. Now that she has had to relinquish power, this concern is gaining the upper hand. Merkel fights for her legacy with speeches, appearances and interviews and has to watch it slip away.

She will be remembered more as the middle and late rather than the early head of government. Chapters about the chancellor of the welcome culture, the chancellor of European crises and the chancellor of the pandemic, who saw the corona virus as a "democratic imposition," are likely to be set in the annals. Merkel proclaimed both that borders could not be closed and that "playing on a playground" was to be refrained from out of civic responsibility. On the inside, she wanted to organize social cohesion; on the outside, peace in Europe. Both ambitions have failed, and that is also due to Merkel's difficult legacy.

The CDU politician, whose hypothermic relationship with her own party is a particularly wintry story, now found time to participate in a public service podcast on the topic of "Let's Talk About Murder." Specifically, "Crimes in the 'Ring of the Nibelung'" was the topic. Previously, she had been visited by the magazine "Der Spiegel" and the illustrated magazine "Stern," had given an interview to the weekly newspaper "Die Zeit," and had given speeches in Halle, Goslar and Berlin.

In the podcast, Merkel proves to be a profound connoisseur of Richard Wagner's work, but also someone who always has justifying reasons ready for her own actions. She professes her belief in the vision-free motto "carpe diem" and praises the stoic acceptance of Edmund Stoiber's candidacy for chancellorship, even though she herself would have liked to run in 2002.

She sees politics as an instrument that curbs emotions and creates order: The rule of law depends on the majority of its citizens "accepting that this order that has been created is a good order, and not rebelling, so to speak, when they themselves don't like it. Merkel ultimately wants calm in the box. When she was still in office, she said that the task of politics was "that we should leave as little as possible to talk about."

Nothing could illuminate more sharply the chasm that runs between Merkel's failed ambition and the current state of affairs, which is aroused in so many ways. According to "Der Spiegel," the cheerfully chatty ex-chancellor would have wished for "a more peaceful time after my departure, because I was very busy with Ukraine," but now wants to practice "conscious abstinence" in day-to-day political business.

She confided to Die Zeit that, in retrospect, she would not have preferred to have acted differently at any point. This is reminiscent of the arrogance with which the then chancellor brushed aside criticism of the Bundeswehr's failed Afghanistan mission in the Bundestag. "After the fact," Merkel said in an illusionist volte-face, "knowing everything exactly and predicting it exactly, that's relatively effortless."

Merkel saw her de facto unbounded migration policy, now perpetuated by the "traffic light," as the gauge of whether Germany had learned its historical lesson - and whether she herself would end up on the right side of the history books. In 2015, she also credited her policies with the fact that the world "sees Germany as a country of hope and opportunity, and that really wasn't always the case."

Today, the problems piling up in the municipalities, on the housing market, in the social security system show how wrong Merkel was with this migration romanticism. The Ukraine war, in turn, is the greatest possible misfortune for Merkel's, Steinmeier's and Gabriel's Russia policy, not to mention the staleness of Merkel's constant appeals to the "cohesion of all who live in Germany."

The CDU is also moving away from the foreign and migration policy legacy of its longtime leader. Merkel, foreign policy expert Johann Wadephul wrote in the "Frankfurter Allgemeine," had "underestimated that Putin would actually do things he talked about." The idea of an eternally possible settlement had deceived her, he said.

At the moment, the retired chancellor is writing her memoirs. Helmut Kohl already used this format to put himself in the right light. Until proven otherwise, however, Angela Merkel has been chancellor for longer than was good for Germany. The many wrong decisions made during this era will continue to haunt the Federal Republic for an epoch.

----------------------------

And this is the - at the time of typing this - latest reader comment: "(Martin Thomas): This woman has done such unfathomable damage that it is not clear if it can ever be repaired. Probably not, because the course has been set. Whether this was done out of stupidity, ignorance or on purpose is not clear. In all important decisions (euro, migration, etc.), she has always chosen the solution that was the worst for Germany. "

I stick to what I have said often over the years: beign the mercilessly populistic opportunist that she was, Merkel was the most damaging political event in Germany and Europe since 1933 and the twelve dark years that followed - not as bad as Hitler, that is, but: the worst since Adolf Hitler. As an old joke said: she was the executor of Erich Honecker's later revenge on the FRG. To what extent Scholz, this continuation of Merkel by other means, and his ideology-drunk, economy-destroying criminal squad will surpass her harmfulness remains to be seen. There is no reason to look forward with hope to the dawn of the Green-Red future.

Skybird

12-23-22, 03:18 PM

Diversionary maneuver by the industry - or remarkable turnaround in the Puma scandal? The assessment shifted from "total failure" to "minor damage" and "operating errors". Is the Bundeswehr perhaps just too stupid? The Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung writes:

-------------------------------------------
Are the Puma tanks not that broken?

The Puma is causing problems, and the defense minister is blaming the industry. But is that justified? For some tanks, a wrench is apparently all that is needed to repair them.

The bad news reaches Christine Lambrecht in Africa. It is Thursday, December 15, and the defense minister is visiting German troops in Mali. She is being shown armored vehicles and drones, talking to soldiers and lighting an Advent candle at a field service.

But then this e-mail: During an exercise in Munster, Lower Saxony, all 18 participating examples of the new Puma infantry fighting vehicle have failed. The message reads that the Bundeswehr is once again left with nothing. And this just before the New Year, when NATO has firmly scheduled the Pumas for its rapid reaction force.

The Puma would like to be the best infantry fighting vehicle in the world. A Porsche compared to its old predecessor, the Marder. The most powerful engine and the most modern technology are installed in it. A computer on tracks, fully digitized. But that is precisely why it is also particularly susceptible to failure. The manufacturing companies have had to make improvements time and again in recent years.

In addition, there were numerous requests for changes and bureaucratic requirements. The result: huge delays and enormous costs. On the other hand, the reading light in the Puma now complies with the German Workplace Lighting Ordinance, and the exit flaps are also suitable for pregnant women.

But even these Pumas are worthless to NATO if they do not meet its standards. So far, however, only about 40 tanks have been certified for the rapid reaction force. That's why more Pumas are now to be modernized. And fast. On Wednesday, December 14, the Budget Committee was supposed to release the necessary money: 850.5 million euros.

The morning before the meeting, however, the Army was already on fire. The news of the broken infantry fighting vehicles had just arrived. Major General Ruprecht von Butler, commander of the 10th Armored Division, called Johann Langenegger, the deputy inspector of the Army, in the morning. A not entirely ordinary occurrence, as some say. Damage to individual vehicles is not in itself a matter for the top Army command. Just as the procurement of paper clips is not a matter for the head of the Chancellor's Office. Moreover, on that morning, i.e. immediately after the last failures, the damage situation was also anything but clear.

On the other hand, there were urgent reasons for reporting the matter to the top. Butler had doubts about the basic suitability of the Puma. And he knew that if this weapon system failed, "Plan B" would have to be activated. Then the Bundeswehr would have to offer NATO the old but reliable "Marder" for its spearhead in the remaining time, and within two weeks. Haste was the order of the day.

So Butler made a report to Langenegger on the phone. Langenegger instructed him to draw up a written report.

Parliament and the minister were apparently not informed at first, and so a few hours later the budget committee approved the 850 million for the modernization. Little did they know what was going on in Munster. "It was a good day for the Bundeswehr," Lambrecht said before boarding the government plane to Africa. The turning point in time will now be "filled with life," she said. She wanted to end her difficult first year as defense minister with a success. And the Puma was to be part of that successful record.

But how could it be that no one informed the minister when the future of the Puma tank was just on the agenda in parliament? Johann Wadephul, a deputy leader of the CDU/CSU parliamentary group, finds it alarming that the Bundestag was not informed. "We expect that it will be disclosed who knew what and when," he tells the F.A.S. "If it is true that the top management of the Bundeswehr was already informed on Wednesday morning, serious questions arise: why was the budget committee not informed by the minister who was present, or why was she not informed? One alternative is worse than the other."

Butlers' advocates counter that: Maybe he wasn't aware of what was on the agenda in the Bundestag at the time. But does that also apply to a man like Langenegger? He is, after all, the deputy inspector of the Army. Yes, says one insider, but he also knew what effect it would have had to startle the committee and the minister with a report that had not yet been verified. So there had been reasons to keep quiet for the time being.

So they kept quiet, and Butlers' report did not reach the ministry until five twenty-five the next morning via an encrypted e-mail. The distribution list was substantial, but the message still took some time to reach the top of the house. The Secretary of State was in Mali and was not informed until the afternoon. The Inspector General of the German Armed Forces, General Eberhard Zorn, was also traveling, so his deputy had to take over, Lieutenant General Markus Laubenthal. The Inspector General of the Army, Lieutenant General Alfons Mais, had not had time to read his mails in the morning and was informed by a staff member in the morning.

Then, for two days, there was tense silence, at least on the outside. The ministry and the army hurriedly tried to get a picture of the real extent of the damage, then to plan the next step. Until Saturday, this went silently. But on the evening of that day, at 8:00 p.m., the explosive device detonated. Der Spiegel" made the matter public. Someone in the circle of insiders had leaked Butlers' letter to the press. Who and why is not clear, but the scandal was there.

At the top of the Bundeswehr, in the ministry and in industry, the word was now: save yourself. Everyone was fighting everyone, the atmosphere was tense to the breaking point, and there was still no complete picture of the real damage situation. Lambrecht tried to keep the reins in his hands. On Monday, the Ministry of Defense informed the chairmen of the relevant committees in the Bundestag - if one can speak of information at all. At any rate, the deputies only got to hear fragments. There was talk of problems with the software, there of a "blockage in the fuel system", and in third place of dirty external cameras. Anyone who didn't have any doubts about the Puma until then was bound to get them now. "We have now spent 850 million euros," Alexander Müller, chairman of the FDP in the defense committee, told the F.A.S. - And for what? Just to get a "permanent construction site"? Suddenly, the entire "Puma" project, the backbone of the armored infantry, was once again in question.

By Monday evening, the minister had found her line. The order of the day was to attack the industry, the manufacturers of the Puma, Krauss-Maffei Wegmann and Rheinmetall. In the evening on the Heute-Journal, Lambrecht went on the offensive. "Industry has a duty," she said. Until the Puma proves stable, she said, there will be no new orders. "This is a path we will walk together, or just break it off if we have to."

The following day, the counterattack began. Several representatives of the affected companies began to fight back in confidential talks. The first argument from industry was that politicians and the military were making a "big fuss" about trifles. The investigation is still underway, but one thing is already clear: most of the allegedly damaged Pumas had only minor damage: a screen had failed because someone had accidentally kicked it, a fuse had blown, and a screw was loose in a missile mount. On one occasion, it was simply overlooked that the auxiliary heating only works when the switch is set to "on". Only two vehicles had more serious problems: A cable fire in the driver's cab and damage to the heavy gear rim on which the turret rotates - possibly due to an accident, since such a gear rim "doesn't break by itself. Overall, said an industry representative, they are confident they can repair most of the 18 Pumas by Jan. 1 - the day from which they must be available for NATO spearhead operations.

Second, industry officials point out that of the 18 Pumas that allegedly failed, ten were nearing their scheduled maintenance deadlines. Two had even "expired". The Ministry of Defense neither confirmed nor denied this when asked, but sources in the battalion concerned say that the Pumas were passed around between different companies and used intensively. Maintenance may have been neglected by the troops. One armored infantry officer on Twitter calls them "wandering whores" in ready-to-print commissary jargon.

The third argument of the defense industry: they could have helped quickly when the damage occurred, but the army did not ask for help. The Ministry of Defense has confirmed that industry specialists were always around during the exercise. But several sources confirm that they were not allowed near the damaged vehicles. "I ask: Why weren't we consulted?" says one industry representative. "Why did they wait until all 18 armored personnel carriers were down before reporting to the ministry?"

There are benevolent answers and less benevolent answers to this question. The benevolent one: Perhaps the commander had wanted to simulate a situation in which "the shells are really flying" and there is no help. "Just like in Ukraine. The less benevolent interpretation is: The Army did not call in the companies for help because their technicians might then have discovered failures in maintenance and in the supply of spare parts. In that case, the blame for the failures would have rested with the troops. That's just a guess, but leading opposition politicians are demanding that this suspicion be investigated. "You have to rule out the possibility that it was a matter of covering up possible maintenance errors by the troops," says CDU member of parliament Roderich Kiesewetter.

For Armin Papperger, Rheinmetall's CEO, all these arguments lead to one clear conclusion: "This is a storm in a teacup," he tells the F.A.S. He is not the only one who sees it that way. Arms expert Christian Mölling of the German Council on Foreign Relations believes the Puma still suffers from design problems. But in the case of the 18 failed Munster infantry fighting vehicles, he says, it was probably more the "poor handling of the vehicles" that was the deciding factor. "This time, the responsibility does not lie with the industry," Mölling says.

Defense politicians in the Bundestag are now asking why such a dramatic letter was sent out into the world before they themselves had tried to solve the problems. "Actually, the rule should be: Only when the game is won do we leave the field," says Henning Otte, a defense expert for the CDU. Instead, he says, they drove away with their heads bowed. "There was such a lack of commitment that crept in. Where was the service supervision here?" The leadership problem starts with the minister, he said, who first "reflexively" criticized the industry. Now the damage to the image of the German armed forces is immense. "Putin is clapping his hands."

The Greens also have the impression that the Bundeswehr always presents its problems more drastically than they actually are. After all, not everything runs smoothly in other armed forces either, says Green defense politician Agniezska Brugger, "but in Germany, the debate is sometimes very overdramatic." She said one always has to take a close look: "Has some little light gone off, or is the problem with the material endangering the soldiers?"

On Thursday evening, insiders from the industry spread the word that Krauss-Maffei Wegmann and Rheinmetall had meanwhile "inspected" the 18 Pumas. The result: eighty percent of the complaints had turned out to be "minor damage" or "no damage at all" - such as the heating switch not being activated. It is hoped that the Pumas will be available to NATO in time for the New Year. The Ministry of Defense had been informed of this.

The ministry would neither confirm nor deny this information. A spokesman asked for understanding that he could not "anticipate" the "ongoing analysis. There was also no contradiction from the Army.
---------------------------------------------

Catfish

12-23-22, 03:32 PM

^ i'm not sure how a wrench solves software problems, unless you treat the electronics with it, hard :arrgh!:

Skybird

12-23-22, 03:37 PM

The newspaper article quoting that a software update caused the failure, maybe was just that: a newspaper report, leaked by interested circles.

Do we ordinary people know for any facts for sure? Mostly not, no. I can only quote the newspaper articles and mark in bold letters what newspaper it was.
I still do not like the Puma. Is a heavily armoured eierlegende Woll-Milch-Sau, and I do not trust its inherent complexity.

Skybird

12-25-22, 12:05 PM

Another word from the press about the Puma, although probably from the chorus of those who are closer to the truth: the Neue Zürcher Zeitung writes:
---------------------------------------
The breakdown tank: Eyes ahead into the Puma disaster

Germany affords the most expensive infantry fighting vehicle in the world. Time and again, the Puma breaks down because it is too complicated. This is also the fault of those who are now complaining to the defense industry: Politicians and Bundeswehr leadership.

Four days before the German Bundeswehr once again became a breakdown army on Dec. 16, General Björn Schulz was using slogans of perseverance. The commander of the tank troop school in Munster sat with soldiers and mused about the world's most expensive infantry fighting vehicle. The Puma, Schulz said, had its shortcomings. But they could be controlled. The tank is ready for action and war, he said, and everything will be fine. That's how the soldiers reported it.

The following day, three infantry fighting vehicles (IFVs), three of the 18 that had begun final preparations for their deployment to the NATO Rapid Reaction Force (VJTF) in Lithuania from January, took part in an exercise at a firing range a few kilometers away. The company commander was sitting in one of the three Puma when suddenly a short circuit created an electric arc and fire broke out in the engine compartment. 24 hours later, the crews of the remaining two Puma also reported a defect. After a week of firing training, all 18 Puma were thus out of action.

The general's perseverance in Munster fits the pattern of the German army's handling of the Puma. Together with politicians and the armaments companies Rheinmetall and Kraus-Maffei Wegmann, it wanted to build the "Formula 1 car among infantry fighting vehicles" 20 years ago: light, fast, precise and well protected like no other. The result was a complicated, failure-prone, expensive vehicle. The version for the NATO task force cost 17 million euros.

The tank had to fit into the new Airbus

The story of the Puma symbolizes more than any other the errors of German arms procurement over the past three decades. It begins in December 1999, when the EU heads of state and government decided to build up a rapid reaction force by 2003. This was to include armored combat troops as "medium forces" that had to be deployable by air over a distance of at least one thousand kilometers.

At that time, the German government had to decide on two major armaments projects. The first was to buy a transport aircraft to replace the "Transall". This was the Airbus A400 M. Secondly, the Army needed a successor to the "Marder" infantry fighting vehicle, which was introduced in 1971. This was the Puma. The German government decided that there would only be a new infantry fighting vehicle if it could be transported on the A400 M. This meant that the maximum transport weight of the A400 M had to be exceeded. It thus made the maximum transport weight of the A400 M the decisive design feature for the new tank.

The Puma was not allowed to weigh more than the A400 M could transport: 31.4 tons. By comparison, the "Marder" 1A5 weighs 38 tons. There were even more specifications for the Puma, this time from the Bundeswehr: it had to be similarly enduring and agile to the "Leopard 2" main battle tank and be able to engage armored targets and targets behind cover. To do this, it needed a powerful engine and a large-caliber automatic cannon. It had to offer soldiers a high level of protection against mines, booby traps and bazooka shells. For this, it needed strong armor and a modern protection system. And finally, it had to be able to repel main battle tanks. For this, it needed a guided missile system.

On the edge of technical feasibility

The Puma was supposed to be an all-rounder. But the military specifications on the one hand and the weight limit on the other were tantamount to squaring the circle. Krauss-Maffei Wegmann and Rheinmetall wanted to build it anyway. They needed the order. After the fall of the Berlin Wall, the German government had raked in the peace dividend and hardly ever awarded large orders to the armaments industry. Krauss-Maffei Wegmann and Rheinmetall announced their intention to deliver the first Puma within six years. This contradicted all experience in tank construction; the development of the "Marder," for example, had taken eleven years. It soon became apparent that they had promised too much. The Puma required numerous new and often highly complex solutions on the edge of what was technically feasible.

A new engine had to be developed that would be only half the size and half the weight of the "Leopard 2" but would be similarly powerful. It had to accelerate the vehicle, which weighed several tons, to 70 km/h within a short time. Further sophisticated assemblies were added. For example, a running gear with hydropneumatic suspension was developed that is decoupled from the hull. This ensures that the noise from the tracked undercarriage is no longer transmitted to the inside of the tank. This protects the soldiers' ears.

Weight also had to be saved on the turret. This is only possible thanks to thinner armor. However, this would have meant less protection for the commander and gunner who worked in the turret of the Puma's predecessor, the Marder. The Army considered this an unacceptable risk, which is why the commander and gunner were placed in the hull of the Puma. As a result, all the turret's functions, weapons and optics, had to be remotely controlled and monitored by numerous sensors.

A computer on chains

Therein lies one of the main problems. From the Puma's turret, 179 cables and wiring harnesses run into the interior via a slip ring. Electrical currents and signals from numerous sensors run along them, such as those of the targeting and observation devices in the turret and the directional drives for the turret and gun. Connected to a dozen computers, for whose software a million lines of program had to be written, these are thousands of potential sources of error. The Puma is a computer on chains, impossible for a classic tank mechanic to repair. Today, the Bundeswehr needs mechatronics engineers and IT experts to fix bugs and defects.

These people mostly do not work in the military. This is the next cause of the disastrous Bergen-Hohne firing exercise in mid-December. Most of the tanks failed because of problems with electronics and sensors. Specialists would have been needed to correct the defects. But they were not on site. This was not the first time this had happened. Time and again, soldiers complained that they couldn't fix many defects in the Puma without industry. Therefore, since the introduction of the tank in 2016, the question has been how it will survive in a tough and demanding battle. To date, the answer is: not at all.

The high level of automation makes the Puma vulnerable. Unlike in earlier tanks, there is no longer any manual emergency operation for important functions. In the event of failures in the onboard network, soldiers are left only with the hope of being able to leave the vehicle in time before it is hit. However, when the Puma functions faultlessly, soldiers report that it is unrivaled. No armored personnel carrier in the world is better protected and hits more accurately.

A disaster for the Bundeswehr

This is another reason why the total failure of Bergen-Hohne is a disaster for the German Army. But what good is the best tank on paper if it fails too often in practice? Army Inspector Alfons Mais had already declared weeks ago that he wanted to buy a wheeled tank instead of more Pumas, but this is not yet available. Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht (SPD) has put further modernization of the 350 Puma and the planned purchase of another 50 infantry fighting vehicles on hold. The industry, she said, must finally get to grips with the problems. Before that, there would be no more money, she said.

But the question is whether the causes of the Panzergrenadierkompanie's problems from Regen actually lay solely with the industry. Soldiers report, for example, that Panzergrenadier Battalion 33 from Luttmersen held a two-week exercise in Bergen-Hohne this year without significant failures of its 38 Puma. Members of the Bundestag told NZZ that "the Puma matter" was being hyped up by the Defense Ministry. The problems were not serious, they said, and only spare parts, tools and repair personnel were missing.

The total failure of the 18 tanks in Bergen-Hohne has now meant that the Puma will not be used in NATO's rapid reaction force for the time being. When German combat units leave for Lithuania in January, they will have the more than 50-year-old "Marder" infantry fighting vehicle with them. Meanwhile, the Puma is being repaired - and has not yet been transported once in an Airbus A400 M.
---------------------------------
To remind again: the tank does NOT fit into one Airbus A400M if configured for battle. The armour takes a second plane to transport it. Three tanks need three planes plus a fourth for their armour. Which also means: one single tank again needs two planes (one third of its maximum loading capacity).

mapuc

12-25-22, 01:18 PM

Reading those word
" For this, it needed strong armor"

Made remember an episode of NASA where they showed some material weighing 1/20 of metal but was 1000 times stronger and was able to be altet with.

Can't remember what they called it and it's many years since I saw this episode.

You own comment to you posting...made me remember an another documentary this time about the famous Tiger tanks-Here they had to remove the tracks and replace it before placing it on a train wagon and at destination-put ordinary track back on.

Markus

Skybird

12-27-22, 06:10 AM

Deutsche Welle (German editon):
--------------------------------
The demolition of Christian churches

Oh, what the churches will be full again at Christmas. May the heating stay cold in the energy crisis, people are crowding in and singing themselves warm. But that is a deceptive snapshot, says Christoph Strack.

https://static.dw.com/image/64186892_403.jpg
Tradition and warmth - is that enough?

Sometime in the summer, the point was reached statistically where every second person in Germany no longer belonged to one of the two major churches, the Catholic or the Protestant. Now there are still 41 million - significantly less than half the population. Long after German reunification, the Federal Republic was still considered a Christian country.

An unspeakable bloodletting of believers

But what is happening now is no longer a mere statistical change. According to the Bertelsmann Foundation's "Religion Monitor," published in December, one in four church members in Germany is thinking about leaving, and one in five is determined to take this step. And 81 percent of all those willing to leave said they had lost their trust in religious institutions because of scandals.

Scandals and stubbornness in the churches

If churches were companies on the free market, their products would have disappeared from the shelves long ago and the management would have filed for bankruptcy. But what does the presence of the church in public look like today? There are cumbersome processes of coming to terms with sexual abuse in both large churches. Church, it seems, on the Catholic side is mostly older men who look worried and often seem unredeemed. All of this is toxic.

The Catholic Church is skilled at discussing yesterday's issues. The "Synodal Way" has been painfully wrestling for years with the concerns that were sent to the Vatican from Germany 50 years ago. They remained unanswered then, and even today Rome categorically holds to its position. The bishops have now only been able, after a process lasting many years, to agree on a new labor law that is no longer necessarily fixed on the sexual lifestyle of employees. In 2022.

The committed in the churches

What is tragic is that the crises and the loss of prestige are dragging down the reputation of those who, hundreds of thousands of times and often quietly, perform their service to society: the ambulance driver of church sponsors such as Johanniter or Malteser, care workers and educators, helpers in clothing chambers, food banks, in the telephone counselling service. "I am aware that a hundred Caritas offers cannot make up for what has been done in terms of injury and alienation from a church that closes itself off to the consecration of women and in whose thousand-year-old gowns sexual repression has found a safe hiding place in some places," said the president of the German Caritas Association, Eva Maria Welskop-Deffaa.

Secularization on the rise

What is this disappearance of majority religion doing to society? This breakdown of religious tradition and familiarity. Secularization is not a bad thing at first. The country will remain religious and yet become more secular. There are Christian, Jewish, Muslim communities, Buddhists, free spirits, humanists. Competition.

The lived religiosity will be less organized and more diverse, it will depend on the individual or smaller groups. This process will change the country with its cultural imprint. And there will be other concepts of ultimate justification.

But the core issues of society will remain. Justice, equality, solidarity, even love of one's neighbor ... These are motives that are at least also shaped by the Christian religion. However, they compete with an unconditional individual concept of freedom.

The country, the world, will need voices that counter the defiant "I" with the "we." Will the churches be heard once again for such a service to society? Full churches on one evening a year are certainly not enough.
-------------------------
In the Catholic church, the main reason for people turnign away seems to be the massive children abuse scandals, also greed of certain priests and oficials, in the Protestant church it seems to be an issue that it has moved so much to the left that it has turnd into an auxiliary of the woke, the pro gay and lesbian, and the capitalism-critical environmentalist and anti-nuclear power lobby scene. When I compare the chirhces to their cliamkj of what they want to be by their message, I can not help but miust brust in laughter. They are carricatures of said claims onlky. They are the traders and barterss who have been driven out of the temple by Jesus in that in that famous metaphoric Gosple story - and they do not realise it.

For me and my parents, church and Christian dogma play no role anymore, indeed we all dispise it - the church - very much. Beside church stuff, on faith alone I live by the rule "live and let live, push me for your faith and see me pushing back in force". Christmas for us is a purely individual family and memory festival, and we gather on christmas eve only and have our traditional family raclette, we do so since 20 years. I have wonderful childhood and youth memories of christmasses back then, including tree and decorated apartment. These are warm and precious memories for me that I hold in very high esteem. But the church I was already hostile to when I was at school and had courses in "religion". Christmas to me is a family thing foremost and in the first. And over the years, my parents have turned this way, too.

There are intact Christian communities in germany, however, these you mostly find more in the south and then the rural places, say in Bavaria, that direction. Here it is also mixed with a healthy dose of "Heimatliebe", a strong sense of community and a desire to preserve customs and traditions - sometimes with and sometimes in spite of the church, and that doesn't mean the show put on for tourists. These regions are more Catholic than Protestant, the north and west of Germany are more Protestant, and therefore more "barren", self-caste, "Calvinist". Last but not least, the differences in mentality of the native regional populations can also be explained by a denominational shift running roughly in a north-south direction. The south is "saner". So, even if I am against the churches, I am aware of the integrating and defining value of cultural, historically grown contexts, and I would be stupid to deny its importance. The fact that today we claim all kinds of individual uniqueness is also the reason that our sense of community and even more: forour own identity and origin has become dramatically fragmented.

Skybird

12-28-22, 08:22 AM

The scandal deepens and could lead to serious crisis between Germany and its "allies". Trust seems to have been limited all the years anyway. Mind you, some years ago Germany asked to beocme emmber of the Five Eyes club - a and all five members said No. I can only applaude the wisdom in that rejection. FOCUS writes:
------------------------------
Former KGB officer Vladimir Putin, of all people, had apparently placed a top spy at the heart of Germany's foreign intelligence service. Now Carsten L. is in custody. But the real scandal is just beginning.

The official order from the top of the authorities was brief and strictly confidential. For the time being, Maik Pawlowsky, head of counterintelligence at the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV), announced to his staff, they no longer wanted to pursue normal "four-man cases". It was thus clear to the staff of several units in Department 4 that they were not to continue uncovering suspicious foreign spies, but were primarily to track down and observe neo-Nazis and Reich citizens.

Right-wing extremists, as Federal Interior Minister Nancy Faeser (SPD) had clearly stipulated in her catalog of measures, were from now on considered priority targets of the BfV. Shadow men and hostile agent leaders - for Faeser, these seem to be figures from yesterday and the day before.

Pavlovsky's change of course, which experts believe represents a clear weakening of counterintelligence, came in January of this year, four weeks before Putin's invasion of Ukraine. Few insiders are likely to know whether suspected top Russian agent Carsten L. was already active in the Federal Intelligence Service (BND) at that time. On Wednesday of last week, he was arrested on charges of alleged treason and passing on a state secret to Russia's intelligence service.

The shock runs deep - in all German security agencies. There is a war going on in Europe - and the brutal aggressor and former KGB officer Vladimir Putin, of all people, had apparently placed a top spy in the heart of Germany's foreign intelligence service. From Moscow's point of view, this was a masterstroke, at least at times. A coup de main as in the novels of John le Carré or Frederick Forsyth.

Germany's agent hunters were also sitting in front of a puzzle over the holidays. The BfV is trying to find out whether there are any peculiarities in the alleged spy's curriculum vitae that would have made him susceptible to being recruited. The State Protection Department at the Federal Criminal Police Office is trying to clarify: Was L. being blackmailed? Could it be a betrayal for ideological reasons? Or was there simply big money to be had? Is there a Russian command officer? How were BND secrets transmitted to Moscow? Did conspiratorial meetings take place somewhere? Did L. first come to the attention of a foreign service, which then alerted the BND?

The BND seemed deeply affected. President Bruno Kahl could clearly see the intelligence service's defeat the day after the arrest. Within an hour, he invited selected media to a background discussion and urgently asked for restraint in journalistic research. Every published detail, Kahl said, could ultimately inform the Kremlin about the extent to which investigators have cleared up what appears to be a serious case of treason in the BND. More than a few in the industry have long been talking about an intelligence super-Gau.

How, the BND boss will have asked himself again and again over the Christmas holidays, could L. have survived all the stringent security checks he has to pass as a senior civil servant with access to state secrets?

The suspected spy, whose name and age are strictly concealed by the security authorities, must have made a reliable impression so far. Otherwise, it would be hard to understand why he was entrusted with one of the most sensitive tasks in the intelligence agency, which has almost 6,000 employees.

Carsten L. was the BND's big ear, so to speak. He worked in a leading position in the "Technical Reconnaissance" department. The BND's special antennas, which capture and filter communications worldwide like vacuum cleaners, provide top information on the military, wars, corrupt governments, terrorists and arms dealers. From this mass of information, Carsten L. is said to have filtered the most important information and prepared it for the German government, the Bundeswehr, individual ministries or specialist committees - all of it top secret.

As a supplement to his situation reports, L. was authorized to view sensitive intelligence from friendly intelligence services and use it for his evaluation and situation reports. And that's where a huge intelligence scandal could be brewing.

At present, according to Focus information, it cannot be ruled out that Carsten L. forwarded intelligence gems from the eavesdropping operations of several NATO wiretapping services to Moscow. This would severely shake the relationship of trust between the BND and its partners around the world. Intelligence agencies exchange exclusive information, they live on give and take. Once this basis is fragile, a professional mistrust sets in very quickly that is difficult to regain on both sides.

The investigating Federal Prosecutor's Office, responsible for espionage offenses, is refusing to provide any information about its proceedings against Carsten L. these days. A report in the daily newspaper "Die Welt", according to which Carsten L. might even have had accomplices in the BND, was neither confirmed nor denied. This will not stop the major intelligence services in the USA, Great Britain, France or Israel from initiating their own investigations. The main question is: How safe are my sources and their supplies if there is a traitor in the BND switchboard?
For many, the BND has always been an insecure cantonist

For many, the BND has always been an insecure cantonist. Even at the time of the founding of German foreign espionage in April 1956, foreign countries watched the force, in which many figures from Hitler's repressive apparatus had come together, with suspicion and skepticism.

One of them, former SS man Heinz Felfe, even rose to become head of counterintelligence. For years, he shone with material he claimed to have obtained through enlisted officers of the Soviet intelligence service KGB. All lies and deception: the Russians had long since hired Felfe and equipped him with game material that ultimately accelerated Felfe's rise to head of counterintelligence. In this capacity, he betrayed tens of CIA operations and dozens of Western agents in the Eastern Bloc, who were executed or sentenced to long prison terms immediately after their arrest.

In 1961 Felfe was exposed by the Polish double agent Michael Goleniewski. He was sentenced to 14 years in prison for treason.

This did not satisfy the Americans. For 15 years, they kept their distance from the BND, appalled that Felfe, a former SS officer, remained undetected and was able to deliver so many spies to the knife in his position.

Is a new ice age threatening now, too?

Alfred Spuhler, born in Munich in 1940 and trained as a long-range scout in the Bundeswehr, also triggered a serious crisis at the BND, which in turn strained relations with partner services. Like the current suspected traitor Carsten L., Spuhler worked in the BND's technical reconnaissance unit from 1968. Starting in 1972, he betrayed military information such as the locations of nuclear weapons as well as the identities of Western agents to the GDR intelligence service. His pay: 330,000 marks. A defector from the Eastern Bloc outed Spuhler - he was sentenced to ten years in prison for his treason.

The fall of the Berlin Wall and the apparent end of the Cold War initially seemed to defuse aggressive espionage against reunified Germany. A fallacy. The resident agencies of the Russian secret services - including the KGB successor FSB, the civilian foreign service SWR and the particularly aggressive military intelligence service GRU - are currently staffed as they were in the 1960s and 1970s.

Some 200 Russian diplomats, working in Moscow's embassy in Berlin as well as in several consulates general such as Hamburg or Munich, are in fact disguised secret service agents, permanently on the lookout for informants. The diplomatic passport usually protects them from arrest. The former director of the British foreign service MI6 stated months ago: In Europe, only ten percent of the Russian spy network is known.

In early April, Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock (Greens) had 40 Russians expelled from the diplomatic corps because, in the government's view, they posed a danger to Ukrainian refugees in Germany. Moreover, the expulsion was supposed to be a reaction to the Russian army massacre in Butscha.

The arrest of the suspected spy in the BND led to clear confessions last week. Politicians from all parties called on the Office for the Protection of the Constitution to be more vigilant against hostile espionage. "This is a wake-up call," said FDP defense policy spokeswoman Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann. Russia's intelligence services were trying to destabilize the Federal Republic, she said. SPD parliamentary group vice-chairman Dirk Wiese suggested improving the equipment of the security services if necessary.

Things are apparently not so good in terms of counterintelligence, with a lack of professionals. "Almost all the good people in the upper and higher ranks are recruited for Department 2 for the observation and reconnaissance of right-wing extremism," knows an experienced insider from the BfV headquarters in Cologne.

A federal prosecutor in Karlsruhe, responsible for espionage crimes, has been wondering for a few years: "There are more and more agent leaders at the Russian embassy, but virtually none of their German sources are discovered. I dare say that the BfV must be taken to the chase in this respect!"
-------------------------

"Don't trust the Germans."

It should be noted that it was not the Germans themselves who discovered the spy. They needed first - and once again - the hint of a foreign secret service, which helped them with the appropriate information.

As far as I remember, in the past the BND was actually only considered to be reasonably capable in the Middle East, even usefully well positioned. It has never been useful for countering Russia, at least not according to its reputation. But countering Russia or counteringChina may not be seen as politically desirable anyway: it disturbs precious illusions and endagers profits from short-sighted business deals.

Skybird

12-28-22, 11:15 AM

Something's rotten in the state of Germany. Trump showed where it could lead the country. And it could even get worse. Our ancestors have been there before. The Neue Zürcher Zeitung writes:
-------------------------------------------
In Germany, a tendency to know-it-all attitude is spreading. This could be politically dangerous

Germans don't tend toward extremism - actually. But in the political-media sphere, know-it-all attitude and paternalism are increasingly noticeable. The contempt for the normal is a cause for concern.

For a long time, modern Germany was not a country to worry about in terms of democracy. According to a study conducted this year by the Allensbach Institute for Public Opinion Research, 25 percent of Germans place themselves exactly in the center of the democratic spectrum of opinion; 36 percent a little to the left, 29 percent a little to the right of this center. That adds up to 90 percent between center-left and center-right. Reassuring, actually.

The danger of Germany slipping into right-wing populism à la Donald Trump thus seems rather small. Nevertheless, it is sometimes hard to shake off the impression that Germany's youth milieu is doing just about everything it can to exacerbate existing divisive tendencies in this generally friendly "center" society without need.

There is a layer of journalists, professors, cultural workers, politicians and civil servants - presumably not overly large, but vocal - who have very clear ideas about what the good life should look like, for everyone, please: climate-neutral, gender-just, queer-tolerant, sensitive to racism, corona-solidary and in every respect against the right. Whereby the definition of what is to be considered "right-wing" lies, of course, with the holders of interpretive sovereignty.

Under the care of these well-meaning people, society is indeed polarizing. Today, survey figures according to which only 42 percent of the population is satisfied with "the political situation in Germany" must be worrying. According to an official government survey, recently published in the East German Representative 2022 Annual Report, just 59 percent of West Germans and only 39 percent of East Germans approve of "democracy as it functions in Germany."

In all eastern German states, the right-wing populist Alternative for Germany is the second-strongest party. In polls, the AfD is currently even in first place, for example in Thuringia (30 percent) and Saxony (28 percent).

The dominance of the left-liberal-green milieu had begun during the three grand coalitions under Christian Democrat Angela Merkel. It is now continuing under the traffic light government of SPD, Greens and FDP. More and more often, the debates initiated by the government are about zeitgeisty secondary issues: for example, the work-life balance in the Bundeswehr, against which there is absolutely nothing to say - except that the operational capability of the troops would be ten times more important. Or it's about diversity-friendly ad campaigns by Deutsche Bahn - instead of train punctuality. When the Green mayor of Tübingen criticized this, he was criticized by his own party.

Or it is about the fulfillment of the gender quota instead of the competence of ministers; about the adoption right for lesbian mothers instead of real existing, good daycare places. It is - rightly - about maximum persecution of conspiring Reich citizens, but far too rarely about how to win people back for democracy.

"The climate of opinion is not only being poisoned by the right," writes Left Party politician Sahra Wagenknecht in her book "The Self-Righteous." The "lifestyle left" showed an obvious tendency to "take their privileges for personal virtues and declare their worldview and way of life to be the epitome of progressiveness and responsibility."

The milieu Wagenknecht calls "lifestyle leftists" resides in big cities - living, if not in the mansion districts, then around universities, working in federal and state administrations and in the media.

"They look down with arrogance on the lifeworld, the hardships, even the language of those people who have never been able to attend university, tend to live in small-town milieus and pick up the ingredients for their barbecue at Aldi if only because the money has to last until the end of the month," Wagenknecht writes. She definitely has a point, and as little comparable as the party systems and societies of Germany and the U.S. may be, it's worth looking to America here.

In the U.S., there was probably no more unintentionally honest statement in the entire 2016 election campaign than Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton's formulation that Trump supporters were a "basket of deplorables." Democrats also liked to refer to them as "white trash" when they had Trump supporters in mind.

James David Vance, a descendant of Irish-Scottish immigrants who grew up in Ohio and has just been elected Republican senator for that state, wrote a remarkable book in 2016 from the perspective of this "white trash": "Hillbilly Elegy.

In it, it's about the sense of a large social group, not to say a "class," of permanently fighting their way up - against unemployment, against drug addiction, and against the contempt of actual or perceived elites. "These people talk about us as "hillbillies, rednecks, or white trash," Vance writes: "I'm talking about neighbors, friends, and relatives."

Another writer, Katherine Cramer, a political science professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, was less surprised by Donald Trump's election victory in 2016 than many other political observers. That might have been because she had been doing field research in her constituent state of Wisconsin for years, interviewing farmers, drinking coffee with people at the gas station.

Cramer described a "rural consciousness," a rural consciousness that was linked to a sense of being despised by urban winners. "It's not about facts and policies," Cramer wrote in an op-ed for The New York Times, "but about how these people see the world and their place in it."

The conflict between Washington and rural areas has always shaped politics in America. For Germany, east/west is probably more important than urban/rural, even if the latter contrast also plays a certain role - for example, in the dispute over private transport and, in particular, diesel, which has been branded as harmful to the environment.

In almost all opinion polls on politically sensitive issues (from Corona to the Ukraine war), there are clear differences between Germany East and Germany West. In the West, people like to shake their heads at the Easterners, who supposedly never internalized democracy and freedom. But in reality, perhaps there are completely different issues at stake here as well? About identity and wounded pride?

A second sphere of feeling disconnected, this time defined not geographically but socially, is the non-academic milieu. Anyone who talks to hairdressers, beauticians, nannies, market vendors or plumbers gets the picture of an unbearably arrogant clientele that has no idea about real life. And despite all its demonstrative wokeness, it lacks any sensitivity toward mere servants.

Social Democratic Chancellor Olaf Scholz had made "respect" a leitmotif of his Bundestag election campaign. But it is to be feared that he defines "respect" too narrowly: as a purely quantitative remuneration criterion.

The minimum wage of 12 euros per hour will provide a little sigh of relief in many households, because it is now possible to live a little better from exhausting, frustrating work. But respect actually means more: respect for ordinary people who have to fight for their little bit of prosperity every day; who do their homework with their children despite being tired; who don't suddenly want to be forced to speak to colleagues differently than they always have; who aren't excited about every politically proclaimed advance because some "progress" in the world of work and leisure is constantly coming at them, whether they like it or not. Condescension is the last thing these people need.

It can all go on for a long time. But in the long run, it's probably not enough, even in Germany, just to hope that no evil charismatic like Donald Trump rears his head - after all, no one in America seriously expected that either. Now, today, we should immediately start doing what Katherine Cramer did in Wisconsin: listening to other people.
------------------------

Rockstar

12-30-22, 08:59 AM

Suspected Russian Agent in Germany Had Access to Western Intelligence About Ukraine War
U.S., U.K. investigate whether signals intelligence officer shared material with Moscow, officials say

https://www.wsj.com/articles/suspected-russian-agent-in-germany-had-access-to-western-intelligence-about-ukraine-war-11672255183

BERLIN—A senior German intelligence officer arrested on suspicion of spying for Russia had access to a trove of top-secret information about the war in Ukraine as well as knowledge of how it was collected by the U.S. and its allies, Western officials say.

Prosecutors are trying to determine whether the material was shared with Moscow. If so, it could have alerted Russia to its own vulnerabilities and given away Western intelligence-gathering methods and capabilities.

American and British officials said they were trying to determine the scope of potential damage in Ukraine and elsewhere. One U.S. official said there was “grave concern” about the case.

The suspected spy, identified as Carsten L. by German prosecutors, worked for the signals intelligence branch of the country’s Federal Intelligence Service, which conducts electronic surveillance and works with the U.S. National Security Agency and Britain’s Government Communications Headquarters.

Prosecutors said the man was being held on suspicion of committing treason as their investigation continues.

The German intelligence service, known as the BND, confirmed the arrest but has declined to comment further, citing national security risks. The NSA and GCHQ declined to comment.

The Kremlin didn’t respond to a request for comment. Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service, or SVR, declined to comment.

Germany isn’t a member of the so-called Five Eyes intelligence community made up of the U.S., Canada, the U.K., Australia and New Zealand, but Berlin does receive sensitive information from those countries, especially in relation to the war in Ukraine, officials from three countries said.

Carsten L. had worked on intelligence related to Russia’s war in Ukraine, including material gathered by German military satellites, German officials said.

His department also processed classified intelligence from Russia and Ukraine obtained by other Western spy agencies by tapping electronic devices, intercepting telecommunications and satellite imagery.

The BND, which has a staff of 6,500 and is based in a highly protected campus in the center of Berlin, has been focusing its intelligence-gathering and analysis on Russia and Ukraine since the start of the war, and is traditionally also active in the Balkans, the Middle East and Africa.

The Kremlin’s suspected penetration of Germany’s most secretive security agency is the latest evidence of Moscow’s aggressive tactics in Europe, where Russia has been accused of killing political opponents, sabotaging infrastructure and trying to steal industrial secrets.

The BND received a tipoff about the suspected spy from an allied intelligence service earlier this year, German officials said. After an internal investigation, the case was passed to the federal prosecutor, who then ordered the man’s arrest last week.

The case could be the worst example of Russian penetration of Germany’s intelligence services since 1961, when a senior BND employee who was spying for the Soviet Union exposed a network of 100 CIA spies, said Erich Schmidt-Eenboom, who has written several books on the BND.

Roderich Kiesewetter, an opposition lawmaker and deputy chairman of the parliamentary oversight panel that oversees Germany’s intelligence agencies, said the case could be a potentially severe blow to European security.

He has called for Germany to set up a commission of inquiry to explore how many politicians and senior civil servants might have been compromised by Russia and China and look at how to reduce Germany’s dependence on both countries.

Germany scaled down counterespionage efforts in the early 2000s, becoming vulnerable to Russian operations, according to Mr. Kiesewetter and other experts.

However, senior German intelligence officials said the Ukraine war had marked a “paradigm shift” in German politics.

Berlin started cracking down on Russian espionage this year after Moscow attacked Ukraine. The heads of Europe’s domestic securities agencies met in early April in Paris to forge a common strategy on fighting Russian espionage. After the meeting, European governments expelled around 600 Russian officials from their countries, including 40 by Germany.

The decision was “the most significant strategic blow against the Russian intelligence services in recent European history,” Ken McCallum, the head of Britain’s MI5 agency, said in November.

Russia has since sought to offset the loss by activating so-called deep cover agents, and using informal collaborators as well as recruiting civil servants, business people, academics and others as spies, according to several Western officials.

The probe into Carsten L. hasn’t found evidence that he had received payments from his handlers. Investigators are trying to determine whether he was blackmailed or whether he was motivated by ideological convictions, people familiar with the probe said.

Russian groups, including criminal gangs hired by the Kremlin, have been using cyberattacks to target German critical infrastructure this year, attempting to hack into utilities, airports, and medical facilities, according to several German officials.

Moscow has also shifted to industrial espionage as it attempts to compensate for the loss of access to Western technology due to sanctions, especially in the fields of aerospace, control electronics, semiconductors and basic research, according to counterespionage officials.

German officials suspect Russia is behind several sophisticated acts of sabotage such as the destruction of the Nord Stream natural gas pipelines and an October attack on the railroad that temporarily halted all rail traffic in the north of the country.

Russia has denied involvement.

The railway attackers crippled both the railway’s main communication network and its backup by almost simultaneously severing two data cables located more than 300 miles apart, investigators say.

The cables were inside a special manhole, one of which was covered with a heavy concrete lid, and whoever performed the sabotage had detailed knowledge of the network, investigators said.

“A temporally coordinated assault on two key points far away from each other that cut off exactly the right segments in a bundle of cables without leaving any traces was the work of experienced professionals,” one of the investigators said.

In a previously unreported incident, the homes of several CIA officers in Germany were broken into in 2020, in what some officials think was an intimidation attempt by Russian secret services.

The break-ins took place simultaneously, and nothing was stolen, according to U.S. and German officials. The investigation concluded that it was likely the work of a criminal gang, although no suspects were apprehended, U.S. Embassy officials said.

Max Colchester and Warren P. Strobel contributed to this article.

Skybird

12-30-22, 09:38 AM

^ Its a mess, and I think Five Eyes must draw consequences form this.

The interior ministress is a far-leaft leaning super-woke SPD quota-woman who shows more talent for being a left politic commissioner than a competent minister, anmd she abuses her position to have channelled practically all competent ressources in the BND from fighting foreign spoies to observing the AfD and the Reichsbürger. This may not have allowed the Russian plot alone, since Russia acts aggressive since always, but it has made sure that this new crisis in Germany again finds Germany with Germany having its according ressources in complete disarray and disorder.

Really, Five Eyes must be much more choosey regarding what they shgare with the Germans and what better not, even more so since the political goals of Bubble-Olaf regarding Russia and Ukraine are dubious, to put it mildly.

Dont trust the Germans.

Catfish

12-30-22, 04:55 PM

You think the "five eyes" are anything better? It is all lies :yep:

The problem is in Europe they are all rug rats in the political leaderships, they do not dare to jump over any hurdle alone (because of the nuclear disparity or whatever), it is always the US that has to lead them (by the nose) including the UK.

Canada had to lend tanks from Germany in Afghanistan, the US wants german locations for all kinds of and including illegal actions. Anyone believes Guantanamo is legal or a shiny example, or flying people to Poland to have them tortured there because it would be illegal in the US?
The only way is to become independent and better in all x-int branches.

Skybird

12-30-22, 05:25 PM

You think the "five eyes" are anything better? It is all lies :yep:
I only think that the Five Eyes is more potent in gathering intel than the BND. Just look at the scale of ELINT run by the US. The UK also are good at it. The BND - as I said, Faeser has set them all on the Reichbürger and the AfD. Anti-Russian operations and anti-left-terrorism operatiosn do npot exiost as a necessit yin here biased, one-sided little worldview. But that carricature of a Reiochbüprthger "coup" - hasn't it made you suspicious that the media all stood ready when the raids began? I say it was a staged operaiton, blowing up a mosquito to the sioze of an elephant plot to once again push it down people'S throats that rightwing terror is a problem but left violence never is, and in principla does not even exist, and iof sop,m can be exycused, since it is left and thus is for a good cause.

The BND is the German exterior, international secret service. What the heck has it to do with observing internal German groups...??? Thats the job of the Verfassungsschutz, and where links to foreign service meddling in internal German movements are a given: sometimes even the Militärischer Abschirmdienst.

Skybird

01-02-23, 10:19 AM

A small interjection for the new year: I have just read that the anarchist cabinet of Bubble-Olaf has inflated the already large civil service of the ministries by no less than 60% in the first four months of their visitation. And this in the context of over-indebtedness, declining economic performance, a shortage of skilled workers, the retirement of the baby boomer generation and an imploding German pension system. 60% more pen-pushers for the ministries.

Bureaucracy is the truest power tool of any dictatorship. As long as people's heads are spinning, they have no time left to think and revolt.

Skybird

01-02-23, 03:43 PM

A lil history class...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5i7z6bS-LqY

Skybird

01-02-23, 04:56 PM

https://www.dw.com/en/german-defense-minister-lambasted-over-nye-ukraine-message/a-64264937

:doh: There are lows, and there are lower lows. And then there are lows so low that you wonder wether there is any bottom.

That stunt of this incompetent quota-female was rich even for her low standards. And for the first time I see that none of the coalition politicians comes to her defence after her latest failure. I see a small chance that this may ring the beginning of her end, while she more and more becomes minister for self-.defence. Refering to the war as a time of exciting personal experiences and opportunity not meet interesting people, is a bit too low even for the standards of somebody who apparently has not even a rubber dummy for his missing functional brain.

This is embarrassing and just plain disgusting. She does not even look as if she is properly oriented in the reality surrounding her. Originally she is lawyer. Totally lost in hyper-abstraction and lack of reality-orientation, i woulds say, like her hole perception of the war. Imagine how much damage she could do in her profession for which she actually has had a minimum of interest.

Go home and bake apple pie, granny. For your own part you have brought shame enough over Germany.

"A war is raging in the middle of Europe. This was associated with many special impressions that I was able to gain. Many, many encounters with interesting, with great people. For that I say a heartfelt thank you." - A pardoy of herself. Free of any instinct. And noisy firecrackers in the background (the fireworks escalated seriously in Berlin, with some heavy violence like never before). Somebody should have told her that there are limits to shamelessness even on New Year's Eve.

Phrasendresch.

Her last report on the status of the Bundeswehr had nothing to say about ammunition reserves, Puma failures and and all the other desasters haunting the Bundeswehr. Instead: pages and pages of calculations how much paper was saved by having equipped some offices with computers, and that this and that Bundeswehr station now has so and so man bicycles and e-bikes, and how much CO2 that saves. Serious. That was the focus of the written last situation report of the last year, published on I think Friday.

Maybe the Germans have a secret plan, that is to make the Russians laugh themselves to death.

Jimbuna

01-03-23, 07:00 AM

A lil history class...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5i7z6bS-LqY

Very interesting and informative :up:

Skybird

01-03-23, 10:10 AM

FOCUS writes:
---------------------
Confidence in Chancellor and Government Plummets Drastically

Trust in political institutions in Germany has fallen sharply compared to the previous year. Especially Chancellor Olaf Scholz does not come off particularly well in the current trend barometer.

The latest RTL/ntv trend barometer shows a drastic drop in trust in all ten political institutions surveyed in Germany. In the forsa institutions trust ranking, which has been conducted for 15 years, the biggest drop in trust can be observed in the two institutions of the executive branch at the federal level - the chancellor (33%) and the federal government (34%) - with a drop of 24 and 22 percentage points, respectively.

Trust in political institutions at the turn of the year 2022/23 in percent.
In parentheses, change compared with turn of the year 2021/22 (percentage points)

Federal President 63 (-12)
State government 46 (-9)
Mayor 44 (-11)
Municipal council 43 (-9)
City/municipal administration 43 (-9)
Federal Parliament 37 (-13)
Federal government 34 (-22)
Federal Chancellor 33 (-24)
European Union 31 (-7)
Political parties 17 (-7)

The Bundestag (37%), the Federal President (63%) and the mayor (44%) all show a drop of more than 10 percentage points. At the turn of 2022/23, trust in state governments (46%), municipal councils (43%) and city and municipal administrations (43%) is 9 percentage points lower. The decline in trust is somewhat smaller, at 7 percentage points each for the European Union (31%) and the political parties (17%).

At the turn of the year 2022/23, as in all previous years, the German president (63%) enjoys the highest level of trust among political institutions. Just how drastically trust in the institution of the German chancellor has fallen is shown by a comparison with the trust rating Angela Merkel received at the turn of the year 2020/21 at the height of the Corona wave: at that time, 75 percent had great trust in the chancellor. At the turn of the year 2021/22, 57 percent still had great confidence in her successor Olaf Scholz.

At the turn of the year 2022/23, trust in political institutions also differs in the eastern and western states. With the exception of institutions at the local level (municipal representation: 44%), East Germans' trust in other political institutions is lower than that of West Germans. The difference between East and West is particularly large when it comes to trust in the Federal President (East: 53%; West: 65%) and in the European Union (East: 20%; West: 33%).

However, clear differences in the degree of trust in political institutions can also be seen between the supporters of the individual parties, especially between the governing parties. In particular, supporters of the Greens and the FDP have less trust in the chancellor, the federal government and also the Bundestag than supporters of the third "traffic light" party, the SPD.

As in previous years, AfD supporters have by far the least trust in all political institutions. Only 2 or 3 out of 100 AfD supporters have confidence in the chancellor, the federal government, the Bundestag or the European Union.

-------------------------------------
You should have seen some of the violence in Berlin's New Years Eve. First responders got deliberately targetted. Emergency cars and ambulances got ambushed and deliberately set aflame with crews on board, got broklen open and polundered while beign forced to stop. Fireworks got fired through police cars' windows from 2-3 meters away, with crew inside. Fire extinguishers were thrown onto ambulances in an attempt to shatter the windshields so that the crew could be brought under fire from fireworks, thnakfull the wiodnshields broke, but did not shatter completely. Faked emergency calls trapped responders: police and fire fighters, to beat them up in ambushs and chase them thorugn the streets. The police expected the worst new years eve ever after two locked-down years, but still got surprised by the scale of pure, disinhibted hate. Well, its Berlin, as failed state. Police says most violance comes from recently imported migrants who refuse integration alltogether. Interestingly this is not reflect much by our state media, instead the narration is that it is political right extremism challenging the rule of "democracy".

Its has beocme common habit that crews of ambulances and firefighters, whenever they get called to an emergency, are being attacked, are spit at,. beign thrown at with rocks and sotned, get kicked, beaten, bitten, and attacked with slur words. Its absolutely common in Gemany now, it is no exception anymore.

Both ^ things described above, are linked to each other, though the full context is wider, of course.

The deal between governemnts and citizens is no more existent: the givenrment dleivers on it sobligaitosn to serve and protect the citizens,m the citizens therefore pay for that anbd are loyal to the polcital system. The givenrments fail to fullfill their dutiesk instea dopprutnstically amke thigns ever worse, and are ignoring unwanted realities. Therefore citizens turn away and do not see an obligation anymore to stay loyal to the governments. I am talking about the numbers in the Focus article, not about the violence in Berlin: that is predominantly caused simply by non-integratable criminal scum and clans imported from other, southern, oriental and African countries, and homegrown anarchists. The desastrous ideological energy goals of the coalition around Bubble-Olaf of course further attributes to the citizens turnign away: not all Germans are that stupid, you know. Many see quite clearly the abyss they get pushed into. I only wonder why they react this lame, and this late only.

Why Dampfplauderer (=steam chatter) Steinmeier gets so high scores, is beyond me. In reality, he's just spinning empty, twisting garlands of words. Catchphrases are his primary and only competence.

Skybird

01-03-23, 10:36 AM

FOCUS again:
--------------------------
Let's be honest: What if there's nothing left to integrate?

Beyond the appealing declarations of indignation: What are the lessons to be learned from the Berlin riot night on New Year's Eve? One would also have liked to know whether a new anti-state caste is just emerging: migrant autonomists, for whom the German state is only a willing victim.

It is one of those helpless substitute discussions with which the political establishment throws sand in the eyes of its horrified citizens. What good is a ban on firecrackers when a young, male, autonomous subproletariat nonchalantly arms itself with stones, sticks and fire extinguishers to attack police officers and firefighters?

Franziska Giffey [tight-left SPD mayor of Berlin, Skybird] announces "consequences." What? An expansion of firecracker ban zones in the city, she says. What's interesting is what the governing mayor of this ungovernable city isn't saying: here's my plan to restore law and order throughout the city.
Firecracker riots in Berlin: what if there's nothing left to integrate?

CDU state leader Kai Wegner demands that these "crimes" be consistently investigated and punished. The FDP's domestic policy spokesman in Berlin's House of Representatives is more correct in his analysis: "For decades, the Berlin Senate has failed to make it clear that the state has a monopoly on the use of force," says Björn Jotzo. For "decades" should probably mean: The CDU has not done any better.

In view of the riot, Jens Spahn speaks of "unregulated migration" and "failed integration." But the vice chairman of the CDU/CSU parliamentary group in the Bundestag does not ask the really painful question: What if there is nothing left to integrate?

Because, as his North Rhine-Westphalian CDU party colleague from the European Parliament, Dennis Radtke, analyzes, "in some neighborhoods, right across Germany, we're dealing with a mix of failed integration, poverty, unemployment, frustration and rejection of the system." CDU social policy expert Radtke calls the mix "highly explosive."

The chaotic rioters not only rioted in Berlin. But also in Paris, just again, on Boxing Day. The scenario has been known there for some time - the class of the outcasts from the ugly suburbs, the banlieues, where French people no longer want to live, give vent to their blind rage against the state - then the cars burn and state police and firefighters are lured into traps with burning garbage cans, where they are then really attacked.

As on Hermannstraße, where 25 hooded violent criminals attacked a fire engine of the "volunteer fire department" - asocials against volunteers, so was the asymmetrical order of battle on New Year's Eve on the Neukölln Magistrale. Migrants say laughing into running cameras, they came from a war, what they experienced here is not to be compared with it.

For the protection of foreigners and immigrant nationals, it must be said: this often migrant mob is a minority, a very small one at that; some are the lost children of their long-integrated parents for this society. This has its own tragedy. Anyone who spends time in migrant milieus, whether in Berlin, Hamburg or the Ruhr area, knows that anyone who wants to gather votes for a tougher state that finally takes action, locks the mob up or deports them immediately, only has to hold his microphone here once.

"They're destroying everything we've built up here" - you often hear this phrase, whether at the "Späti" in the narrow streets of Neukölln or at the bus station in Mülheim, in places where Germans have long been in the minority. And young men from Africa and the Middle East dominate the scene. Only North Rhine-Westphalia's Interior Minister Herbert Reul openly states that most of the perpetrators come from the immigrant milieu.

The German police union's call for a "relentless political clarification of the events, also with regard to the origin of the perpetrators" will probably be met in vain. What can one expect from "clarification" when the Berlin police leadership instructs its officers to speak only of "West Asians" and no longer of "southerners". Because otherwise they could come under suspicion of racism from the Red-Red-Green Senate.

As for "West Asians," we now know where it is: East of the Tempelhof/Schöneberg district and west of Treptow/Köpenick. Will the new name for Neukölln catch on? And what do the West Asians, according to the United Nations: Vorderasiaten, to it, if they are discriminated in Berlin in such a way?

End of irony, but: For a deeper understanding of the events, a few lines from the reportage that the autonomous poet Sebastian Lotzer wrote on the radical left blog platform "non-copyriot.com" about the Berlin New Year's Eve:

"Everyone who wanted to know knew what was going to happen. Anyone walking the streets of this city, moving outside their bubble of comfort, talking to proletarian youth, knew that the night of reckoning had come. Almost three years of pandemic state of emergency, everywhere harassment, repression and cops, now the next solidarity effort of society, all have to make sacrifices for the just war. Where the coal is not enough at the end of the month anyway, it is not even enough for half the month. The everyday racism of the cops, the poverty that you only escape if you earn your money in a creative way beyond the bourgeois rules of the game. You are the dregs of society, uneducated sounds different from antisocial milieu, but means the same thing."

The political left is droningly silent about what really happened in Berlin and elsewhere. Social Democrats, Leftists and Greens have their victim cult narrative ready, they repeat it without ceasing: they talk about discrimination BY migrants. Not a word is heard from them about discrimination BY migrants.
For these people, the German state is simply weak.

A responsible federal government would talk differently. Not of the "immigration country Germany", whose also consequences one could study at the turn of the year. But about the limits of migration. About undesired immigration, about uncontrolled migration, about fighting migrant criminality and about how to deal with an asocial subproletariat at all.

For these people, the German state is simply weak. A potential victim. In Berlin, they are experiencing it again right now - all 100 of those arrested are on the loose again for the time being. In a defensible state, this would not have happened.

For the time being, one hears nothing more from the Reichsbürger. But we will hear from the other state-haters again. In Berlin, at the latest on the night of May 1.
-------------------------------

Jimbuna

01-03-23, 12:17 PM

German minister's 'tone deaf' address on 'war raging in Europe' drowned out by fireworks

AGerman minister's video address to mark the new year has been drowned out by fireworks. The minute-long clip, which was filmed on the streets of Berlin, also drew criticism for its "tone-deaf" message.

German Defence Minister Christine Lambrecht was barely audible above the sound of exploding fireworks when she reflected on a year which ended with "war raging in the middle of Europe".

In the video uploaded to her personal Instagram account, Ms Lambrecht said that the conflict in Ukraine had led to "a lot of special experiences" and the chance for "many encounters with great and interesting people".

Liberal broadsheet Der Tagesspiegel said the address failed to "hit the right note" and made Russia's invasion of Ukraine sound like an "exciting professional experience".

Conservative tabloid Bild claimed the message "shamed" Germany, according to the Telegraph.

Fireworks had been banned for two years due to the pandemic but this year revellers were once again able to set off rockets and firecrackers.

However, the scenes appeared to provide an uneasy backdrop as Ukraine continues to face Russian airstrikes.

An intelligence update from the Ministry of Defence on New Year's Eve said: "On December 29, Russian forces launched another wave of long-range strikes across Ukraine, once again primarily targeting the power distribution network.

"Since October, Russia has sustained a general pattern of conducting an intensive wave of strikes every seven to ten days.

"Russia is almost certainly following this approach in an attempt to overwhelm Ukrainian air defences.

"However, there is a realistic possibility that Russia will break this pattern to strike again in the coming days in an effort to undermine the morale of the Ukrainian population over the new year holiday period."

The criticisms come after Ms Lambrecht faced questions about Berlin's somewhat sluggish support for Kyiv.

Lambrecht was mocked last year after she made an announcement about sending 5,000 helmets to Ukraine.

The package came when Ukraine was pleading for heavy weapons to halt Vladimir Putin's troops.

A spokesperson for Berlin's defence ministry refused to comment on Ms Lambrecht's "private video" during a regular press conference.

However, he did say that "no official resources" were used in the production of the clip.
https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/world/german-minister-s-tone-deaf-address-on-war-raging-in-europe-drowned-out-by-fireworks/ar-AA15TWVS?ocid=mailsignout&pc=U591&cvid=d1c7e10f56a54603b17de18bb263814c

Skybird

01-03-23, 06:25 PM

Berlin police says of 145 arrested young vandals who attacked first responders on NY (and who all are set free again already...), 35 were Germans - the rest all were migrant nationalities.

The SPD mayor of the anarchistic senate in Berlin said she will draw "strong and strict consequences" from the events. She explained what she means by that: a thorough analysis of the police's plans and work. Aha!

The political left on national level leaves no word on the events. The violence seen is not matching their idea of le bon sauvage . It was much the same with the sexual mass attacks on hundreds of women on NY in Cologne 2016.

Skybird

01-04-23, 12:05 PM

Der Tagesspiegel on the Puma-debacle:
--------------------------

Some three weeks after the mass failure of Puma infantry fighting vehicles at a military training area, Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht (SPD) has submitted a one-and-a-half-page report to the Bundestag on the state of affairs. Without going into detail, it raises doubts about the weapon system's suitability for deployment, but also highlights its qualities as a "technologically high-quality weapon system" with "promising performance data."

All but one tank had basically been repaired, he said. The brief presentation provoked some heated opposition from members of the government and coalition. For example, the budgetary spokesman for the Green Party, Sebastian Schäfer, said that Lambrecht's report "does not provide any answers to the many unanswered questions about the Puma. The ministry continues to grope in the fog about what led to the failure of the systems."

The defense policy spokesman for the Union faction, Florian Hahn (CSU), told the F.A.Z.: "We had to wait more than two weeks in the defense committee for this extremely narrow briefing on the Puma." AfD defense politician Rüdiger Lucassen spoke of an "extremely meager briefing."

While the defense industry had spoken of "trivialities" at the beginning of the week, which had already been repaired except for one damage, the Lambrecht report contradicted this. The report states that there is a "differentiated picture of predominantly minor and medium damage, but also some more serious damage". And further: "The failure of individual high-value parts as well as fire damage, however, require further investigations."

The restoration of full operational readiness "also requires further work in some cases". These are "currently being worked on at full speed." In addition, the ministry is issuing an updated interim certificate to the overall system that is insufficient with respect to its actual wartime capability: "At present, the system can only be operated in a closely interlocked system of troops, army maintenance logistics, project management and industry."

So the Puma can only be sent into combat if the Army, two agencies and industry cooperate closely at all times. That might be difficult to implement under combat conditions. For example, the failure of an overheating electronic component would be technically trivial and easily repaired outside the battlefield. In combat, however, even such a "triviality" could be fatal for the crew.

After Minister Lambrecht initially failed to immediately inform the Defense and Budget Committees about the failure of all 18 Pumas, she promised on December 20 to submit a damage report by the end of the year, but failed to do so. Parliament had approved a bill for 850 million euros to modernize more Pumas one day after the failures, but before they became known.

The mass failure at a company practicing for the NATO Rapid Deployment Force (VJTF) means that all the Pumas intended for it will be replaced for the time being by some 50-year-old, albeit modernized, Marder infantry fighting vehicles. Green Party politician Schäfer said it was "very regrettable that Germany can only fulfill its obligations to NATO with Cold War material - despite spending billions on a new infantry fighting vehicle."

AfD defense politician Lucassen said the ministry's task in the current situation "is not to protect the political survival of Christine Lambrecht, but to restore the operational readiness of the German armed forces."

Florian Hahn (CSU), the defense policy spokesman for the CDU/CSU, also assigned responsibility to her: "One thing is certain: the handling of the Puma is yet another communication disaster on the part of Ms. Lambrecht. Instead of first getting to the bottom of the facts, she immediately went way out on a limb, followed by the typical Lambrechtian attempt to obfuscate, cover up and divert attention from her own responsibility as minister." The minister is "completely out of place in the Ministry of Defense."

There is at least agreement between industry and the Bundeswehr that they want to continue using the infantry fighting vehicle, if only for lack of an alternative. In the advertising lines of the Lambrecht report, it is stated that the Puma has the basic ability "to give the troops superiority in combat. However, it also requires robustness and reliability.
-----------------------------
The Puma is an overbred, too sensitive and delicate prima donna. A firefight of mechanized infantry is not a surgical procedure with a scalpel, delicate craftsmanship and subtle music in the background, but generates brutal force that a tank must be able to reliably withstand. The Puma is obviously not up to it. Much too overbred. I have been distrusting this thing for years. As I read somewhere the other day: Engineers want to breed racehorses, but military men need reliable working buffaloes.

Skybird

01-06-23, 07:39 AM

Die Welt comments:
-----------------------
Marathon on approval of tanks - A symbol of the chancellor's systematic dithering

The German government is celebrating its decision to deliver armored personnel carriers to Ukraine after all. But the spectacle that preceded the Marder deliveries shows once again that the chancellor's hesitation follows a system that allows only one conclusion.

On April 1 of last year, Olaf Scholz received a short-notice visit. Ex-boxing world champion Wladimir Klitschko, brother of Kiev mayor Vitali, had come to the German capital to address the chancellor's office in person. The central concern of the athlete, who led a delegation of Ukrainian politicians: the delivery of Marder infantry fighting vehicles to Ukraine. Olaf Scholz knew what the Ukrainian visitor was talking about.

Because about a month earlier, shortly after the chancellor's "turn of the century" speech, Germany's largest arms manufacturer, Rheinmetall, had offered the German government 100 decommissioned Marder vehicles for delivery to Ukraine. However, the German government ignored the offer - and even Klitschko was unable to change Scholz's mind.

Then, in mid-April, Rheinmetall submitted an official offer to export the 100 Marder tanks to the German government. Every German arms export must be approved by the Federal Security Council under the leadership of Chancellor Olaf Scholz. But this application also remained in the Chancellor's Office - for a very long time. Only now, on Thursday evening, did the green light come for the delivery of Marder tanks to Ukraine. More than eight months after the request.

The marathon approval process for the Marder tanks is symbolic of the chancellor's systematic dithering on Ukraine weapons assistance. Although the German government announced the decision in a solemn tone, saying it had been agreed upon in a phone call with the U.S. president. "President Biden and Chancellor Scholz expressed their joint determination to provide Ukraine with the necessary financial, humanitarian, military and diplomatic support for as long as necessary," a statement from the German government said.

But criticism was not long in coming. "That Germany is now finally supplying Ukraine with tanks is good," foreign policy expert Norbert Röttgen (CDU) wrote on Twitter on Thursday evening in a reaction to the Marder announcement. "But the image that foreign policy gives in the process cannot satisfy us. From leadership no trace. It is again only acted on pressure and when there is no other way."
France had announced on Wednesday evening that it would itself supply AMX-10 RC infantry fighting vehicles, while the U.S. announced the delivery of Bradley fighting vehicles. In what appears to be a concerted effort among the three countries, Germany is also delivering. The Chancellor had always stressed that Germany would not supply modern Western-designed tanks until its allies did the same.

But there were always obvious contradictions in this justification. Already last April, the German government announced the delivery of Gepard anti-aircraft tanks, which are also of Western design. And whether the decades-old Marder can be called "modern" is at least a matter of opinion.

The argument regularly put forward by the German government that the delivery of tanks could be understood by Russia as an escalation has always been illogical as well. Infantry fighting vehicles are primarily used for the safe transport of soldiers - their firepower is less than that of the Gepard tanks or the Mars II multiple rocket launchers that Germany has long since supplied. The argument that Germany only wants to deliver in step with its allies has also long since been dispelled by the USA. The U.S. government has repeatedly made it clear that every allied country is free to choose the type of weapons it supplies to Ukraine. Olaf Scholz, however, stuck to his no to Marder exports over all these months.

It is unclear how quickly the infantry fighting vehicles will now reach Ukraine. Rheinmetall had started early on its own to repair the Marder tanks in order not to lose any time until the green light was given by the German government. In October, 40 of the tanks were sent to Greece in a so-called ring swap - Athens, for its part, sent 40 Soviet-designed infantry fighting vehicles to Ukraine. This means that 60 of the Rheinmetall Marder tanks should still be available for direct delivery to Ukraine.

So far, the German government has not disclosed how many Marder tanks in total will be handed over to Kiev. It is also unclear how many tanks have already been refurbished by Rheinmetall. Another unanswered question is whether the Marder are to go directly to Ukraine or whether the Bundeswehr will deliver from its own stocks and then fill the gaps with the industry's tanks. The German government said Thursday evening that Germany will train Ukrainian forces on the Marder. This, too, will take time. Ukraine had to wait many months for infantry fighting vehicles due to German hesitation. During this time, Ukrainian soldiers often moved around the front lines at high risk in unarmored vehicles, some of which were civilian.

With the Marder, however, Olaf Scholz remained true to the tactics he had already shown with the delivery of the Cheetahs, the multiple rocket launchers or the air defense systems. He waits as long as possible and only delivers when the allies do so and the pressure on Germany becomes too high. Thus, the chancellor clearly wants to take a middle position between those in his party and in the population who demand arms deliveries - and those who believe that the aid unnecessarily prolongs the war.

At least the new Ukrainian ambassador to Germany, Oleksiy Makeyev, can now claim a first success in the matter of arms deliveries. Unlike his predecessor Andriy Melnyk, he has recently avoided publicly pressuring the German government - and emphasized that he is instead conducting constructive negotiations behind the scenes. Whether the ambassador played a major role in the Marder decision, and what exactly, is difficult to judge. One thing is certain: Makeyev, who took up his post in October, was privy to the details of the wrangling over the Marder tanks long before. He had previously been in Berlin as part of Vladimir Klitschko's delegation, which had made an unsuccessful visit to the Chancellor's Office.
--------------------------------

Dont trust the Germans.

Bubble-Olaf does not want the ukraine to get a clear victory. He does not want Russia to suffer a clear defeat. He wants to instruct and convince the Russians, he wants to educate them so that they will understand and comply with reasosn and he can then be celebrated for his pedagogical educational success and for the radiance of his socialist civilizational superiority that can do without the barbary of war. Meanwhile, everyone else has realized that it only works to punch the Russians in the face until their snouts are so full of blood that they can no longer snort and therefore stop. But that is way too indelicate for our supercivilized carricature of a chancellor. And not profitable for German industry. And does not support gender-newspeak, climate missionising, German solo world-rescueing. Nanana, thats not the rtight things for our fine sensible smart chancellor. Different to all others, who all are all so wrong, he knows it better. He always knew everything better, since always. So it is only natural that he lectures the world.

Until today he has never used the words "Ukrainian victory" and "Russian defeat". Never, not one single time.

Instead he indicated to German industry leaders two weeks ago or so that after the war they can hope things would return to businesses with Russia as normal again.

Skybird

01-06-23, 08:05 AM

Weapon aid for Ukraine.

https://media0.faz.net/ppmedia/aktuell/25076670/1.8566906/format_top1_breit/ein-meme-das-im-polnischen.jpg

Skybird

01-06-23, 11:16 AM

From our series "Being nicely dumb": the Berlin lunatic asylum management has issued new house rules to dumb down the public and conceal unwelcome truths.

https://www-focus-de.translate.goog/panorama/diskriminierende-sprache-berlin-auf-29-seiten-steht-was-die-polizei-kuenftig-nicht-mehr-sagen-soll_id_182297306.html?_x_tr_sl=de&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=de&_x_tr_pto=wapp

Thank God the Berlin police has nothing better to do then to learn this BS. The total crime number in Berlin is 2.5 times as high as the national average, and around twice as high as in the second and third placed federal states. That gives Berlin the lonely and undisputed lead despite its limited population. Reframing is the way to solve high crime rates!

Skybird

01-08-23, 10:56 AM

A politcal bomb has just burst in Berlin. FOCUS writes:
-------------------------------------
According to a media report, Finance Minister Christian Lindner is threatened with the loss of his parliamentary immunity. The background is a video speech of the FDP politician for a bank, which in turn finances his house purchase.

As reported by the "Tagesspiegel", the public prosecutor's office is examining the cancellation of the parliamentary immunity of FDP politician and Finance Minister Christian Lindner. At issue is a piquant video in which Lindner participated. In the video, a ministerial greeting for a private bank in Karlsruhe, Lindner concealed the fact that he himself had financed his house through that bank. According to the report, he even had another loan given to him after the greeting.

The corruption department of the general public prosecutor's office Berlin examines at present the cancellation of the immunity Lindners. In addition a criminal procedure threatens because of Vorteilsnahme.
------------------------
Meanwhile, our great Federal Chancellor, who is the envy of the world, is involved in one of the biggest financial scandals of Germany's post-war history, but conveniently can never remember anything in investigative committees.
Not that these figures are the first culprits in such misdeeds. They are, in fact, not rarely sown.

Its also possible - imo at least - that the revelations now are a coup by SPD and Greens against FDP man Lindner to get rid of him as finance minister who wants to put a foot on the brake for new debts. If it is so, they would go all risk in, however, because if that gets known (that it is a coup), it is likely the end of the coalition - the small FDP could not afford to not react to such a political assassination. So: i mention a reasonable possibility, not saying it is like this for certain.

Skybird

01-09-23, 07:52 AM

FOCUS:
------------
The latest headlines on alleged Russian espionage by a German BND agent have "far from surprised" CIA expert John Sipher. Rather, the renowned espionage expert assumes much more far-reaching Russian infiltrations - at all levels.

Moreover, he claims in an interview with FOCUS online: The intelligence services of other countries have long been concerned that German agents would pass on their secret information to Moscow.

Sipher is one of the most experienced intelligence experts in the United States. As the CIA's Russia operations officer, he led missions in Moscow that were classified as highly dangerous. For 28 years, he was an agent trainer and served in leadership positions for CIA counterintelligence.

As a member of the Senior Intelligence Service (a U.S. intelligence leadership team for global CIA operations), Sipher was responsible for missions in Europe and Asia until 2017, along with intelligence agencies from other Western countries.

>>> FOCUS online: Two men were arrested in Castrop-Rauxel who may have planned a terrorist attack using cyanide and ricin. The US secret service FBI had led investigators on the trail of the suspected chemical bombers. Could German intelligence services have prevented the attack without the FBI's help?

John Sipher: I don't know. But if the attacks were also planned outside of Germany, I doubt it. It's normal for international intelligence agencies to share their information. We would hope that the Germans would do the same to protect American lives.

As you know, of course, the September 11 terrorists operated out of Hamburg. In a perfect world, the Germans would have let the Americans know that, and then both sides could have brought their various capabilities together to prevent the attacks.

>>> What does the work of U.S. intelligence agencies in Germany look like?

Sipher: It's normal for foreign intelligence agencies to pass tips to the police. The CIA and FBI basically share their information with German authorities and intelligence services. German foreign intelligence is small and relies on this cooperation and support. The U.S. intelligence services reach all over the world and uncover everything possible. If something poses a threat to Germany (or anywhere else), we share that information.

>>> What were your reactions when you heard about the alleged spying for Russia by an agent of the German Federal Intelligence Service (BND)?

Sipher: It didn't surprise me one bit. The Russians have spared neither time nor effort to penetrate German facilities at all levels. Russian intelligence has been relentless and has benefited from the weak counterintelligence sentiment in Germany.

Other Western intelligence agencies were certainly not surprised either. Rather, they probably assume countless more Russian infiltrations into German intelligence services and into the German government. This was precisely one of the reasons why the CIA and other intelligence agencies did not want to cooperate with the Germans on Russian matters: There was always a concern that German spies would pass the information on to Moscow.

>>> Your work experience with the BND was conceivably negative. In an earlier interview with FOCUS online, you accused the German intelligence services of arrogance, bureaucracy and incompetence. Your accusation: With regard to Moscow, the BND even deliberately buried its head in the sand. Do you feel vindicated?

Sipher: As I said before, it was quite obvious that the German government did not want to anger Moscow. When it came to Russia, the BND was simply not taken seriously. The Germans were anything but helpful there. The CIA has cooperated with many other European governments and intelligence agencies, but with the BND, cooperation on Russian targets was simply perfect.

>>> Let's talk about the recent case of Carsten L.. The BND employee was exposed as a suspected Russia spy. How does it happen that an agent changes sides? Is it blackmail? For money, fame or political convictions? How does something like that happen?

Sipher: Intelligence agencies know that you can motivate people with different factors. Anything can play a role: Ego, greed and ideologies. Intelligence services can very slowly obtain more and more personal information from German officials. They can find out everything about their private lives, political views and personal problems. The respective weaknesses are then exploited.

The Russians are professionals and have enormous resources to obtain such information and recruit spies inside German facilities. Especially when there is hardly any defense. Russian agents can bribe German citizens. Moscow has countless spies in Germany. Many pose as diplomats or businessmen. They make financial offers to the people they are targeting.

>>> What impact does it have on a team when a colleague is exposed as a spy for the enemy?

Sipher: When a trusted person in the intelligence community is exposed as a traitor who was spying for an enemy power, the consequences for the work climate can be devastating. The CIA experienced this when Aldrich Ames was exposed (Editor's note: CIA agent Ames was exposed as a KGB spy in 1994). Numerous investigations followed. A mood of mistrust prevailed. Then new steps were taken that facilitated the FBI's insights into the CIA's work.

>>> So lessons were learned?

Sipher: Yes. It can take years to get over a breach of trust like that. But at the same time, it was good that the CIA took these threats more seriously from then on. Measures were put in place to better protect against such attacks in the future.
----------------

Skybird

01-09-23, 01:01 PM

Thank you FBI - for the job Germany is too good for! Focus writes:
---------------------------------------------

Without the help of the USA, the German police would not have been able to arrest the suspected Iranian terrorists of Castrop-Rauxel. It is not an isolated case: our strategic dependence in security matters is self-chosen.

The decisive terror warning about the two Iranian citizens arrested in Castrop-Rauxel came - once again - from the Americans. This is no coincidence. One of the two was convicted of attempted murder three years ago - but still got off. That, too, is no coincidence.

The FBI tip on the suspected terrorists of Castrop-Rauxel is only the latest case in a long chain of comparable cases. Half of the Islamist attacks planned in Germany could only be prevented with the help of foreign intelligence services. Which for NRW Interior Minister Herbert Reul, as well as for the Union faction in Berlin, has this cause:

"Our services are much more limited in their legal powers than others," says CSU interior politician Jana Schimke. As far as information gathering on the Net is concerned, "we in Germany are very cautious," formulates CDU man Reul, in whose state the Ruhr area town of Castrop-Rauxel is located.

The last dispute between the ruling traffic light coalition and the CDU/CSU over search methods was only a few weeks ago. It was about the retention of IP addresses to combat serious crime, which does not only include terror. Liberal Justice Minister Marco Buschmann opposes this, as do the SPD and the Greens. The CDU/CSU sees it as a considerable security risk.

The tip-off from the Americans was probably possible because they could eavesdrop on Iranian citizens' online communications with each other and with whomever. In Germany, such wiretaps - usually involving imminent danger - have to be well justified and elaborately authorized. As a result, German ministers regularly (have to) thank the American police and intelligence services for their great contribution to internal security in the Federal Republic of Germany.

The fact is that little or nothing happens in Germany without the Americans when it comes to countering Islamist attacks. German governments' self-imposed curtailment of law enforcement has a long history; it is one of the consequences drawn from National Socialism: Never again should the police, the army and, anyway, the secret services be able to be a state within the state. That is why there is a right to informational self-determination for each individual citizen.

In the U.S., on the other hand, there is no precedence of individual data protection over criminal prosecution. The Federal Criminal Police Office is only allowed to use intelligence resources with great restraint in comparison to the American Federal Police. And the agents of the German foreign intelligence service BND, unlike their American CIA counterparts, are basically unarmed.

It's a serious difference in security philosophy that has already put a strain on intergovernmental relations - when the Americans bugged Angela Merkel's smartphone and the German government declared that bugging between friends was not possible.

But while Germans consider spying among friends immoral, Americans consider not knowing immoral. This is why German complaints about American practices sometimes seem so bigoted: German governments and German citizens regularly benefit from the increased security provided by the meticulous data collectors of the FBI and CIA, while Germans hide behind data protection.

U.S. intelligence is a formidable geopolitical instrument of power, in stark contrast to German intelligence. The "New York Times" reports that the U.S. is able to precisely locate Russian command posts in the Ukraine war - and then passes this data on to the Ukrainian army. This makes them partly responsible for the sometimes spectacular successes of the Ukrainians in their defensive struggle against the Russians.
The Recklinghausen case has a special punch line in store: about German resocialization policy.

Back to the case of the two Iranians, which still holds a special punchline: about German resocialization policy. Both came to Germany in 2015, as asylum seekers. One of the two was sentenced to seven years in prison in Dortmund three years ago, for attempted murder. He had, as the public prosecutor's office confirmed to the Bielefeld "Westfalenblatt," apparently out of "frustration" thrown a thick branch from a highway bridge on the A 45 onto a car, injuring and severely traumatizing a female driver.

Because of his addiction, the Iranian was transferred from prison to an addiction clinic in Hagen, which he was then allowed to leave at the weekend to spend the night with his brother in Castrop-Rauxel. Where the brothers have now been arrested.

Federal Interior Minister Nancy Faeser, who always speaks of right-wing terrorism as the greatest threat to Germany, now says that Germany is in the "target spectrum" of Islamist terror. However, it has been for a long time. The first person to complain, so to speak, in government terms about cases in which asylum seekers became terrorists was then-Federal Prosecutor General Peter Frank. That was in 2017.

Since then, the number of Salafists in Germany has once again increased sharply. However, that didn't stop Faeser from shutting down the expert group on "Political Islamism" in the recent summer, and he did so without a sound. At the time, CDU Vice President Carsten Linnemann warned that he hoped that "this naiveté would not one day fall on our feet.

It fits into the picture that the German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock persistently refuses to classify the Iranian Revolutionary Guards as a "terrorist organization. This break with the terror regime in Tehran is now being demanded not only by the CDU/CSU, but also by the FDP's traffic light partner.

Finally: Now that Germany's strategic dependencies are always being discussed with concern:

Our military dependence on the USA is self-chosen and a consequence of: Prosperity before security.

Our dependence on the U.S. in the fight against Islamist terror is self-chosen and a consequence of: We don't want to get our own fingers dirty.
---------------------------

Catfish

01-10-23, 12:37 PM

@Skybird:
As long as "Das deutsche Recht" remains what it has been reduced to after WW2 ... :03:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G6SC8jVfaPw

Rockstar

01-12-23, 08:00 PM

Jan 12, 2023

Who Wants to Be Led by Germany?
The coalition parties in Berlin have no doubt: The country is destined to lead, certainly in Europe. Sadly, they have no comprehension of what that involves.

Stefanie Babst

https://ip-quarterly.com/en/who-wants-be-led-germany

“Why should anyone be led by you?”

When I first heard this question, I was electrified. I sat in a London Business School seminar and listened to Rob Goffee and Gareth Jones, two “leadership gurus.” They explained their concept of authentic and inspirational leadership. Being willing to lead by example is one core prerequisite. But an inspirational leader should also empower and motivate his or her followers, demonstrate real empathy, and focus on solving a problem, not describing it.

Back at NATO headquarters in Brussels, I had 20 copies of the 2006 Goffee/Jones bestseller in my luggage, which I offered to my peers. We were all responsible for large, multinational teams. What, I thought, could be more important than introducing the notion of inspirational leadership to NATO? Their reaction, however, was sobering. My colleagues appreciated the gift but immediately dropped it in their desk drawers, stressing they were too busy to read it.

This attitude has not changed. Today, the culture of “business” still dominates NATO corridors; and inspirational leadership has remained a nice-to-have but remote concept.

Since the outbreak of Russia’s ruthless war against Ukraine, my thoughts have increasingly turned to the smart book by Goffee and Jones. Their question “Why should anyone be led by you?” already provokes considerable uneasiness in quiet times. It obliges leaders to question their approach: Are my followers still with me? Do they trust me? And do I communicate my vision clearly enough?

In times of war, inspirational leadership is even more important. Political leaders must not only address fears and uncertainties in society, but they must be able to clearly pronounce what is at stake; and, above all, they should present a compelling strategy for how they seek to navigate the country through stormy seas.

Leadership in War

Let's look at the leadership qualities of some of the main protagonists in the Ukraine war. There is not much to say about Russian President Vladimir Putin, Chinese President Xi Jinping, their Iranian counterpart, Ebrahim Raisi, and other authoritarian leaders around the world. The term “inspirational leadership” simply does not exist in their universe. Their concept of leadership is confined to manipulating and threatening people and, if necessary, using terror.

For Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, on the other hand, credible leadership is a matter of national survival. Without Zelensky’s courageous and motivating leadership, the spirit of resistance in Ukraine, battered by Moscow’s brutal war, would be significantly lower. Whether standing in front of members of the US Congress, Ukrainian orphans, or front-line soldiers in Bakhmut, Zelensky communicates his messages clearly and with empathy. He can provide purpose. As Ukrainian president, he does not stand distanced from the people, but rather, he is in their midst. For 11 months now, he has been leading Ukraine's heroic fight against the Russian invaders.

And in Germany? On New Year's Eve, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz appeared in front of the camera for the traditional New Year’s address, hands folded and wearing a starched white shirt. He stiffly read from the teleprompter what his advisers had written down. Words that faded away. I don't know anyone in my neighborhood who can remember what Scholz said two weeks or so ago.

If Scholz has a vision for how Europe will be able to cope with an aggressive and kleptocratic Putin regime in the future, it was buried by empty words. And then there is Germany’s Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht who is happy to have had “so many great conversations” this past year. If she had given her short video speech in Kyiv and not Berlin, I would have said: finally, here comes a clear sign of solidarity with the Ukrainians. But her “firecracker video” raised even more doubts about her leadership qualities. And how about the other members of the traffic light government? Can the pro-business Free Democrats (FDP) or the Greens present a coherent strategy on how to defeat Putinism in the future? I am not aware of any.

Aspiring to a Leadership Role

Yet, Germany wants to lead. It wants to assume “a leadership role in Europe.” Policymakers from Scholz’ Social Democrats (SPD) continue to make this claim—SPD chairman Lars Klingbeil, for example. Or SPD foreign policy spokesman, Nils Schmid, who believes that Germany cannot choose whether it wants to be the leading power in Europe or not. Germany, according to Schmid, has already assumed this role.

Defense Minister Lambrecht shares his view. Germany’s size, its geographic location, its economic power, in short, its weight, would make it Europe’s natural leading power, including in the military domain, she said in a keynote speech at the German Council on Foreign Relations (DGAP) in fall 2022. To comfort any skeptics, she said: “We, Germans, must not be afraid of this new role. Germany can do this.” Unsurprisingly, Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier (SPD) has also joined the “leadership chorus.” As one of the big players in Europe, German leadership “is expected from our country,” Steinmeier said.

Which leads to the serious question: Which of Germany’s European and transatlantic partners does the government seek to lead based on what strategy and capabilities? With only very limited military power? With a highly embarrassing procrastination when it comes to providing Ukraine with weapons and military aid? Without demonstrating any serious self-reflection about Germany's fatal Russia policy? A policy that for decades relied on importing cheap Russian fossil fuels but turned a blind eye to an aggressive and authoritarian Russia? And which even now, a year after Moscow launched its war against Ukraine, does not offer any vision of what European security could look like as long as a terror-spreading regime reigns in Moscow?

The reality is that our allies are not eager to experience German leadership. Neither in Warsaw, London, nor Ankara, Riga, Vilnius, nor Tallinn, let alone in Paris.

Familiar Lines

Broadly speaking, all the three governing parties of Scholz’ coalition want to uphold the rules-based international order and defend democratic values. Surely, there's nothing wrong with this, but how exactly does Berlin intend to do that? “Partnerships of trust,” “islands of cooperation,” and “sustainable cooperation with the countries of the ‘Global South’” run as flowery vocabulary through the SPD’s latest internal foreign policy document (seen by IPQ); yet the Social Democrats fail to offer anything concrete.

And here comes another familiar line: Germany’s Social Democrats also seek to strengthen Europe's sovereignty—something they have advocated in one form or another for the past 20 years, but contributed very little to translate into reality. What they refer to in their paper—an EU-led rapid reaction force and an EU operational command—is nothing new but part of the usual EU mantra.

It is not only the magnitude of empty phrases that makes this SPD paper? so uninspiring. The statements on how to deal with Putin’s Russia explain why some of Germany’s allies feel highly uncomfortable about the prospect of a German leadership role in Europe. While the Russian president continues to prepare for a long und brutal war in Ukraine, Germany’s Social Democrats talk about a possible rapprochement with the regime in Moscow. And while Putin can be expected to repeat his nuclear threats, the Social Democrats entertain the proposal of arms control discussions with Moscow and confidence-building measures with Russian civil society. Topping it all, though, is the chancellor’s level of arrogance: Apparently, only he knows what is best for Ukraine and Europe’s peace. He would not listen to “public excitement,” he said recently.

Does he suffer from cognitive dissonance? As long as the Putin regime prevails in Russia, Europe's security will remain directly threatened. Putinism is not only toxic for Ukraine, but for all of Europe and far beyond. Given the enormous scale of war crimes and violations of international rules for which Putin and his entourage are responsible, a return to any kind of political arrangement with Moscow is neither morally acceptable nor strategically sensible.

Rolling Back Putinism

Today's Russia can only be systematically limited in its scope of action. It can only be contained, functionally and geographically. Wherever Moscow managed to set foot in the past—in Europe, the Global South, Asia or in the Arctic—Germany and its allies must weaken its influence. Economic and technological sanctions against Putin’s regime need to be strengthened, the Kremlin’s attempts to play divide et impera must be denied.

First and foremost, Berlin and its partners must do everything to help Ukrainians liberate their entire territory. They need unconditional military support now, including German Leopard tanks. All this and more can only succeed if the Western allies can agree on a clear-eyed, robust, and long-term “Roll back Putinism” strategy. Many of our partners have already arrived at this logical conclusion—but not Germany.

Leading by example? No, the German “traffic light” government certainly does not fit into this category. Its authoritarian opponents can be pleased. Germany’s foreign policy remains predictable. It continues to drive with subdued parking lights and not with high beams. It continues to hide behind others and does not seem to have the political stamina to develop a vision on its own. If the government in Berlin really wants to claim leadership in Europe, it should start by asking itself the painful, but useful question in a quiet minute: Why would anyone want to be led by us?

Stefanie Babst, a former Deputy NATO Assistant Secretary for Public Diplomacy and Head of the Secretary General‘s Strategic Foresight Team, is a member of the DGAP Advisory Board (Präsidium). Her book “Sehenden Auges: Mut zum strategischen Kurswechsel” will be published in spring 2023.

Skybird

01-12-23, 08:44 PM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zllDpFKc2Jw

One flaw in the video: its maybe not too clever to use pictures from american streets to illustrate the conditions in Germany. But the verbal message is more or less correct.

Skybird

01-15-23, 07:39 AM

This too is the new reality in Germany: Die WELT:

----------------------

The electricity grid operator TransnetBW is calling on electricity customers in Baden-Württemberg to consume as little energy as possible on Sunday evening. There is a "tense situation" in the power grid. It is already the second warning within just over a month.

At shortly after half past ten on late Saturday evening, the warning message came via the app "StromGedacht" to the smartphones of around 100,000 users: "Tense grid situation in Baden-Württemberg on 15.01.2023 - help now!" Anyone who opens the app of the electricity grid operator TransnetBW learns that there will be a problem on Sunday afternoon.

Between 5 and 7 p.m., the citizens of Baden-Württemberg should reduce their electricity consumption as much as possible. Already in the morning, the app advises batteries better to charge now or to bring forward the use of household appliances to relieve the grid in the afternoon and evening.

A spokeswoman for TransnetBW emphasizes that there is no danger of a blackout in southwestern Germany despite the warning message. The situation is tense, she said, because a lot of wind energy is expected in northern Germany. "It's like a traffic jam on the highway," she explains. But because there is a lack of transmission capacity between northern and southern Germany, a lot of electricity also has to be made available in Baden-Württemberg to ensure the stability of the grid. To ensure that there is enough electricity for this so-called redispatch, additional quantities would have to be purchased in neighboring Switzerland - and that is expensive.

More than 500 megawatts would have to be delivered from the Swiss to Baden-Württemberg on Sunday. To reduce the costs for this, which would have to be borne by all electricity customers, consumption on Sunday evening should therefore be reduced as much as possible.

This is the second time in just over a month that the TransnetBW app has called for electricity savings. On December 7, "StromGedacht" had already reported a tense situation in the power grid, but at that time users were only supposed to reduce consumption for one hour in the early afternoon. On Sunday, this is likely to be much more difficult, after all, it will already be dark in the evening hours.

---------------------------

Add to this that although energy prices have dropped massively at the trading market places, the German end conumer still pays the insanely high prices that peaked last year. Propagandists now abuse this to say that energy cists less again. In reality that rwaches the households, this simply is not true, its a cheating claim. Andnot only will this nto chahge quuckly, but poriuces will soar even higher, due to the unique German energy costs design and the consequences of the left-green gang's energy policy.

--------------------

The now famous techno-thriller-disaster novel "Blackout" by Mark Elsberg

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Blackout-Marc-Elsberg/dp/1784161896/ref=sr_1_1?crid=7KHXRSENZMMJ&keywords=elsberg+blackout&qid=1673786332&sprefix=elsberg+blackout%2Caps%2C105&sr=8-1#customerReviews

has been turned into a TV series or movie. it will be broadcasted by the end of Frebruary on German TV. - It was no pleasant read. I am looking forward to the broadcast, though my hopes are muted, I do not hold high expectations of German TV productions. I will leave a note on the specific date and time once I know it.

(On a side note, "The Swarm" by Frank Sschätzing also has been turned or is being turned into a series, Notflix I think, but I still don't know specific info on it.)

Skybird

01-15-23, 08:54 AM

Welcome to German school educaiton. Today's class will investigate matters that really move the world.
-------------------------

Gender lessons for sixth graders

A friend reports, "Today my daughter came home confused and brought worksheets from biology class that the kids seemed to barely understand or the teacher had explained incorrectly because they all gave the same answers."

On January 12, 2023, an 11-year-old girl - the daughter of a friend - returned from a school in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, bringing home a worksheet from 6th grade biology class that asked this question (photos of the sheet are available to the editor):

"What is the sexual orientation of a trans* woman, a person born with XY chromosomes who lives as a woman when she likes women?"

The 11-year-old girl answered the question with "homosexual," which the teacher declared correct. I am not a child. I am a 46-year-old man. Here's how I would answer that question:

"Homosexuality means that a person loves a person who is the same biological sex. A biological male who feels he is a woman is not homosexual. However, I would not use the term heterosexual either. If I may, I would like to create my own word for it: a trans* woman who loves a woman is homogenderic to me because a biological man who sees himself socially as a woman loves a woman."

However, there was not enough room on the worksheet for such a long answer. More questions were asked. Here are the questions with the answers that the teacher declared correct:

Today woman, tomorrow man

To which group do the following people belong? Match them up.

a) Whether Lea spends his/her day as a woman or as a man depends on how he/she feels in the morning. Sometimes as a woman, sometimes as a man. (Answer: transgender)

b) Since Paul can think, she/he feels as a woman. She/he doesn't know yet if she/he will have her/his biological sex surgically adjusted. (Answer: transsexual)

c) Tom can't do anything with the gender assignments. Tom feels neither as a man, nor as a woman, but simply as Tom. (Answer: agender)

d) Sarah would sometimes be interested in what men feel and think, but she is happy to be a woman. (Answer: cis-woman)

e) Elias gets along much better with girls than with boys. He also has many more topics of conversation with them. But that doesn't change the fact that he feels like a man through and through. (Answer: cis man)

f) Zeynep feels she was born in the wrong body. She*he wants to have an operation as soon as possible to finally be able to live as a man. (Answer: transsexual)

She wanted to become a boy or die

My answers are quite different.

Re a): Lea is a person who does not always feel the way some members of her biological sex are expected to feel.

Ad b): Paul is a biological male who feels like a woman, whatever that means.

To c): Tom is Tom.

To d): Sarah is a joyful person.

To e): Elias is a good friend.

Ad f): Zeynep is a person who feels like she is in the wrong body, which I personally think is a shame, but everyone is allowed to do what they want with their body.

I think these answers are very good, but they are too long to fit in the answer columns. When asked, the girl's mother explained:

"In second grade, my daughter was bullied because she didn't wear skirts and therefore wasn't a "real" girl. She wanted to become a boy or die. It took a lot of love and patience to show her that it wasn't the skirt, the long hair, or the favorite toy that made gender. Today she came home confused, bringing worksheets from biology class that the kids seemed to barely understand or the teacher had explained incorrectly because they all gave the same answers."

If all the children gave the same answers to these questions, then we are clearly dealing with indoctrination. I therefore have a few questions:

How are children supposed to find the "right" answers to such questions? Why do children have to learn these ideologized terms? Why are they taught to put people into such unloving categories? Why are children sexualized by adults? Why are children taught, even before spring awakening, that they might be in the wrong body if they have certain feelings that supposedly don't match their biological sex? What are these typical female and male feelings supposed to be? Why is a physical conversion therapy with surgical interventions put forward as something so normal? And what is a false body? Is a wrong body something like a wrong sexual orientation?
--------------------------
6th class, German public school.

Germany is being turned into a total madhouse. Or should I say: it gets intentionllay "degenerated"?

The amount of wicked intention to indoctrinate and brainwash, is beyond comprehension. The complete assassination of reasonable, logical thinkling. George Orwell's remarks on the relevance of language mutilation to reprogram people, anyone?

I was on a very good school from class 6 on until end of my shcool time. But I learned some years ago, that for some years they had deleted history classes and form 8th class on any courses in chemistr,y ohscis and billogy, before they were forced to bring these courses back inte the course plan. When i was there until mid-80s, there was a music wokrign groupd, as hpobby for intersted poaricipents, after classes were over, like I played in the school chess team. Today, they have three theatre groups, six music bands as oreidnary course slike math (reduced presence), a foreign language, and participating in climate working groups and projects promoting vegetarian diets is mandatory. When i eas there, most etachers were male, and I st say I had the kuckl to have had very, very good teachers, most of the were both liked and repsected, and were comeotent, also basing for the kost in the gorudns of reaosn and sciences. Last time I checked, 4 out of 5 names on their list of teachers, were women.

My school has had a great history and was once a social institution, a hundred years ago, a centre of social life far beyond the shcool context. That was a tiem ehwne educaiton had a high value and relevanc, ean dthat was refelct bvy the care ofn architectural beauty pout into the construciton of the very school building sitself. They held balls there - balls for the common burgoise society, not just students, it was a centre of social life and a pillar of communial mintegrity in the district. Famous.

They have completely brought it down. And I will never forgive this scum its ideology-driven crimes against the spirit and intention of idealistic humanism.

Welcome to Berlin. The worst of the worst of federal states in Germany. What they tested there, they now bring to all the nation.

Catfish

01-15-23, 11:37 AM

This too is the new reality in Germany: Die WELT:

[I]The electricity grid operator TransnetBW is calling on electricity customers in Baden-Württemberg to consume as little energy as possible on Sunday evening. There is a "tense situation" in the power grid. It is already the second warning within just over a month.
Ah yes. If i remember correctly the southern part of Germany like Bavaria and Baden-Wuerttemberg did not want more electrical lines being built from the north of Germany for whatever reason.
The north has too much electrical power and it cannot be transferred due to missing power lines. The south (or better their politicians) also neglected thinking about what should be done instead, to keep up electrical support.
This is one thing.

But why is the power demand so high on a sunday afternoon? It is not. It is like every sunday at that time.
So why can't they suddenly supply enough energy?
Seems the company managing the power grid neglected repairs and adapting out of simple greed.

Apart from this power saving is not a bad idea at all.

Skybird

01-16-23, 06:53 AM

Its official, Lambrecht as defence mini-stress is history, she filed her resignation and announced it not in person to the press, but by a brief written announcement only. Rumour holds it that - being member of the far left wing of her party - she did not want to participate in the expected allowance of Leopard deliveries to Ukraine. If that is true, then my initial suspicion from beginning on would be confirmed - that she was not just desinterested or incompetent, but that she practiced active sabotage against her office. Cluelessness then would just have been the cream on the top.

We have had three total duds in a row as defence ministers now: Pomade-Gutti, Super-Uschi, and Lambrecht the lamb. All of them totally clueless of the matter, and carricatures as ministers for defence.

Another dud we cannot afford. The next shot must hit. The next one miust have fangs and claws, not onyl againstn Russia, but especially against the Bundeswehr's internal networks of bureaucrats and career-desktop officers who endlessly delay evrything and have spread bureaucratic complications like cancer. The big issue of the German army is not only lacking funds, but its internal personell structure and overboarding bureaucracy. Too many generals and desktop-only warriors.

edit:
I forgot de Maiziere and Kram-Karrenbauer as defence ministers who separate the reigns of the three I listed. Forgetting somebody also is a way to express the impression that somebody has given.

Jimbuna

01-16-23, 06:53 AM

Christine Lambrecht: German defence minister resigns after blunders

Germany's Defence Minister Christine Lambrecht has resigned following a series of blunders and PR disasters.

It comes as Berlin comes under rising pressure to allow the delivery of German-built battle tanks to Ukraine.

Ms Lambrecht was mocked for her announcement that Germany was supporting Ukraine by sending 5,000 military helmets.

She was also widely criticised for failing to improve Germany's notoriously ill-equipped armed forces.

This was despite the provision of €100bn (£88bn) for that task following Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Ms Lambrecht, a member of Chancellor Olaf Scholz's Social Democrats (SPD), also came in for criticism when it emerged that she had taken her son on a trip in a military helicopter.

But it was an awkward video she posted on New Year's Eve which triggered widespread contempt and undermined her support within political circles. In the video, Ms Lambrecht talked about the positive personal encounters she had enjoyed during the war in Ukraine, while fireworks exploded around her in Berlin.

In a resignation statement seen by the German national news agency, Ms Lambrecht said: "Months of media focus on me doesn't allow for fact-based reporting and discussion about soldiers, the army and security policy in the interest of German citizens.

"The valuable work of the soldiers and many motivated people in the defence area needs to be in the foreground."

Ms Lambrecht was due to meet other defence ministers from Ukraine's western allies at the American military base in Ramstein on Friday to discuss further support for Ukraine.

The German government is facing renewed calls to approve the delivery of German-built Leopard 2 tanks.

It is not yet clear who will succeed Ms Lambrecht in a job which is considered such a poisoned chalice that many refer to it as "the ejector seat".
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-64288267

Skybird

01-16-23, 07:13 AM

FOCUS:
--------------------
If there were any doubts about Christine Lambrecht's lack of character as Federal Minister of Defense, they have been finally dispelled by her resignation. Because the media are to blame for Ms. Lambrecht's failure. Says Ms. Lambrecht. What an undignified departure.

"The months-long media focus on my person hardly allows for objective reporting and discussion about the servicemen and women, the Bundeswehr and security policy course-setting in the interest of the citizens of Germany." So Lambrecht is resigning because she fears for factual reporting on the Bundeswehr - seriously now?

The reporting was fixated on her person because the reporters had no choice. With the difficulties of memorizing ranks and the 5000 helmets for Ukraine, the matter was clear from the start - here a minister simply had not understood her office.

At least the chancellor was the first to realize that Lambrecht was not a "first-class" defense minister. If things had been different, Olaf Scholz would not have had to take all the key decisions out of her hands - from the "turnaround" to the two-percent target.

Skybird

01-16-23, 02:49 PM

Dr. Joachim Weber is a Senior Fellow at the CASSIS Strategy Center at the University of Bonn, where he teaches and conducts research on strategy and security policy issues. He is considered an expert on Russian issues and the High North, maritime security, armament policy and armed forces. In addition, he is a Non-resident Senior Fellow at the Institute for Security Policy at Kiel University (ISPK). The author looks back on a long career in various federal agencies and ministries with previous activities in the field of civil protection and critical infrastructures, maritime security and armaments.

Focus has this interview with him:

-------------------------------------------

Christine Lambrecht is out. Now Germany is waiting to see who will succeed her as head of the Ministry of Defense. It should be someone with expertise and leadership quality, demands military expert Joachim Weber. He sees the Bundeswehr in a deplorable state.

Since Monday morning, it has been clear: Germany needs a new defense minister. In an interview with FOCUS online, Joachim Weber describes what this person will find in the ministry and the troops as "dysfunctional." Considering a war in Europe, that's not something that lets you sleep soundly at night.

FOCUS online: Mr. Weber, what awaits the newcomer at the head of the Defense Ministry?

Joachim Weber: A truly Herculean task awaits this unenviable individual, for which a very special personality is needed. I'm very curious to see who the coalition partners want to appoint for this task. In view of a major war in the middle of Europe, the Ministry of Defense is a key department of German politics. At the same time, we have the situation that our country's armed forces are not really operational. Against this background, there is an urgent need for action, especially with regard to structures that can unfortunately only be described as dysfunctional.

Given this dramatic state of affairs, did Ms. Lambrecht have any chance at all?

Weber: Ms. Lambrecht should at least have tried. Instead, she has tried to continue administering the Bundeswehr in the same old way, in an obviously listless manner and unfamiliar with the subject matter. This is in no way in line with the demands that are currently being made in this job.

Is it high time to put a military man at the head of the Ministry of Defense?

Weber: At least that wouldn't hurt, because then the expertise would definitely be there. Not everyone can do every job, especially in such a specialized area as security and defense policy. What is at stake now is nothing less than making a dysfunctional large-scale organization, i.e. both the ministry and the troops, functional again.

Who would be the right person for the job?

Weber: I don't see anyone in the coalition who would be fully up to the task. What is needed now is someone like Helmut Schmidt. Someone with comprehensive expertise, the will to act energetically and the ability to really lead. I don't see anyone stepping up to the task.

It will probably come down to someone from the SPD.

Weber: I think we have to assume that. Siemtje Möller, the Parliamentary Secretary of State for Defense, certainly has a certain expertise, which she has acquired through her interest in the subject matter. However, I don't know whether she is capable of turning everything around with the necessary vigor that would now be required. Eva Högl, the Federal Government Commissioner for the Armed Forces, may not be a specialist in the field, but she has earned the respect of the troops for her commitment. But even with her, the question arises as to the necessary clout.

What are the biggest problems facing the Bundeswehr?

Weber: The troops are least of all responsible for the state they are in. I'm always amazed at how many tens of thousands of men and women in this Bundeswehr are still serving faithfully and with dedication, even though they're being let down from above. The troops are doing what they can, but they can't simply reverse the top-down processes.

Things have to be reorganized at the top. And then the Bundeswehr must be managed in functional structures. The necessary resources must also be made available for this. There is a lack of both.

Is the Bundeswehr ready to defend itself?

Weber: We are definitely not ready for defense. That's also what those in charge of the Bundeswehr say. If there were a war, probably none of the eight brigades of the Army would really be operational. That makes it all the more important now to ensure through smart policies that no one even thinks of attacking us. For that, however, we need a powerful, modern Bundeswehr. At the moment, we are miles away from that.

How do countries with smaller military budgets, such as Israel, still manage to put together a powerful army?

Weber: That has to do, above all, with the different ways in which the military is viewed. In Germany, social discourse has allowed security policy to become something of a dirty subject. But now we realize that there's a fire, but we don't have the insurance. We have completely run down the fire department. Who is going to put out the fire now? Or to put it another way: Do we want to be able to defend ourselves or not?

Do we need a return to compulsory military service?

Weber: We probably won't be spared that. If we really want to strengthen the Bundeswehr in a measured way, it won't be feasible with the existing number of applicants. In the overall situation, I think it makes sense, for example in the context of a general compulsory service.

Is there an area of the Bundeswehr where things are going well?

Weber: It's hard to find one at the moment. There is either a lack of quality equipment or a lack of quantity forces, usually both at the same time.
-----------------------

Rockstar

01-16-23, 06:44 PM

Here’s my top three picks for German Defense Minister

1. General William Tecumseh Sherman
https://i.ibb.co/0FB2CmS/E3482-AF6-577-C-4290-BA86-77-DECC0-D661-D.jpg (https://ibb.co/VQH9gJZ)

2. Chuck Norris
https://tecake.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/images-2020-11-08T120424.465.jpeg

3. Al Bundy
https://i.ibb.co/tJKhFBF/9-A8619-C2-79-E1-47-FA-A4-EB-7-D6-F18083640.jpg

But you’ll probably end up with this guy.
https://i.ibb.co/6nXrqTg/2-F752321-6873-4473-98-DE-DDFC042-E4-B83.jpg

Skybird

01-16-23, 07:03 PM

Or this guy.
https://cdn.prod.www.spiegel.de/images/635fb80e-76d6-4af9-95ac-54dffe6897bf_w1600_r0.679988820570151_fpx56_fpy43. jpg

The guy to the left I mean. The guy on the right side is dead. :O:

Rockstar

01-16-23, 07:31 PM

How about Erich Vad? :haha:

He hasn’t got it right yet, but that’s what gets him a job in government!

For those who don’t know who he is
https://de-m-wikipedia-org.translate.goog/wiki/Erich_Vad?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-US&_x_tr_pto=wapp

Jimbuna

01-17-23, 08:23 AM

Or this guy.

Unfortunately, those suitably qualified and motivated were dealt with at Nuremberg :03:

Skybird

01-17-23, 09:36 AM

Unfortunately, those suitably qualified and motivated were dealt with at Nuremberg :03:
There were more than just Nuremberg ones. Helmut Schmidt would have been a good choice for defence minister today. And his own SPD (and the Greens) would again have been against him.

Anyhow, its now Mr. Pistorius, so far inteiror minister of Lower saxony, 62 years old, and served his mandatory time in the BW 40 years ago. A name nobody had on his radar. So far I have no idea what to make of him, so nobody please asks me about him, okay?

Jimbuna

01-17-23, 09:55 AM

Germany’s no-nonsense new defence minister faces early test over Ukraine

A veteran but low-profile politician is to be appointed as Germany’s new defence minister, the government has announced, filling the role at a crucial time when the country is under acute pressure to increase its commitment to Ukraine, especially by allowing it the use of tanks.

Boris Pistorius, 62, who has been the interior minister of the northern state of Lower Saxony for the past decade, will face his first major task on Friday when western allies meet at the US military’s Ramstein base in south-west Germany to discuss providing Kyiv with more weapons and equipment.

Germany has been extremely cautious so far about approving the sending of heavy Leopard tanks to Ukraine, owing to concerns that the decision could lead to an escalation of the war. Other countries in possession of the German-designed tanks need the permission of Berlin before they are able to be dispatched to another country.

Pistorius is a member of the chancellor Olaf Scholz’s Social Democratic party, but his appointment by Scholz came as a surprise, not least because he has a low profile in Germany and is little known internationally. He has a reputation as a sharp-tongued, no-nonsense policymaker.

Scholz was forced to replace Christine Lambrecht, who had made a series of blunders during her short tenure as minister in his coalition government, including admitting she did not understand the makeup of the German military and failing to make progress with obtaining new equipment and resources via a €100bn reform fund.

Announcing her resignation on Monday, Lambrecht said she had been unable to concentrate properly on the job because of a “months’ long media focus on my person”.

Scholz had come under pressure in particular from within his own party to appoint a woman, to fulfil his pre-election pledge to have male-female parity in his cabinet. The German Armed Forces Association and the Reservist Association urged Scholz to choose the candidate with the “best leadership competence”.

Importantly for Scholz, Pistorius has spoken out in favour of helping Ukraine defend itself, and expressed his scepticism earlier on in the conflict about the efficacy of sanctions against Russia.

Pistorius follows on from three female defence ministers who served Germany over the past decade. Previous to that the post had only ever been held by a man.

Robert Habeck, the economics minister and deputy chancellor, said the new defence minister’s first and crucial decision would be regarding the issue of tanks for Ukraine.

Speaking on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, before the announcement, he said: “When that person, the minister of defence, is declared, this will be the first question they will concretely have to decide on.”

He said the “urgent question” of how Ukraine should be supported to defend itself was an important short-term decision that the minister would have to tackle.

During talks in Davos with Kyiv’s mayor, Vitali Klitschko, Habeck reportedly pledged further German support and help for Ukraine, including the transfer of more weapons. Klitschko wrote on his Telegram account that “positive decisions” had been made at the meeting, and there was “good news coming soon”.

It had long been speculated that Pistorius had wider political ambitions. He had campaigned to become the leader of the Social Democrats and is believed to have been under discussion as a potential interior minister in the central government when Scholz was forming his new administration in late 2022.

Colleagues described him on Tuesday as having a reputation among Germany’s other state interior ministers as a knowledgable expert on domestic security. His biography indicates time spent doing his military service in the early 1980s, but otherwise he is not believed to have any military experience or expertise. National military service in Germany was scrapped in 2011. Since the invasion of Ukraine, there has been a debate about whether to reinstate it.

Pistorius will be expected to show expediency over acquiring new equipment and to sort out chronic issues such as a shortage of ammunition and faults in existing equipment. He will also have to oversee the withdrawal of German troops from Mali, which is due to take place next year and which it is feared may leave a dangerous power vacuum in the region.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/jan/17/germany-new-defence-minister-boris-pistorius-ukraine

Rockstar

01-18-23, 08:59 PM

Germany banning the export of tanks to Ukraine unless America sends its own tanks is absurd. It makes the SPD and Olaf look ridiculous. I guess Olaf is suffering from battered women syndrome with Russia.

Scholz wants to be last to commit tanks because he wants to be first in line for deals with Russia in the future. He's hedging his bets. We all see it

https://i.ibb.co/8Pwrw6h/B347-EC42-BD22-4092-9082-0295-FD428-E09.jpg

Rockstar

01-19-23, 04:27 PM

Young socialist, 1975–1989

Scholz at the Young Socialists Congress, 1984
Scholz joined the SPD in 1975 as a student, where he got involved with the Jusos, the youth organization of the SPD. From 1982 to 1988, he was Deputy Federal Juso Chairman, and from 1987 to 1989 also Vice President of the International Union of Socialist Youth. He supported the Freudenberger Kreis, the Marxist wing of the Juso university groups, promoting "overcoming the capitalist economy" in articles. In it, Scholz criticized the "aggressive-imperialist NATO", the Federal Republic as the "European stronghold of big business" and the social-liberal coalition, which puts the "bare maintenance of power above any form of substantive dispute". On 4 January 1984, Scholz and other Juso leaders met in the GDR with Egon Krenz, the secretary of the Central Committee of the SED and member of the Politburo of the SED-Central Committee, Herbert Häber. In 1987, Scholz crossed the inner-German border again and stood up for disarmament agreements as Juso-Vice at an FDJ peace rally in Wittenberg.

https://i.ibb.co/Rg70kXZ/263-F9550-1-C7-A-418-D-B26-C-109-C47-BEA4-A0.jpghttps://i.ibb.co/N96RGzc/8684811-D-7-C78-4-E9-F-BBC0-BCDBC1950-A7-B.jpg

https://i.ibb.co/yf5kQhH/B99-B8-FB6-ABBB-4-CB9-8-BC4-3-EE3-E4-BB7567.jpghttps://i.ibb.co/L5dBk0f/19769041-5-EAB-4-E1-E-BFDA-CC1932-AF8965.jpg

Skybird

01-22-23, 07:13 PM

The Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung writes:
---------------------------------------------

KfW warns of "era of shrinking prosperity"

Germany is facing the threat of an economic turnaround and increasing conflicts over distribution, the state bank KfW warns in a new study. How can this be prevented?

KfW, the state-owned development bank, is not known for shrill or alarmist warnings. So when the bank's research department speaks of a "turn of the times," "ongoing losses of prosperity" and "distributional conflicts," one should listen carefully. These warnings can be read in an as yet unpublished study by KfW, which is available to the F.A.Z.. The central message: Germany urgently needs millions of additional workers and must work more productively if the country is not to become permanently poorer.

The analysis begins by taking stock. For 70 years, prosperity in Germany has grown almost continuously. For that, he says, it was enough for the German economy to keep up with international competition and digest temporary shocks. "Those times are over. The foundation for further growth in prosperity is crumbling," the analysis states.

A "business-as-usual" scenario is no longer possible, as one in two companies is already being held back by a lack of skilled workers. This shortage will not be compensated for by a slight increase in productivity in companies - for example, because better machines and new technology are being used. Labor productivity per employee has increased by only 0.3 percent per year over the past ten years. "If productivity growth remains this weak and the decline in the domestic supply of skilled labor intensifies at the same time, this will mean a turning point," the authors warn.

Germany would then enter an era of persistently stagnating, possibly creeping declining prosperity before the end of this decade. Increasing distribution conflicts and intensified competition for scarce resources are to be expected. KfW Chief Economist Fritzi Köhler-Geib warns of a problem of historic proportions: "The combination of a shrinking domestic labor supply in the long term and weak productivity development poses a unique challenge that is new to us in the postwar period."

The development bank's experts see three recipes for averting the misery: first, get more people in Germany into work; second, attract more immigrants to the country; and third, boost labor productivity.

None of these recipes alone is capable of solving the skilled labor problem, analyzes KfW. Indeed, the changes in the individual areas would have to be so far-reaching and take place so quickly that economists do not believe it is possible. For example, according to the bank's scenarios, the labor force participation rate in Germany of people aged 15 to 64 would have to rise from just under 80 percent today to just under 90 percent by 2035 to close the gap. Net immigration would have to rise from 330,000 in 2021 to 1.8 million working-age immigrants per year if this lever alone were used. "Net immigration of this magnitude appears unrealistic," the study says.

The figure calculated by KfW is higher than a much-cited figure from the Institute for Employment Research (IAB), which considers net immigration of 400,000 workers a year necessary to keep labor supply stable in the long term. In its calculation, however, the IAB already takes into account a stronger labor force participation of women and older people in Germany.

Specifically, KfW advocates a whole range of measures. In order to increase the labor force participation rate in Germany, the cultural and financial hurdles for women that have prevented them from working more hours up to now would have to be removed first and foremost. "A reform of the marital splitting system that makes it financially attractive for both spouses to take up work would reduce the disincentives," says Chief Economist Köhler-Geib. KfW also calls for expanding "free and low-cost professional childcare and care." Mandatory early childhood education could significantly improve later career opportunities, she adds. "It is also important to motivate people with low general education qualifications to take up vocational training as early as possible," the paper says.

In order to integrate more immigrants into the German labor market, KfW believes it is necessary, among other things, to offer them German language courses more quickly so that they can gain a foothold in the workplace more quickly. It is also necessary to facilitate the recognition of qualifications acquired abroad. According to research by the F.A.Z., tens of thousands of applications from potential workers are still unprocessed in German immigration authorities. The federal government wants to eliminate such grievances and strengthen immigration in principle by amending the Skilled Workers Immigration Act. KfW believes this is the right way to go, but the law alone is far from sufficient.

Increasing labor productivity should not be overlooked either if prosperity is to be secured: Less bureaucracy, a better "business-related infrastructure" and stronger innovation support are the keys to achieving this, it says. KfW concludes from all this: "Securing prosperity and further prosperity growth thus require a comprehensive mix of measures."
-------------------------------

Skybird

01-23-23, 05:00 PM

Der Spiegel:
----------------------
Bundeswehr was responsible for Puma total loss - not industry

13 minor, 21 moderate and one serious damage: An internal report analyzes what put Puma infantry fighting vehicles out of action during a firing exercise. The result is unflattering for the troops.

On page nine, the good news finally arrives. By then, the reader has already had to slog through 34 small and medium-sized "damage diagrams" on the Puma infantry fighting vehicle, ranging from A for "failed sensor on the hydro-cooling system" to Z for "two cables with torn insulation".

Only then comes the real message of the confidential Puma report that the Defense Ministry sent to the Bundestag on Monday. In a few days, it says, the first Puma company, which is intended for NATO's Rapid Reaction Force, will be "technically operational again" and, after "completing a supplementary training phase," will be reintegrated into the NATO force before the end of the first quarter. A second company would be "added" as soon as all the necessary conditions, such as the "availability of spare parts," were met.

It's a good thing that Christine Lambrecht is no longer defense minister. Otherwise, things would have been tight for her by now at the latest. After SPIEGEL revealed in mid-December that all 18 state-of-the-art Puma infantry fighting vehicles used in an exercise had failed, the Social Democrat had hurriedly blamed the industry for the debacle. Now the ministry must concede that it was in fact not the industry but its own troops that "were no longer up to the task."

"As a result, the operators' lack of experience in handling the equipment, deficiencies in logistical support from the military maintenance forces and the failure to increase the involvement of industry teams" contributed to the fact that by the end of the exercise, all Puma were no longer operational, according to the report, which involved troops, army maintenance, industry and the ministry.

For two and a half weeks in early December, armored infantrymen had practiced with the 18 Puma at the armored forces' firing training center in Munster, Lower Saxony. After an "initial wave of failures," the Bundeswehr technicians succeeded for a few days in getting the tanks up and running again, but then "the maintenance capacity was overloaded. In this case, it was not the "severity but the number" of failures that had "overloaded the logistical system available on site."

The report lists 13 minor, 21 medium and one serious damage. These include "worn chain elements" and an "incorrectly mounted main gun," "a defective limit switch on the periscope," a "malfunctioning drive cooling system" and a "defective electronics unit in the MELLS weapon system."

The smoldering fire on a wiring harness, which was apparently improperly fought with a powder extinguisher, is classified as severe damage. Now the tank must be disassembled in parts to remove the extinguishing powder. The exercise showed "that even technically supposedly minor and easily repaired damage could negatively affect the operational usability of the system," according to the statement.

The commander of the 10th Armored Division had reported the Puma debacle in writing to his superiors on the morning of Dec. 15. Since then, the ministry has been driven by the question of how this confidential mail could have been published by SPIEGEL just two days later.
"An outflow into the public network could not be traced."

"Regarding the outflow of information in this matter," the ministry's legal department had been tasked with "conducting an indiscretion search," the report said. Although the original mail had only gone to ten recipients, it had then been distributed to "various organizational mailboxes" in the ministry, so that more than 100 people had had access to it. "An outflow into the public network could not be traced," write the ministry officials, who now want to file criminal charges.

The Bundeswehr does not want to be put off by the difficulties with the Puma. The infantry fighting vehicle is a "highly complex, state-of-the-art weapon system" that represents a "quantum leap in tactical superiority in terms of firepower, mobility and networking," the report concludes. All parties involved agree "despite the surprising setback" that the Puma is the "future for the Army."
-----------------------------

I still maintain that the thing is too complicated and prone to failure. The fact that the massive involvement of the civilian industry in day-to-day maintenance work seems essential already to the operation of the system in peacetime conditions, is a clear indication of this and does not inspire much confidence in the robustness required in a war scenario.

The handling errors also point either to the high complexity of the system, or to massive deficiencies in the quality of troop training. Or both.

I don't like the whole "infantryman of the future" concept. Too remote, a single failure can already put the entire - already small - unit at a severe handicap, because every soldier is so networked and highly specialized that he is practically indispensable. That may be great for SWAT and in small special commando operations - but in "primitive" brute force battles like we are seeing now in Ukraine with massive ongoing shelling from heavy weapons?

Higher troop numbers and slightly lower complexity also has an argument: redundancy.

However, there is no longer any material alternative to the Puma."Doomed to succeed".

Rockstar

02-08-23, 09:24 AM

What the hell?

https://i.imgur.com/cruvZOW.jpg

Skybird

02-08-23, 11:05 AM

^That is probably FDP politician Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann in costume (the wicked stepmother from snow white) during a carnival appearance when she attacked the opposition parties' leaders in rymes.

Leave her alone, she is one of our few better political voices, strongly demanding a much more serious military engagement and more wepaon deliveries since all beginning on and has put the chancellor of the coalition of which she is part on a hot boiling plate repeatedly. :up:

Her family stems from one of Germany's traditional carnival strongholds, Düsseldorf. Carnival is a very serious business there. :D

She has ties to defence politics and currently has the chair of the parliamentary defence committee, thats why she attacks the government so intensely, though indirectly (her party is part of the coalition).

https://i0.web.de/image/572/36273572,pd=2/marie-agnes-strack-zimmermann.jpg

Rockstar

02-08-23, 01:14 PM

No problem Skybird, a friend of your’s is a friend of mine. :salute:

August

02-08-23, 01:28 PM

No problem Skybird, a friend of your’s is a friend of mine. :salute:

Let me get this straight, she dressed up as the Wicked Witch of the West and then gave a political speech in which she attacked her opponents in prose? And she is one of their good politicians?

:har:

I guess she matches her country. Ridiculous leaders for a ridiculous people.

mapuc

02-08-23, 01:38 PM

I guess she matches her country. Ridiculous leaders for a ridiculous people.

:wah: It was not nice said :wah:

I'm gonna tell my Momma and she is both bigger and older than you.

She know karate......and some other Japanese word you know.

Markus

Ostfriese

02-08-23, 01:46 PM

Let me get this straight, she dressed up as the Wicked Witch of the West and then gave a political speech in which she attacked her opponents in prose? And she is one of their good politicians?

That's the Rhineland (Northrhine Westphalia, to be more precise) for you, the region of Germany where you have to wear a uniform if you want to laugh. :D

Skybird

02-08-23, 02:39 PM

Thats CARNIVAL.

Politicians do not only get targetted during carnival by irnocic omemnts and jokes at their cost, but also participate in it like many normal citizens, too. In some regions, carnival is a holiday, shops are closed, big festivities ihn the street, plenty of parties, cabaret shows.

Its not my thing, but its what it is. Karneval. Fasching. A bit like Halloween. Just XXL-sized. And far too serious a matter to laugh about. :)

It comes and it goes. In the end, in Germany its just a limited season for dressing like a fool and do foolish stuff. In America, you can dress and behave like a Donald and do like fools do day in, day out, year in, year out. So no reason to mock Germany for its timely limited "Karneval" - it could be worse. :O:

https://static.dw.com/image/42460839_303.jpg

August

02-08-23, 02:47 PM

That's the Rhineland (Northrhine Westphalia, to be more precise) for you, the region of Germany where you have to wear a uniform if you want to laugh. :D

:haha:

Ostfriese

02-08-23, 03:23 PM

Rockstar

02-08-23, 03:42 PM

It's NOT all of Germany, please.

It's the Ruhr area, where people are strictly catholic for eleven months a year and go all bonkers in the one remaining month.

The Bavarians and Swabians have fun whenever they think their catholic God isn't looking at them (which is surprisingly often), and here in the north (in former Prussia) we laugh once the work is done. :D

Swabians? Years ago I met a girl from Germany. When I lived on a boat I had a dog that I named Swab as in ‘swabby’ a.k.a. a sailor. She rolled her eyes and laughed when I told her, saying that in Germany Swab or Swabians were thought to be, well, considered sort of as not too bright and low rent. I replied that pretty much describes my dog too.

Skybird

02-09-23, 07:57 AM

It's NOT all of Germany, please.

Except Berlin, there you have the Berlin interpretation of the topic 365 days a year. :D

You have "Rosenmontagsumzüge" practically in all parts of Germany, and "Karnevallsgesellschaften", and "Festzelte". The Ruhr area is only the outstanding hotspot, but it is not the exclusive German carnival zone. ;) Pretty much like the Oktoberfest's original hotspot is Munich, but you have smaller copies of it practically everywhere in Germany now. Even in Berlin. :D

Ostfriese

02-09-23, 09:29 AM

Except Berlin, there you have the Berlin interpretation of the topic 365 days a year. :D

You have "Rosenmontagsumzüge" practically in all parts of Germany, and "Karnevallsgesellschaften", and "Festzelte". The Ruhr area is only the outstanding hotspot, but it is not the exclusive German carnival zone. ;) Pretty much like the Oktoberfest's original hotspot is Munich, but you have smaller copies of it practically everywhere in Germany now. Even in Berlin. :D

"Rosenmontagsumzüge" (basically costumed people walking around the roads on Shrove Monday) are common in the catholic parts of Germany, but very rare in the protestant north, where this is usually only done by children (up to about age ten).

Skybird

02-10-23, 07:30 AM

Neue Zürcher Zeitung:

----------------------------

The Lord of the Leopard

Frank Haun was the head of tank manufacturer Krauss-Maffei Wegmann for a good 15 years. It was there that the Leopard 2A6 was developed, and it is about to undergo its baptism of fire in Ukraine. Haun is looking forward to the mission with mixed feelings. There will be casualties, he says.

Frank Haun could be triumphant. Wars are won on the ground, that's always been the case. I said: Tanks are not fossils, the day will come when you will need them again. But you wouldn't listen. Now you have the receipt.

He could say that, and one could not blame him. Almost every day, politicians, generals and journalists contact him and ask how quickly he can deliver. Haun is the head of tank manufacturer KNDS, an alliance of Germany's Krauss-Maffei Wegmann and France's Nexter. For years, he warned against dismantling too many tanks in Western armies. But he doesn't want to look back. He prefers to look ahead.

Germany's battle tanks face baptism of fire

Germany and other NATO countries want to send the Leopard tank to Ukraine. In a few weeks, one of the world's best battle tanks will experience its baptism of fire in high-intensity combat. Then we will see what it can really do. So far, the Leopard 2 has been used mainly in exercises in the North German Plain, for example. Canadians and Danes had it in Afghanistan for some time, but never in a scenario like Ukraine. "If we know how to teach the Ukrainians how to use the Leopard tank properly, then it will be able to make its impact," Haun says. "But yes, there will certainly be casualties."

When he joined Krauss-Maffei Wegmann in Munich in 2003 and became CEO three years later, he made further development of the Leopard 2 one of his most important projects. It was a time when Krauss-Maffei Wegmann was only producing one-offs because hardly anyone was ordering main battle tanks. It was no longer a matter of mass, as in the Cold War, but of equipping fewer tanks in such a way that they were clearly technically superior to an opponent. The result was the Leopard 2A6.

Nothing symbolizes war better than a tank like this. The steel colossus on tracks combines what is needed on the battlefield: Assertiveness from its 120-millimeter gun, mobility from its 1500-horsepower engine, and protection from its armor. Of the approximately 9500 "Main Battle Tanks" in Europe (Russia and Belarus excluded), 32 percent are made by Krauss-Maffei Wegmann. But for three decades, Western politicians and authoritative military leaders hardly wanted to hear about the advantages of a tank.

A few years ago, Haun reports, he talked with experts in Washington about how war was changing. One interlocutor explained that they no longer enter the combat zone with aircraft because they have no chance against modern air defense systems such as the Russian S400. Ground troops equipped with heavy weapons are still indispensable for winning a war.

Haun fell on deaf ears in Berlin

But in Berlin, his argument fell on deaf ears. Politicians and the military did not want his tanks, howitzers and anti-aircraft guns even when Russia invaded the Donbass in 2014 and Putin was already counting on the mass deployment of tanks and artillery. Everyone saw that the German army had nothing to counter this, Haun says. But politicians and many generals would have preferred to buy planes, helicopters and ships.

That is having an impact today. Of 320 battle tanks in the Bundeswehr, only about 130 are operational. Every single one that is now being handed over to Ukraine weakens Germany's defense capability. It's a state of affairs that Haun also blames himself for. "Obviously, in all those years in Berlin, I did not communicate in such a way that I was understood and something was changed. That is my failure," he says.

As the head of one of Germany's most important defense contractors, he has good access in Berlin. For example, when McKinsey consultant Katrin Suder was brought to the German Defense Ministry by Ursula von der Leyen in August 2014 to reform weapons procurement, he brought her a recommendation at the get-to-know-you meeting. "You must see the film 'Pentagon Wars,' you will be amazed," he had said to her.

"Pentagon Wars" describes the grotesque but true story of the procurement of the Bradley infantry fighting vehicle in the USA. For over 17 years, the American military made ever new, ever more absurd demands on the vehicle without the Pentagon intervening. In the end, the development had swallowed up 14 billion dollars. When they met again a few weeks later, Suder asked him, Haun recalls, if things were as bad in Germany. "We're better, of course, Madam Secretary of State," he had replied smugly.

The Puma's troubles scratch its reputation

The events in "Pentagon Wars" are not so far removed from Haun's own story. What was the Bradley disaster for the Americans almost happened to the Germans with the Puma. The Bundeswehr kept coming up with new ideas for the infantry fighting vehicle, while questionable standards for civilian vehicles burdened and delayed development. Haun knew that this tank could only be built on the edge of what was technically feasible.

But he went along with it because Krauss-Maffei Wegmann needed the order. The difficulties cost his company a lot of money and scratched its reputation. Nonetheless, he considers the Puma a "great tank," with its computer-aided concept a bridging technology with regard to the main battle tank of the future.

Haun's current company, KNDS, founded eight years ago as a joint venture between Krauss-Maffei Wegmann and Nexter, is to build this innovative, state-of-the-art main battle tank system. After a few years of dual German-French leadership, Haun took over sole management in 2020 and has since presided over a company that he believes is the only one in the EU still producing main battle tanks. The British, the French, the Italians - they all stopped production years ago, he says. "We are the only ones still producing tanks at the moment."

Relationship with Rheinmetall is poisoned

This statement is a jab at the West German competition. The Düsseldorf-based Rheinmetall Group unveiled its own main battle tank last year and also advertises itself as a tank manufacturer. But the hull, transmission and running gear are derived from the Leopard 2, which is why Haun believes it is not a tank system developed entirely by Rheinmetall.

But this is not the only reason why the climate between the two major companies is poisoned. In the past, there have been repeated announcements or rumors regarding a takeover of Krauss-Maffei Wegmann by Rheinmetall. While the two companies compete on the battle tank, they are partners on the Puma infantry fighting vehicle and other projects. Rheinmetall is also involved in the Franco-German main battle tank of the future. KNDS and the Düsseldorf-based group mutually claim leadership in the billion-dollar project.

German politicians, who for years have been advocating a merger of the two companies to form a "European champion," are now watching the dispute between the two companies with increasing annoyance. "We would like to have a strong German land systems company. But that is also being prevented by the two egos in the executive suites," says an experienced defense politician.

The Ukraine war is ensuring that order books are filling up at both companies. In January, Frank Haun turned 64. He has rarely been in as much demand as he is now. In the past, he had to justify himself for building weapons. Today, he has to defend himself against accusations that he produces the weapons too slowly.

"Without chips, I can't get a tank off the yard".

A few days ago, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius announced his intention to replace the 14 Leopard 2A6s for Ukraine with new tanks as soon as possible. That will be difficult. Krauss-Maffei Wegmann is currently producing 44 Leopard 2A7s for Hungary. Last week, an order for 54 tanks came in from Norway. Other countries are likely to follow soon. "In the next year or two, we expect orders for several hundred new or combat-grade Leopard 2s," Haun says.

Many NATO countries that are handing over the Leopard 2 or other models to Ukraine want to restock their fleets as quickly as possible. This will not fail because of his company's capacities, says Haun. The conversation with him takes place at Krauss-Maffei Wegmann's headquarters in Munich. Behind the building stretches the factory grounds with their halls, roads and parking areas where tanks or other vehicles are parked. When Haun steps up to the window of the meeting room, he looks out over the production halls. "Down there," he says, gesturing vaguely out with his hand, "is the Leopard line. We can ramp it up in no time. Capacity is not the problem."

Something else is difficult, he said, and he recently explained this to German Chancellor Olaf Scholz when he asked him about bottlenecks in production. In the case of a Leopard tank, Haun said, the bottlenecks are mainly in the so-called long-running parts, such as the gun barrel. They come from suppliers, and it is difficult to shorten their production. But he is even more concerned about the availability of microchips. The Leopard 2 needs them primarily for navigation and optics, he said. "Without chips, I can't get a tank off the yard anymore."

This looming bottleneck is worrying not only Haun, but the entire German economy. An attack by China on Taiwan, the chip workbench of the Western world, could further exacerbate the situation. Haun has been a member of the advisory board of the Munich Security Conference for many years. There he regularly meets security policy experts. Many of them, he says, are of the opinion that it is no longer a question of whether a Chinese invasion will take place, but only of when. If an attack were to occur, he says, Germany would be almost solely dependent on the U.S. as a chip supplier.

"Battle-tested" as a selling point for a tank

In mid-February, when the Security Conference is held again in Munich, the advisory board will also meet for the next time. Last year, Haun said, he had the impression that the majority of members didn't want to know about the impending Russian invasion of Ukraine. "There were people who thought Putin was just letting his 150,000 troops practice on the Russian-Ukrainian border," he says.

A year later, the Leopard 2 is facing its first major wartime deployment. "Combat proven," this seal is an important selling point for any weapons manufacturer. But that's not how Haun puts it. He says, "From the use of our weapons, we can draw valuable conclusions about their effectiveness in combat, so we can then make them even better."

And what will he think when the Russians cheer the first Leopard 2 destroyed? "Success and failure are part of war," he says.
-----------------------

Catfish

02-10-23, 01:20 PM

Every tenth german would defend Germany against a military attack, every fourth would leave the country, according to a survey this week.

Maybe anglo-saxon reeducation successfully cut off .. umm anything that was left after WW2 :O:

Rockstar

02-10-23, 03:13 PM

Not so sure it has that much to do with post war education, anymore.

After the war in the pacific Japan’s population had nothing good to say about their military either. They called them tax thieves and had absolutely no respect for them. It seems though that since the 70’s they’ve moved on and recognize the need for an able defense force that can contribute. Their work ethic and culture also shows they are able to start the job done and have something to show for it in the end.

Why Germany can’t snap out of it boggles my mind. German’s need to move on and pay better attention to their military capabilities and for fook sake start contributing. And don’t blame post war education, Japan managed it, you should be embarrassed, Japan. As one analysis by Perun showed. The German government is one massive disfunctional bureaucracy filled with red tape, loves self imposed barriers, can’t get anything done according to plan, on time or even close to budget. By the time all the red tape is cut and political palms are greased there’s no money left to build or maintain the intended project.

Skybird

02-11-23, 01:01 PM

West- and East Germans are quite different. Decades of Sovjet (and Western) socialisation left their traces.

And in the West, there was a massive infiltration of the pacifist and peace movement and the anti-atom-movement by the StaSi and the KGB, to use these to destabilise the social order. That effect is working uhtil today, both movements are EXTREMeLY biased, anti American and left-leaning. So is the media and the education sector since the student revolts of the lat 60s, where Eastenr intel also had its hands in. Its not different thna what then Russians do today in cyberspace,media, internet. nothing of that is any new, they have always done these things!!

The SPD had her Willi Brand, which is their holy icon and messiah. They still do not will to let his "heritage" - their assessment, certainly not mine, i find him hopelessly overestimated - go. Not even now.

The forefathers of today'S germans were the perfect monsters, now the Germans want to show that they are again perfect: in confessing guilt, in setting a global example how to stand to that guilt, how to morally self-whip oneself due to that guilt. Its a sick complex, and has gone to such extreme deformaitons that as a human I am disgusted and as an ex-psychologist I am alarmed. I knew to Israeli, long rtime ago. They were neither the one nor the other: they simply were pissed by what over here is called the "cult of guilt". They were sick and tired of Germans telling them endlessly how terribly sorry they are for the past.

Finally, Germans are more anti-American than anything. They feel close with Russians, since always. More so in the East, but also in the West. Since many generations. A century. Longer, since always, it seems. Dont ask me why, I dont get it. Both people however share a certain nature of seeking servility. The anglosaxon tradition of libertarianism and understanding of democracy, moral and freedom is something that alienates many Germans, Gemans seek collectivism, and a state relieving them of their self-responsibility. Moral is vague for them, mostly left defined, and a value in itself, they expext that to save the world, the Ameeicna understanding of that it is immoral not to be strogn enough to influence your own fate and defend your freedom, is not easily understood over here. Strength a moral virtue? Not for Germans. Like all leftists, they call for the strong state, however. Mind you, the NSDAP was a socialist party and it never had to hide it to be successful.

A strong desire and craving amongst Eastgermans especially to get back their beloved GDR. Like Russians crave for the USSR and Stalin. The past times were better, you know. "Everything was better in the past".

Invoking the past was a cheap excuse to avoid - costly - military responsibility and to make excuses for not taking part in this and that. "Sorry, the sins of our fathers are on us, we can't go along with it. But we take the benefits, thanks for that!"

Finally: you made Germany small and kept it small for a long time after the war! The absaic structure of our constitution and the state order by which the state is organbsied, had to follow demands outloned and demanded by Washington, also Paris and London, but mostly Washington. Hence so many structures over here llok like small copies of the American political strucxture. The most obvious and deciisve difference: your president formally is powerful and unites representative and executive power, the chnbacellor is much more powerless, and must fight with a deeply decentralised state structure where the federal states have more powers than the American states have. That was a demand by the US after the war, to prevent a too strong central government that could march towards a third world war too easily. Beyond that, you will see many similiarities in state structure between Germany and the US. And considering who won the second world war, that is hardly surprising. History gets written by the victors. In case of Germany you plagiarized yourself. :D LOL

You further have instilled a certain attitude, and exploited the guilt feelings of the Germans against them. This is also a part of the - complex - truth. For exmapekl the BND was not only not trusted and kept on a short line, one used the past also as an argument to not change that and keep it on a short line. That the BND has the reputation to be stuffy and blasé at the same time helped immensely, of course.
;)

And now my refrain: "Never trust the Germans. NEVER."

Gorpet

02-12-23, 02:35 AM

Well, Skybird the Donald is gone.And Joey and the Democrats are in charge.And i bet you didn't see this coming by the party of we want Democracy and freedom and it is the battle cry of the future.Unfortunately the truth is now leaking out, The American president ordered the Destruction of Nord Stream. If you are in the NATO Country Club. Sacrifices must be made right? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OS4O8rGRLf8

Skybird

02-12-23, 06:44 AM

Could be, could not be. We do not know for sure, and until convicing evidence is not shown to actually prove the one or the other scenario, I can only base on probabilities and my assessment of how such probabilties would be weighted by the decision makers in Moscow and Washington. Seen that way my view of all things Nordsstream has not changed at all. Washington has strong motives, but these are countered by enormous political fallout if this stunt would ever become known. Poland and Ukraine also had interests, but probably were not able to do it. Moscow then also has had obvious interests at that time (blackmailing), and must not care for its reputation anymore, since that is ruined anyway.

So for the time being I stand with "most likely the Russians". Which does not rule out the Americans (surprising it would not be, I say since Biden's beginning that Europeans underrate him and see him as more harmless than he actually is). Obama, Trump, Biden, they all have one thing in common: "America first". Which for a president of the US is legitimate - its his job and even his duty. But Germans and generally most Europeans do not get this. Powerpolitics is not our thing when it comes to military and violence at the latest.

And yes, i am aware of the Biden quote "if the Russians invade there will be no more Nordstream", and absolutely always saw this as a threat directed at a stubborn Berlin still refusing to see where it went wrong. But a tgreat is no evidence. And so I stick with probability.

One lesson Europe urgently needs to learn. America is leaving Europe. Its focus is China, not Europoe anymore. And if by the tim e America is gone Europoe has not learned to fill that vaccum by its own strength and power and deterrance, than it will be filled by somebody else. Russia. I still wait for signs that Europe is moving in these regards, but all I see is big mouthed words, reality-denying paroles, determination to become ever more infantile and economically weak, and hot air in motion. The uS and China mkvoe to beocme weconomically strionger, Europe moves to become less competitive and calls that "moral". Idiotic.

We shoukld beocme military MUCH stroinger, and push that strength into NATO, not into expensivce paraalel military structures. That way the Amereicans can reduce their own NATO engagement or get "pressed" back a bit. So far they are dkmninating NAOT because of Europe'S weakness. And we should focus not on improving all the panet in all places beyond our reahc,m but on the core area NATO was designed to defend: Europe, the North atlantic. North America. The Pacific is NOT NATO's operation area. Never was. And Europe has no meaningfull ressoruces to operate there anyway, we even cannot keep our own houses in whiuch we live in order.

Skybird

02-14-23, 07:25 PM

Catfish already mentioned it some days ago with one or two sentences.

I say since many years that the Germans not only are incapable to defend but do not even want to be able to defend themsleves. I sometimes said something like that in Germany it is thought that weakness is a virtue, and strength is immoral. I never meant that as an exaggeration, but as fact. America is very strong. That is why anti-amercanism is very strong over here. Because so: America is immoral because it is so strong. Welcome to the tic-tac of German thinking.

Neue Zürcher Zeitung:
-----------------------------

Germans are not only incapable of defense, but also unwilling to defend themselves

Only one in ten Germans would defend their country in the event of an attack. No wonder. Even the term "people" is considered disreputable in the Federal Republic. The same goes for homeland, nation or fatherland.

If François Mitterrand had suspected that Europe's governments would once applaud Germany for an arms buildup announced as a "turn of the times," he probably would not have agreed to the country's reunification in 1990. The idea of a once again great German nation was in any case suspect to the French president at the time. And who could blame the old man? Unlike today's leaders, Mitterrand had personally felt the consequences of German "greatness. Ever since the Wehrmacht's campaign against the West in the summer of 1940, the former infantryman had had a German shell splinter in his body.

Presumably, today's mood towards Germany also has something to do with this: there are hardly any people left who have such shell splinters stuck in their bodies. The fear of German strength seems to have disappeared with all those who once had to experience it as megalomania and Teutonic frenzy. Instead, a strange impatience prevails. When, one reads and hears everywhere, will the Germans finally assume their leadership role? Where are their tanks? No one seems to believe that a revitalized German military could someday pose a threat again.

In contrast, the Germans seem downright recalcitrant. We know this because the country's demoscopes are constantly polling the population on war and peace. Just last week, the Baltics learned that in the event of a Russian invasion, they should not rely on the Germans to give their government legs to defend its NATO partners. The latest survey, commissioned by the German Press Agency, is even more impressive.

When asked how he (or she) would behave in the event of a military attack on Germany, only one in ten adult Germans answered that they would be willing to serve in the war. And only one in twenty would volunteer. A majority would either try to continue living their usual lives (33 percent) or leave the country as quickly as possible (24 percent).

In addition to the often cited lack of military fitness, there is also a lack of will to go to war: Germans do not want to go to war, not even for themselves. They are not completely alone in this respect, but the willingness to defend the homeland is much stronger almost everywhere. In a 2015 Gallup poll, only the Dutch and Japanese were more unwilling. Switzerland was in the middle of the pack with a willingness to fight of 39 percent.

Is it due to the individualization of German society, to a lack of community will? This is the thesis of historian Michael Wolffsohn. Germans are "egotists" who "no longer know the we. There is probably some truth in that. But the real reason is probably different: The Germans are at odds with themselves like no other people, even today.

Even the term "Volk" is considered disreputable by many of them, even if it is emblazoned prominently on the parliament. The same applies to the nation, the homeland or the fatherland. Anyone who hangs a national flag in front of his or her house, as is quite common in other countries, is considered at best a Germanophile simpleton, if not "right-wing". One is a proud Swabian, Hessian, Franconian or Frisian. But proud German? Better not, or at most in soccer. The only accepted patriotism is called "constitutional patriotism. The term can certainly be discussed, but who goes to war for the Basic Law?

In other European countries, the Federal Republic of Germany may be regarded as a normal nation that should finally make a contribution to collective defense commensurate with its size and economic power. But Germany is not a normal country, and the Germans are not normal citizens. Their relationship to themselves is too broken for that - which is understandable in view of the crimes of National Socialism.

One can find this broken relationship right or regret it, but one must take note of it as a fact. Otherwise, the disappointments are programmed. As long as the Germans do not have a clearly more positive relationship to themselves and their country, it will not be possible to wage war together with them, let alone win it. Such a change of consciousness, on the other hand, will not take place overnight. The turnaround, if it becomes anything at all, will be a project of the century.
--------------------------------

Ostfriese

02-15-23, 02:45 AM

Finally, Germans are more anti-American than anything. They feel close with Russians, since always.

I really don’t see where you got that idea from. The idea of closer ties with the Russians was never truly there if you exclude the Gorbachev era. Anti-Americanism exists, but is limited to a pretty small group on the extreme left. It’s a rare problem overall. For the most part Germans do not agree with Americans on politics, but that’s mostly because American politics seem to be limited to two positions (which become more and more mutually exclusive), and that’s a result of the American political system.

The American people are generally well liked, even here in the former British zone of occupation.

Skybird

02-15-23, 07:01 AM

There is no doubt that there is - and always was - a feeling amongst germans that they are closer to Russia than to America, and this feeling is (no surprise) even much stronger in the former GDR- states in the east than in the west. However. Germany is a very left-leaning country, and media and education has been that since at least the late 60s. The SPD, one of the two former party heavyweights of older times, does not even have specialists and experts for transatlantic relations anymore. Political reflexes are far more often anti-USA than anti-Russia, conspiracy theories are mostyl directed against the US and not so often against Russia (already years before the war), and in general the public opinion cries wolf about all the many things America does wrong in the world and how evil it is, while Germany always tries to speak with much more restraint and oderaiton about Russia.

The young people today predominantly do away with insights and values of the older generations, they want to abandon capitalism, market economy, they talk of mass expropriations as the natural thing to do, call the performance principle "anti-social" and time an again brandmark American greed and capitalism.

Germany is anti-american by Zeigeist feeling and ideologic conviction, like it also is quite Russophile. That some people maintain good personal relations on private level or business contacts, does not change the general trend. That is quite schizophrenic,m since Germany also like to consume American popular culture and media and like naturally take Americna military protection for granted. Really, schizophrenic, there is no other word to describe it correctly.

Well, Atlas will and already does shrug.

Rockstar

02-15-23, 07:54 AM

https://i.ibb.co/rGybjm5/DA9-CA3-B4-08-E4-4304-8-AB2-E2492-CE35905.jpg

Ostfriese

02-15-23, 08:37 AM

Germany is anti-american by Zeigeist feeling and ideologic conviction, like it also is quite Russophile.

Sorry, no, it's not.

Skybird

02-15-23, 09:28 AM

Sorry, but you miss the realities by a lightyear or two.

From 2020.

https://www.nzz.ch/international/deutschlands-antiamerikanismus-ist-eine-schande-ein-gastbeitrag-ld.1534449

Das Pew-Institut hat kürzlich 37 000 Menschen aus 33 Ländern repräsentativ befragt, und das Ergebnis der Studie ist schockierend: Eine Minderheit von nur noch 39 Prozent der Deutschen hat eine positive Meinung von den USA. In keinem anderen europäischen Land ist der Blick auf den transatlantischen Partner so negativ. Bemerkenswert daran ist, dass Russland und China besser wegkommen. Eine andere Umfrage, die insbesondere in den USA für Aufsehen gesorgt hat, stammt vom britischen Meinungsforschungsinstitut YouGov. Dabei wurden Deutsche gefragt, wer ihrer Meinung nach die grösste Gefahr für den Weltfrieden darstelle. Auch diese Antworten waren erschreckend.

When I studied in the 90s, the university, Osnabrück, was brimming with far left-leaning sentiment and clear anti-Americanism. It was worse already in West-Berlin, during the Nato-Nachrüstungsbeschluss, and then there was the Friedensbewegung and the Anti-Atom-Beegung - both are far extreme anti-American, and always were. The villain in the Gulf war 1991 were the Americans, Saddam was the innocent victim of white-skinned imperialism with a cowboy hat. - And Osnabrück was not even considered to be amongst the real leftist universities in Germany!

CDU-Transatlantiker may see it differenbt, but they do not represent a significant share of German public opinion anymore since Merkel declared the "conservative" CDU as obsolete, de facto thats what she did.

Do not confuse individual relationships between private individuals and families here and there with the Zeitgeist which carries the whole of society and public opinion.

We will never forgive the Americans that we need them so urgently. Think about it. Its true.

And then came the Donald...

Catfish

02-15-23, 01:39 PM

If this "anti-americanism" (wich i am as well as Ostfriese not convinced of) leads to a more independent Germany i am all for it :D
The transatlantic lovers can go to hell, with Guttenberg first please.
But please also keep this independence when it comes to resources from Russia or China :03:

What is true and what i mentioned before is that only every tenth german citizen would fight for this country.
Would you?
But this was a poll and the question was understood as "voluntarily".
If there is an official call to arms things might be different.

Skybird

02-15-23, 02:46 PM

What is true and what i mentioned before is that only every tenth german citizen would fight for this country.
Would you?

I am at war with what they make of Germany in the present. But then I am also at war with their attempt to reduce German history to just 12 fascist years, ignoring over 900 years that were before. So it seems that there are things, developments and names and traditions, arts and scientific accievements I think would be worth to fight for, else I would not be angry at the present Germans ignoring and rejecting and denying all of that.

No, I would not fight FOR the present germany, and the concepts the EU tries to realise. But maybe for some of the idealism and ideas that once have been there, and meant "German, Germany" in the positive perspective. But that is a dead set of ideas now. Everybody who knows me in this forum since years can hardly imagine after all I have written that I would physically fight for anythign EU, Germany today.

But maybe I would agree on certain needs and would fight AGAINST something, somebody else.

A subtle but important difference.

August

02-15-23, 03:10 PM

Everybody who knows me in this forum since years can hardly imagine after all I have written that I would physically fight for anythign EU, Germany today.

Personally I don't think you would fight for anything for any reason.

To fight a war you have to believe that there are things more important than your life and nothing I have read from you "since years" makes me think you value anything besides yourself.

Catfish

02-15-23, 03:15 PM

August

02-15-23, 04:17 PM

re Sky Thanks, i did not even mean it that personally, more like a rhetorical question.
I sure would not like to fight, also too old but i think i still would. I mean in the presence of a russian attack, to say this directly.
But to defend the current gender curriculum or Zeitgeist? It would not be about this, it would be on a more basic fight, against an enemy trying to destroy my home/land.

Exactly, and for that same reason you'd fight, whether you're old or not. I'd do the same. If nothing else i'd take pot shots at them from my wheelchair if that's all I could manage.

Like this guy:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UB_RfQ15jZ4&t=459s

mapuc

02-15-23, 04:37 PM

A little off topic input

Your latest comment made me remember what I once told my cousin.

I'm a offensive pacifist-Meaning I would give the fingers to our authorities, if they said to me-Pack your things we are sending you abroad to fight for our interest.

Defensive-Well here there's no such thing called Pacifist.

End of A little off topic input

Markus

Rockstar

02-15-23, 06:10 PM

… their attempt to reduce German history to just 12 fascist years, ignoring over 900 years that were before. So it seems that there are things, developments and names and traditions, arts and scientific accievements I think would be worth to fight for, else I would not be angry at the present Germans ignoring and rejecting and denying all of that.

Exactley, and don’t forget that since those twelve years Germany has also become and economic powerhouse compared to other E.U. Members and done pretty well for itself. However as I said before regarding the seemingly post unification bipolarism Germany appears to suffer from. It’s going to take a few more generations for your country and particularly your neighbors to see beyond those 12 years. Right now it’s not easily forgotten especially when as Glenn Greenwald said: “The corporate media's ability to -- overnight -- turn anyone who dissents in anyway into some sort of fascist or even Hitler-like figure, and then have millions of their followers go around mindlessly repeating it…”

We had a saying when I was in the service. One nastygram can wipe out all of your attaboys. In other words you can be the best of the best. But screw up just once and none of your past good deeds can save you. I’m afraid neither you or I will ever see the day when people can move past those 12 years. Not saying it should be forgotten, god forbid. But just seen as a history lesson learned and for everyone to move on to bigger and better things. Until then others will hang those twelve over your heads to sway opinion and get their way.

August

02-15-23, 06:12 PM

This is why they hate us. We're mostly descended from the ones they kicked out!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sJtfEFfnUl4

Rockstar

02-15-23, 07:17 PM

I don’t think it was as all simple as that. Even within German communities in America such as where my Prussian great grandfather and German great grandmother settled and also my home town. He worked the land as a farmer and was known to warn other‘s about those ‘progressive’ Germans. It was said he had a strong dislike for them, and that they shouldn’t be trusted. :har:

August

02-15-23, 07:37 PM

I don’t think it was as all simple as that. Even within German communities in America such as were my Prussian great grandfather and German great grandmother settled and also my home town. He worked the land as a farmer and was known to warn other‘s about those ‘progressive’ Germans. It was said he had strong dislike for them, and that they shouldn’t be trusted. :har:

Might just be their nature dude. My mother emigrated from Germany. She had 10 brothers and sisters and all of them are divided into constantly bickering factions.

Rockstar

02-15-23, 07:53 PM

Might just be their nature dude. My mother emigrated from Germany. She had 10 brothers and sisters and all of them are divided into constantly bickering factions.

Hell, that’s Europe in a nutshell. Map makers can’t keep up with all the new borders being established.

Skybird

02-15-23, 08:05 PM

and was known to warn other‘s about those ‘progressive’ Germans. It was said he had strong dislike for them, and that they shouldn’t be trusted. :har:
For a moment I thought you wanted to imply I were your grandfather... :D

Rockstar

02-15-23, 08:48 PM

For a moment I thought you wanted to imply I were your grandfather... :D

Who knows, maybe there is some connection ;)

Skybird

02-16-23, 05:39 PM

Why Berlin is the ungovernable dump that it is - and why it will never be anything else than just that.

https://www-achgut-com.translate.goog/artikel/wer_berlin_wirklich_regiert?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=de&_x_tr_pto=wapp

I did not know the background of these structural-administrative deformations, but they explain a lot of that anarchistic chaos in that place. There is no other place in Germany that is as badly governed and administered, than Berlin. Of course, it does not live of its own means.

Mismanagement, incompetence, corruption, hyper-bureauracy, ideological fanatism, anarchism, wanted erosion of law-and-order. Even life-long old Berliners of high age increasingly flee.

Skybird

02-18-23, 07:37 AM

Neue Zürcher Zeitung:
---------------------------

Media scientist Norbert Bolz: "I'm sure that many leftists want nothing to do with this crap".

As a university professor, media scientist and publicist, Norbert Bolz belonged to Germany's intellectual elite. Today, he is one of the loudest critics of the left-green zeitgeist, which he says dominates universities, the media and politics.

On Twitter, he has long been an irritant. There, according to his own advertising, Norbert Bolz spreads "the truth in one sentence" every day. On February 16, for example, he came up with this sentence: "What's different from '68: The extremists are in power." With his witty, often polemical and sometimes sweeping truths, the 69-year-old media scientist has made himself as popular as he is hated. Critics complain that he has radicalized himself on Twitter and is pandering to the far right; a well-paid, media-savvy prophet of doom who presents himself as a victim of the "cancel culture."

To this day, he sees himself as a supporter of the right wing of the SPD, which still thinks the same as it did 20 years ago, but is considered an old white man because of the shift to the left in society. In his latest book, Bolz defends this old white man in the usual way: brilliantly, peppered with fighting words such as "gender gaga," "cultural Taliban" and "language dictatorship. He appears for the Zoom interview in a sweater and in a good mood.

Mr. Bolz, in your book you speak of the cultural civil war in which Western societies find themselves, of political correctness as an intellectual climatic catastrophe. Is it that dramatic?

Yes. But the emphasis is on "cultural." It's not like we're going after each other with guns or that people are being put in jail. In public discourse, there is a sharp division between the good guys and the bad guys. Opposing positions are no longer fought out argumentatively, but the main role is played by feelings, affects, anger, rage, resentment. This inability to debate is a clear sign that we are dealing with an ominous development.

Is this development new? In the 1970s, every leftist was considered a traitor to the country and every bourgeois an anti-communist agitator or cold warrior.

True, there are striking parallels to the late 1960s and early 1970s, that is, to the student movement and its aftermath. I experienced that myself as an onlooker. Those were big, academic debates that were going on, and even philosophy professors were involved in them. A conservative status quo attitude was pitted against a revolutionary neo-Marxist theory, and vice versa. The left acted as a kind of Praeceptor Germaniae, as a teacher of Germany; it was theory-led. The debate was tough and polemical, but unlike then, no arguments are brought into play at all today.

What do you mean?

Today, feelings are enough for one's own position. It makes a difference whether someone angrily puts forward an argument or whether he is just angry. If he's just angry, there's nowhere to hook. Back then, you could at least make a Marxist doubt if you did it cleverly. Today, one doesn't even know where to apply the lever of reason and argument.

One could contradict nevertheless. Is there no more resistance from liberals and conservatives today?

At any rate, I can't detect it. Perhaps a miracle has occurred in the three years since I retired and no longer work at the university myself. Rather the opposite is the case: most professors keep completely out of it. They either conform so as not to jeopardize their careers or go into a kind of inner emigration. I don't see any controversy anywhere, apart from a few lone wolves. In the 1960s, 1970s, there were still conservative schools, such as the Ritter School in Münster. The university in Cologne was also somewhat conservative. I no longer see such an opposition today.

People are too cowardly to fight back?

They must not forget one thing: What many scientists live on, the famous third-party funding, the projects that are then also government-funded, that also depends on their political denomination, whether or not they commit to certain topics. If you want support for a project, you have to take up one of the big issues: Anti-colonialism, climate crisis, migration, racism, gender. If you don't do that, you won't get anything. You see this in the cultural sector as well. If you want to produce films for television in Germany, you have to meet certain quotas to ensure diversity.
It takes so and so many women, so and so many people with an immigrant background, and at least one of each sexual orientation. Even crime novels are no longer about who the murderer is, but what political problems can be dealt with as well. And there is one more crucial point.

Please.

I have already been accused of radicalizing myself with my Twitter behavior. That would then also have to affect my publications. But the explanation is quite simple: I have retired. There's nothing better than being retired when you can still think and work halfway. Because then you are really free. Nobody can do anything to me anymore. Shortly before I retired, the president of the TU Berlin, where I taught, summoned me and asked me about my Twitter account. He was worried that the reputation of the Technical University was suffering because of my tweets. And by the way, they were even more harmless back then than they are today.

If you expose yourself in such an institution, you have to expect reactions from superiors, that's normal. There are also leftists who are warned off.

I don't know of a single case. If you're on the left, you can be very rude - to put it mildly. The permissible level of vulgarity and aggressiveness is judged very differently. As a conservative, you are immediately considered an agitator or a hate preacher. There is a clear asymmetry in dealing with the right and the left. That applies to all public spaces.

In your book, you speak of a uniforming of opinions, although today everyone behaves as individualists and free spirits. What role do the media play?

It's very difficult for me not to become sweeping on this point. Public broadcasting in Germany is now navigating a hair's breadth past propaganda, to say the least. It depresses me that the private stations hardly offer any counter voices. Helmut Kohl practically gave birth to Sat 1 so that private stations would be a voice of dissent to the public broadcaster. But that's not the case here. And unfortunately, the situation is similar in the rest of the media landscape. Newspapers that I used to praise to the skies, like the FAZ, make me wonder. What's going on with them? What's pushing them to take such a radical government course?

What is your theory?

I think that for the first time, the majority of intellectuals and journalists have the government they want. That's why this conformism, this criticism of the government that can hardly be taken seriously anymore. Enzensberger once called it a puree that you can only wade through with sticky feet.

You accuse the media of telling white lies, that is, not lying but exaggerating and omitting facts that don't suit them. At the same time, you write that the Cancel Culture prevails "unrestrictedly" in public broadcasting. With that, you yourself are spreading white lies. Sahra Wagenknecht, to name just one example, is a permanent guest on talk shows.

Of course, we are not in a dictatorship or a totalitarian system. Our society is much more sophisticated and refined. Just look at a normal talk show, how this has been going on for years. There are usually five people sitting there, four hold practically the same opinion, one has an opposing opinion, and he is then talked down to.

You notice a cancel culture everywhere, especially with regard to the opinion of the old white man. Now you have published a book as an old white man. You give interviews, give lectures, write guest articles. Isn't that a bit of a strange complaint?

No, I'm not complaining. This whining of the old white man is unmanly. I'm about something else. My book is a kind of argumentative aid for all those who have become speechless, so to speak, because of political correctness. My hope is not that I, as a liberal or conservative, can change anything about this cultural dilemma. But I do have the hope that intelligent leftists - and there are still some - will be disgusted when they see the inane nonsense that is being spread in the name of the left today. Because it has nothing at all to do with being left-wing in the classical sense. I have said to some left-wing intellectuals: "What I hope for from you is a comingout, in the sense of: If this is supposed to be left-wing, I'm not left-wing, and that's fine." I'm sure a lot of leftists don't want to have anything to do with that crap.

What are the consequences of not wanting to name things like Islamist anti-Semitism anymore and repressing the unpleasant or just making it taboo?

Sigmund Freud speaks of the repressed returning, and in a distorted and ugly way. The current unculture is about exactly that. I can only explain this crazy aggressiveness and rage in this way. What can never be touched, then creates itself expression nevertheless. Thus we are developing more and more into a therapeutic society. Citizens are no longer treated as citizens, but as patients.

In this snivelling, therapeutic society, what the old white man stands for is increasingly devalued, you write. Yet we owe everything we could be proud of to the old white man. A steep thesis.

Western culture is responsible for the great scientific and technological development that has modernized the whole world. This is how Max Weber put it more than 100 years ago, and even then the objection was raised as to what happened to the ingenious developments of Chinese science or the Indian mathematicians. That's all true, but it was the West that put the great inventions of the others to economic use in order to revolutionize the entire world. Behind this is none other than the old white man or sometimes young white men. In any case dead white men.

Where does the urge come from to make everything bad and to look for only deficits, discrimination and oppressed people everywhere, although society has never been so free, equal and prosperous?

Both England and France on the one hand and America on the other hand as well as Germany have had their great catastrophes, which are now used against them and which they turn above all against themselves in a kind of self-flagellation. With the French and the English it is colonialism, with the Americans racism against the blacks and with us in Germany the Holocaust. Everything is fixated on it, and so now we discuss anti-colonialism, anti-racism and wage the eternal battle against Hitler.

Can we cultivate this bad conscience especially well in the Western world because we are doing so well?

That is an important reason. But the intellectuals also have a kind of status inconsistency problem. That is, they earn less than the people they read the riot act to, the politicians or the entrepreneurs. It's true that the intellectuals are culturally highly placed. But compare the income of a savings bank director in some provincial village with that of a university professor. Intellectuals are therefore inclined to resentment, which they then call social criticism. Self-criticism, mind you, is a unique feature of Western intellectuals. In other cultures, people don't beat themselves up like that. Today, this self-criticism has turned into self-flagellation. Instead of arguments, people only moralize. This ultimately leads to a dumbing down of intellectuals.

Let's go back to the man. Geniuses would be found exclusively among men, you say. We assume you are prepared for the outcry of the feminists?

Oh yes, I'm expecting a beating. But my statement is supported by the so-called bell curve, and all the data confirm it: there are both very brilliant and incredibly stupid men. Among women, however, intelligence is concentrated in the middle on average, they are higher in average intelligence than men. Only in the extremes this is not true. Women are also more diligent. That's why there are more and more women in important positions in society, and completely justified. The stupidest of the stupid is a man, but also the smartest of the smart. Let the men have at least this little. Let them spit out a few geniuses now and then. They also represent the embarrassments of society at the other end. After all, they are regarded as the nation's fools anyway.
-------------------

Norbert Bolz: Der alte weisse Mann. Sündenbock der Nation. Langen-Müller-Verlag, München 2023. 256 S. Fr. 36.90.

A good man ^. I met him personally, twice, many years ago, over twenty years ago. Two brief but incredibly intense conversations that developed very fast although we were strangers to each other. I was very impressed.

Skybird

02-20-23, 07:15 AM

It gets worse and worse. FOCUS writes (and I mark in bold what really itches me):
-------------------------------
Draft with twelve guidelines: Baerbock wants new ambassador for "feminist foreign policy"

The most important:
The Green Party around Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock is pursuing the goal of a "feminist foreign policy."
To this end, Baerbock wants to appoint her own ambassador.
In total, the Foreign Office is proposing twelve measures that will be officially presented on March 1.

Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock aims to make women more visible and influential in foreign policy. On March 1, the "Guidelines of Feminist Foreign Policy" are to be presented. Der Spiegel" has now published a draft of the 41-page paper.

The draft states that feminist foreign policy applies not only to women, "but to all members of a society." In doing so, it says it "stands up for all those who are pushed to the margins of societies because of gender identity, origin, religion, age, disability, sexual orientation or for other reasons." [Skybird: Obviously somebody has not understood what feminism means and what not]

According to the draft, Baerbock herself will see to it that these values are enforced. As support, "an ambassador for feminist foreign policy" will be appointed. This ambassador is to "further develop the guidelines and ensure their implementation.

The Federal Foreign Office is presenting a total of twelve guidelines to enforce this stance throughout foreign policy.

1 . The "gender competence" [what the hell is that?] of diplomatic staff is to be strengthened and even serves as a hiring criterion. [desastrous signal: quota before experience and qualification] In addition, every new manager is to undergo "anti-bias training" in order to "deal with prejudice and privilege". [comeback of the political commissars, hooray]

2 . The Office announces that it will "train a 'feminist reflex.'" This should help to exclude discrimination. In the course of this, the Foreign Office wants to "correct" the fact that, contrary to announcements in recent years, only 27 percent of foreign missions are still headed by women. Reflex also aims to support and raise awareness of the fight against sexism and sexual harassment.[from training reflexes to brain surgery it is not that far, and the inhibitions certainly do not exist anymore]
3. the project is also to receive strong financial support, as announced in the draft. In every budget decision and allocation of funds, it should be ensured that a fixed portion of the money is used for equal rights for women, it says. [Wir haben es ja...]
4 . The State Department, however, dampens expectations. "Feminist foreign policy does not hold a magic formula to deal with immediate security threats," the draft states. Nor is it "synonymous with pacifism," the paper states. Human lives must also be protected by military means. [makes it pretty pointless then, even antiproductive]

5 . The feminist guidelines are also to be brought into the EU. "Even if there is no consensus on this in Brussels so far, we want to lay the foundations for a European foreign policy that puts women's concerns more at the center and includes all people in our foreign policy," the office writes. [yes, of course: for less the German of today does not even get started]

6 . One priority of the German candidacy for a non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council in 2027/28 is to be the protection of women in conflict areas and their participation in peace processes. [why not, but good luck with that, impotent as you are, Germany]

7 . The foreign missions are to receive "up to one million euros" in additional funding for queer cultural events. A major conference is planned for 2024 for this purpose, with a focus on the rights of LGBTIQ* persons.
As an incentive, a "best practice" prize is to be awarded in office ["Veruntreuung öffentlicher Mittel" its called in German. Zum Kotzen]

8 . For civil servants who cannot or do not want to go abroad, positions are to be created in the Office that are not subject to rotation. This is to increase the diversity of the workforce. [holy cow, no longer the staff must meet the needs of the minstry, but the minstry must meet the wishes of its staff, this alienaiton from the real world will cost the already illusion-driven German foreign policy dearly. Experience come slast but not leats from serving oversea: instead here they now breed a generation of reality-disconnected desktop-doers. Which is typical for planned economies and party tyrannies]

9 . feminist thinking is to be transferred to other areas - such as foreign energy policy or foreign economic policy. [The loud booom we hear in the future is when the dream crashes on the hard bottom of reality]

10 . A "Best Feminist Practice Award" is to be awarded in the Office to provide an "additional incentive for engagement in feminist foreign policy." [now its gets really and involuntarily hilarious and funny]

11 . In the future, the participation of representatives of the Foreign Office in events will depend on whether they are equally staffed. [So to get rid of these idiots you only need to have a gender disparity of 51:49. Good to know there is a cheap way to keep them away]

12 . Baerbock continues to focus on meetings with women during her trips. In the future, her delegations from business, civil society and politics should also have equal representation. [who cares?]

https://www.focus.de/politik/deutschland/mit-diesen-leitlinien-will-baerbock-feministische-aussenpolitik-durchsetzen_id_186318979.html
----------------------------

Germany - leading power in the centre of Europe...?

Ridiculous.

Catfish

02-20-23, 01:36 PM

She looks better than Lavrov.
:hmmm:

Skybird

02-21-23, 04:22 AM

In the city of Lörrach in Baaden-Würthemberg, the city has terminated 40 tenants of a city-owned apartment block at the end of the year in order to use their apartments as refugee accommodation for 100 refugees from Ukraine.

A devastating signal for what the lousy politics in Germany is still willing to do to the Germans for leftist ideologists' missionising mania.

The letter from the city to the tenants, in which they also hiss for understanding, is particularly cynical. Those who are being evicted are told they will be given replacement apartments, but in times like these they will be more expensive no matter what the appeasers say, and many of the tenants who have been screwed are long-time tenants and of advanced age. They are now being told that they should please understand that their own freedoms are being denied and that they will have the rug pulled out from under their feet. And that they should understand it.

The legal validity of the argument "evict the Germans for refugees" is in doubt and the tenants' association will probably proceed against the decision, so I would expect at least. But the fact alone that a city council is trying to pull off this coup shows where the journey is going in Germany.

I would remind you that the legal and technical foundations have been and are being laid for municipalities and the government to arbitrarily cut off electricity by central order in the future, or for e-cars connected for charging to be "emptied" in the event of industrial need and for the proclaimed interest of the greater good. For all disadvantages, which result from it for the private citizen, if he cannot go to work for example on time or not at all, of course not the criminal politics, which has messed up things in such a way that Germany falls apart, is responsible, but said private citizen. And he, too, gets a kick up the backside for the way home: he, too, is being wooed for understanding, because it's all so terribly great.

The Greens, by the way, already want to bring down the 2% defense budget and want to enforce a criterion- and examination-free admission of all asylum seekers in Germany.

I am so done with this lunatic asylum Germany. It is getting worse and worse. In the past it was yearly, now it feels like quarterly. And no, this is not the war. Without the war, these lunatics would be doing even better, because then they wouldn't have to pay tribute to certain constraints caused by the war. But the postponement comes at the price of horrendous interest rates, we can assume.

I some other small village whose name I forgot, with a population of 400, they want to bring in 600 migrants from Syria. And then the adminstrators are surprised that the population turned hostile and revolted - while beign turned into the minority inside their own region.

The biggest enemy of Germans is - their own politicians.

Sooner or later we will get our German equivalent to Trump - or somebody much worse and leaning more right than just right. No matter how extremist this somebody will become, I will deliberately refuse to defend this current order and country by any means, in any way, I will not move the little finger in support and will watch unmoved and passively how desaster unfolds. Im done with this country and these politicians - and these Germans, who not only let everything happen to them without seriously rebelling, but also legitimize these criminals again and again, and bring them to power. I have no kids and no own family, so one could say at my age I have no more own skin in the game.

Catfish

02-21-23, 06:08 AM

^^ my post above yours is certainly only my helpless try of being funny while looking at an unfolding blunder and disaster.

I only hope the pendulum swings into a more rational position.. in the moment there seems to bo no bigger problem in Germany than changing the language to genderism-correct and at the same time awkward articulation.
Good we don't have bigger problems like earthquakes or wars :doh:

Skybird

02-21-23, 07:14 AM

A pendulum that swings back to the centre hardly will stopp when being there, but swings through to the other side.

And sorry for not olaughing, but I found Germany not funny to laugh about anymore. Its turning into a desaster, and a fallback to what we thought we had overcome in 1989.

Skybird

02-23-23, 06:37 AM

https://www-focus-de.translate.goog/politik/meinung/gastbeitrag-von-gabor-steingart-baerbock-und-habeck-der-wahre-feind-des-olaf-scholz-liegt-im-eigenen-bett_id_186591000.html?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=de&_x_tr_pto=wapp

It's probably only a matter of time before the Greens overtake all parties including the SPD and take the top post in a coalition government themselves. The CDU, which can no longer be associated with anything "conservative" anymore since the holy mother Angela gutted and disemboweled it alive, can no longer build up a counterweight, firstly because it is now only a hollow torso and thus its own echo chamber, and secondly because it would need a strong coalition partner - the FDP - to form a government majority. But the FDP is virtually assassinating itself, calling its complicity in radical left-wing zeitgeist projects "damage limitation." Its voters thank it for this sick logic by running away from it in droves and repeatedly chasing it out of parliament in state elections. In a new government with the SPD as its coalition partner, the CDU will vie to be perceived as at least as woke and left-wing as the red SPD socialists and green Maoists.

Things will not go well in Germany anymore. Only woker and left-anarchist Gesinnungsterror. Dissenters are increasingly intensively and increasingly blatantly discriminated against, meanwhile also get sanctioned by the state, non-complkiance with new wanted Orwellian-dystopian social norms and behaviour rules even increasingly get put under legal penalty. Of the next elections one can have already now only fear. No matter how it turns out, it can only get worse. Not voting at least doesn't make you complicit - but it also doesn't pay the bills that are guaranteed to explode under the next government.

Collapse seems to be the only solution. Exitus as a problem-solving strategy. Coming to this realization would actually be a "new mind-set" worth to be called that. Though suicidal.

Skybird

02-24-23, 12:29 PM

The Achse des Guten has this:
------------------------------------
Bundeswehr: Sleeping longer for Germany

(The author writes under a pseudonym, he is 59 years old, studied personnel development, reserve officer of the Bundeswehr and looks back on almost 40 years of civilian and military leadership experience).

What the Bundeswehr needs most urgently are men and women with fighting ability, the will to fight and the ability to fight. With the qualities of perseverance and the ability to suffer. The result of this zeitgeisty snowflake advertising is that the army is full of people who are good for anything, but not for being soldiers.

The issue that will occupy the Bundeswehr most intensively at present and in the coming years is the personnel shortage. The latest idea of the personnel development (PE) in the troops is to let the volunteers sleep until 8 o'clock, because getting up early leads to many early terminations. If the force continues down this path, it will fail on this key issue. From my point of view, the discussion about reinstating conscription is just a sham in this regard. The problem lies elsewhere.

The Bundeswehr is making several mistakes that are considered to be the classic "deadly sins" of personnel development.

The first deadly sin is always when an organization does not know what its actual personnel requirements are. This concerns not only the sheer number, but also the qualifications, availability and motivational situation of the potential new employees. In terms of numbers and qualifications, the Bundeswehr seems to be halfway there when it comes to formulating requirements. But that's where it stops.

Since such "soft" factors as availability, motivation and flexibility are not considered at all or only inadequately when formulating requirements, this inevitably leads to the second deadly sin:

The personnel requirement. And this is where the Bundeswehr has its hands full. The army is addressing the completely wrong target group with its recruitment advertising. Just look at the advertising posters you see in public. Paramedics, logisticians, IT nerds, at most protocol soldiers. Gladly female, colored, and always gendered. If you take this at face value, the Bundeswehr is looking for woken stage stallions [Etappenhengste, Skybird] and mares (I'm deliberately exaggerating - I'm aware that medics also do tough jobs in the field, that's not my point here). Add to that the self-promotion as a modern part-time operation with a nursery and refrigerator.

A glut of woken warm-shower-takers

What the Bundeswehr needs most urgently is not mentioned anywhere: men and women with fighting strength, the will to fight and the ability to fight. With the qualities of resilience, perseverance and the ability to suffer. Many - very many of them. You won't find an advertisement for that anywhere. In turn, the zeitgeisty snowflake advertising results in masses of people in the force who are good for anything, but not soldiers. A culture is establishing itself in the Bundeswehr that indulges the woken zeitgeist of oppressed minorities and does not shirk from writing topics such as waste separation, climate protection and counter-gendered ranks on its agenda. This radiates to all areas, all of which are impaired and hindered as a result.

Another point is also overlooked: The "real" soldiers in the force feel made fun of by the glut of woken warm-shower-takers [Warmduscher, Skybird]. They no longer take each other seriously and sometimes like to work against each other. Under the keyword BAAINBw (Bundesamt für Ausrüstung, Informationstechnik und Nutzung der Bundeswehr - Federal Office for Equipment, Information Technology and Use of the German Armed Forces) you can find many entries on this topic.

This is ultimately due to the third deadly sin of personnel development: The quality of personnel developers in the Ministry of Defense and the Federal Office of Personnel Management of the Bundeswehr is subterraneously poor. Both the active soldiers and the reserves are somehow kept alive in SAP, but not developed or managed. In this regard, there is a golden rule in personnel development that is apparently completely unknown in the Bundeswehr: "First class hires first class. Second class hires third class." Until the Bundeswehr leadership hires first class PE people, the troops must continue to count gender stars.

Why am I harping on the gender issue? Quite simply, a female soldier who doesn't feel "included" when her company is addressed as "Comrades!" or who has trouble getting up at 5 a.m. would be better off enlisting in the next district administration. In my eyes, the security of Germany has absolute priority over woken weakmatism issues. If the troops continue to deal with such insanity, they will never again become a powerful army.

-----------------------

Skybird

02-25-23, 04:18 PM

FOCUS:
-----------------------

Putin's war reveals how tired our chancellor has become

The fact that Olaf Scholz suddenly seems so tired and so touched is due to Putin's war. And the burden he is placing on the German chancellor. But there are other reasons as well. Two, to be precise.

How exhausting it can be, how tiring it can be to spend all one's energy on not letting oneself be made "crazy" could now be seen with the chancellor. After this Scholz solo show on Maybrit Illner [a talk show format on German state TV, Skybird], the FAZ judged that every question was a "threat to his psycho-hygiene.

For a year now, Olaf Scholz has been saying that he has a concept from which he will not be dissuaded. The only problem is that important people don't understand it. The most recent example: the chancellor says the debate about fighter jets for Ukraine "makes no sense. And a day later, London says it is preparing a "ring swap" so that Poland, for example, can supply Ukraine with old Mig-29 fighter jets, which it will replace with NATO jets.

These 365 days of war have also left their mark on Scholz

Scholz is thin-skinned, he always has been, you could see that with all the Cum-Ex inquiries. The second trait is his self-assurance, one can marvel at that, but it was exactly this steadfastness against all odds that carried him into the chancellorship. Crisis situations bring out the true qualities even of leaders. These 365 days of war have also left their mark on Scholz. If you will, Putin's war reveals how tired the chancellor has become.

It's not that something new has emerged in him, it's just that what has been there for a long time is coming to the fore. Scholz said at Illner that he basically sleeps little. And there he also looked the way you look when the burden of war has simply worn you down. Why is this so striking right now?

Because there are two "players" in particular in this Scholz "game" field who are so different from him. On Twitter, more and more people are asking where Scholz hid Boris Pistorius for a year. It's a compliment, and after Pistorius's solo appearance on Markus Lanz, it was also completely clear why the new defense minister could become the "shooting star" of the traffic light government.

Pistorius' passion and dedication is what people want to see right now in all their uncertainty

Pistorius communicates with somnambulistic confidence. He is simply not afraid to make a mistake. He is disarmingly honest. And most importantly, he explains why he really enjoys doing this "****ty job." Out of a desire for responsibility, probably also as a desire to be on stage.

Passion and dedication, that's what people want to see right now. In all their uncertainty. The population is divided, you can see it in every survey, which only means: What is needed most right now is orientation. And now there is this self-confident Boris Pistorius from self-confident Osnabrück, and he provides what is needed most right now.

One example, compared to Scholz: Unlike the chancellor, Pistorius doesn't even try to push away the difficult fighter jet issue, but simply says: We don't have any that we could hand over to Ukraine. And to the question that Scholz now refuses to answer, even when asked several times, Pistorius answers crystal clear: Ukraine should win.
Annalena Baerbock makes mistakes, but she proves her "passion for job"

The second minister who is so strikingly different from the chancellor is Annalena Baerbock. She wears her heart on her sleeve, and that's why she makes outrageous mistakes that she has to pick up again afterwards. Like this "at war" with Russia. Or the "360 degrees" (instead of 180 degrees) around which Putin would have to turn. With such a thing she makes herself ridiculous with many, but with most something else prevails - her devotion. "Passion for job," is what the Yanks call it.

The US Secretary of State Anthoy Blinken is her fan, one could witness it at the security conference in Munich. Ukraine asked her to speak last before the UN General Assembly vote. And she did it really well. "Very cleverly," foreign policy expert Thomas Jäger, who also writes for FOCUS online, thought afterwards - how Baerbock avoided a vote on Russia. By making the vote on the aggressor Putin a vote on the United Nations Charter.

So in the end only questionable, because Russophile countries like North Korea and Nicaragua still openly stood by Russia's side. 141 pro-votes - if we wrote yesterday that Baerbock would get a certificate in New York, then we must also say today after the certificate award: Goal achieved. Two plus (because there were no more than last time).

If you want to convince, you can hardly do it better rhetorically than Baerbock

Baerbock's speeches are not cool analyses, but warm-hearted narratives from life and from her own experience. If you want to convince, you can hardly do better rhetorically. Baerbock introduced her speech at the United Nations like this:

"45 seconds. That's how long it takes Russian missiles to reach Kharkiv after you hear the sirens. I have met teenagers in Ukraine for whom counting to 45 is part of daily life... "

So it's no wonder that Boris Pistorius and Annalena Baerbock are now perceived as an alternative to Olaf Scholz. Whereby Pistorius has placed himself in the judgment of the population still before Baerbock. The difference between the Social Democrat and the Green: Pistorius has not yet made a mistake.

And with him, you notice the dedication, but also: the renunciation of exuberance. Instead, self-reflection: "I could never have imagined that I would have to spend billions on weapons in such a position." Plus the clear renunciation of party-political "bashing," which military expert Carlo Masala likes so much: "That's how an honest explanation of the Bundeswehr's development over the past 30 years, not one aimed at blame and shame, works." No party still had external security on the screen, Pistorius had said disarmingly honestly. And people feel: for this top job, this is probably the more appropriate attitude.

Baerbock and Pistorius go "all in," Scholz pursues reinsurance policy

The war aims, by the way, are not a trivial matter, as Scholz is trying to wipe away. It may yet become decisive. For anyone who, like Baerbock and Pistorius, wants Ukraine to win shares its war aims. Those who, like Scholz, say that Russia must not win and Ukraine must not lose are keeping everything open. Baerbock and Pistorius go "all in," while Scholz pursues reinsurance policy. He calls what Americans and Poles perceive as hesitancy "prudence.

Prudence is the formula Scholz needs to keep the more fearful part of the population with him. But prudence is also the formula Scholz needs to keep his own store, the SPD, in line.

Will "prudence" carry Scholz for another 365 days?
-----------------------------

Catfish

02-25-23, 05:14 PM

Everyone is an "alternative" to Scholz, and most are better. This FdJ clown and cum-ex fraud can go.

Skybird

02-25-23, 08:03 PM

A total green dominance does not sound like fun either.

There are no alternatives to Scholz or anyone else in the meaning of "this is the lesser evil than that". All, including Scholz, are utmost negative options. And then there is the infinite stupidity of the plebs, making sure nobody escapes the horror.

Arsenic, cyanide or strichnyn - enjoy your freedom to chose. Negotiate a "reasonable compromise". Some more foam from the mouth, or do you prefer uncontrolled cramps and suffocation? Blood from the eyes or preferrably from the nose? More or less minutes of agony? Excecution in the morning, noontime, or in the afternoon? Green, red or yellow coating on the poison pill?

Dont hold back, we can talk about everything, we are flexible and ready to accept compromises of any kind - as long as you end up dead by the end of the day. No thinking taboos!

Skybird

02-26-23, 07:31 AM

It has come about exactly as I predicted a year ago: the turning point in Germany's defense policy does not exist. And it will not come. The Neue Zürcher Zeitung draws this bitter conclusion (markings by underlining by me):
-----------------------------------------------

Lofty goals, hardly any results: Germany's "turnaround" [Zeitenwende] in defense policy is stuck

The Chancellor's big words have been followed by little. True, the government in Berlin backed away from its ban on arms exports to war zones. But the country's defense capability has not improved one iota.

The change was felt immediately when the war began a year ago.

The German navy launched everything that could float, when the Russian attack on Ukraine was just a few hours old. That should have been a sign of determination not to be intimidated by Putin.

The inspector of Germany's land forces sent out a Linkedin post to the world on the morning of the raid in which he admitted, with rare candor, that the army was pretty much not operational - "more or less bare." That was honest.

And the armaments chief in Berlin's Defense Ministry rounded up the CEOs of the German arms industry and its suppliers for a video conference. They were to help quickly boost the Bundeswehr's operational readiness. Such a meeting was unimaginable until then.

This was the turn of the times, as described by Chancellor Olaf Scholz to the German Bundestag on Feb. 27, 2022: "The world after this is no longer the same as the world before."

Germany back to military dominance in Europe?

But what has remained of this determination, this honesty, this changed mindset? Have times changed, has Germany's security and defense policy changed? Or have times remained the same as they were for three decades after the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, except that it is now harder for Germans to close their eyes to realities? The short answer: yes. The long answer: it's complicated.

"We need to invest significantly more in the security of our country to protect our freedom and our democracy in this way." So said Chancellor Scholz in his turn-of-the-century [Zeitenwende] speech, announcing a "special fund" for the Bundeswehr: 100 billion euros. That sounded like such a huge sum that some countries worriedly asked whether Germany was heading back toward military domination in the center of Europe.

They can rest assured. There is still a long way to go before that happens.

Germany's turnaround in defense spending has so far failed to materialize. The "special assets" are only enough to close equipment gaps that have resulted from cutbacks and underfunding over the past thirty years. More would be needed to eliminate all deficiencies in the short term and make the Bundeswehr operational in the long term. Scholz had recognized this: "From now on, we will invest more than two percent of the gross domestic product in our defense year after year," he said a year ago.

But just one month later, when presenting the federal budget for 2022, he again called this target into question.

Scholz has said goodbye to the two percent target

The defense budget did increase by almost 7 percent to just over 50 billion euros. But that was only 1.5 percent of German economic output, especially since inflation ate up the increase. This is where things are set to stay in the coming years. The budget for 2023 does not show any increases, and neither does the German government's medium-term financial planning. The Institute of the German Economy estimates that Germany will miss the two percent target in 2023 and from 2026 on.

Germany will miss the two percent target
Defense spending including special assets in billions of euros
Defense spending from special assets / According to NATO definition
Difference to two percent target / Forecast (from 2024)
[I]https://i.postimg.cc/1z17tWgq/Unbenannt.png (https://postimages.org/)

1 Assumption: special assets are used to achieve the two percent target.
Source: Institut der deutschen Wirtschaft / NZZ / ski.

So Scholz has long since rescinded his announcement. At the security conference in Munich a week ago, he no longer spoke of "more than two percent," but only of "two percent" of the gross domestic product for the Bundeswehr.

But even this amount is not enough for the government. To reach the two-percent target this year, 18 billion euros are missing. Expenditures of about 8 billion are earmarked from the "special assets." That's why Defense Minister Boris Pistorius is now demanding 10 billion euros more, but not until 2024. His predecessor, Christine Lambrecht, could have already done that for this year. But she didn't.

For Pistorius, there is another problem: He does not have 100 billion. The so-called special assets are financed by debt, and interest already reduced it by 13 billion. If the defense minister wants more money for the defense budget, either Finance Minister Christian Lindner would have to raise taxes. Or the other departments would have to give up money. Both scenarios are unlikely.

"Special assets": more money budgeted than available

The turnaround in the Bundeswehr is being put into perspective even before it can really be implemented. But has anything at least already been done with the money? The answer is no. But the Bundeswehr has plans for what it is to be spent on. The largest part (41 billion euros) will go to the air force for fighter jets, helicopters, drones and air defense systems.

The navy is to get frigates, guided missiles, reconnaissance aircraft, multi-purpose combat boats and submarines worth 19 billion euros, while the army is to receive armored personnel carriers and armored transport vehicles (17 billion). In addition, 20 billion will be spent on digital radio and command and control systems for the entire Bundeswehr. All in all, this is already more than is available in funds minus the interest burden.

Not much of all this has yet been ordered. Last December, the Bundestag approved the purchase of 35 F-35s and part of the 20 billion package for digital radio.

And even if orders have been placed, it does not mean that results will be visible tomorrow: It will be many years before the needed weapons arrive. It simply takes time to build a fighter aircraft like the F-35 and the infrastructure needed for it in Germany. The first U.S.-made aircraft is scheduled to arrive in Germany in 2027, but training will begin in the U.S. in just two years.

New weapons: Nothing happens for four months

Other delays are systemic and homemade. When Scholz announced the additional 100 billion a year ago, there was no budget for the current year. The government was new, and deliberations did not begin until a month later. It was June before the Bundestag approved the spending. That was four months in which nothing happened.

Another five months followed before the first procurement projects were presented to parliament. After that, Germany's top soldier, Inspector General Eberhard Zorn, said that the Bundeswehr had never before committed to funding such sums so quickly. But the question is why the Defense Ministry did not work ahead to get the procurement of urgently needed equipment underway immediately after the "special fund" was passed.

The Bundeswehr knew what it lacked above all: ammunition. Instead, it was business as usual. The Ministry of Defense and the Bundeswehr wasted time with months of deliberations, for example, about whether a future artillery system or a new infantry fighting vehicle should be tracked or wheeled.

Germany is structurally incapable of defense

The overtaxed and disinterested Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht let it happen, including the fact that the wrong priorities continued to be set at the procurement office in Koblenz. All of a sudden, the Bundeswehr again has a lot of money that this office has to convert into concrete projects. In previous years, the maximum amount of money to be implemented by the agency per year was around 7 billion euros. Now it will be significantly more.

Lambrecht could have relieved the authority in Koblenz of a time-consuming and personnel-intensive task last year. The material used by the armed forces is managed from Koblenz. This includes, for example, the purchase and storage of spare parts. The Army, Air Force and Navy can do that themselves, just as they used to. But Lambrecht and her leadership team did nothing. [Skybird: she instead brought in many party friends of her mindset and massively increased the bureaucratic staff in the defence ministry, bogging things down further: thats one of the reasons why I said repeatedly she was not only incapable and uninterested, but had an interest to actively sabotage the defence capability of Germany, she is counted as an extreme left in the SPD].

As a result, policymakers still find themselves in an arms procurement jungle that has grown over decades. It is the result of political aimlessness and half-heartedness - for more than three decades, armaments were not a relevant topic as part of security provision in Germany. So writes the military expert of the German Council on Foreign Relations, Christian Mölling, in a recent study. And further: "This political-strategic vacuum was filled with the loving care of bureaucratic processes. These exist by the thousands and multiply without the intervention of politics!"

Germany is structurally incapable of defense. Whether that is the bureaucracy taking on a life of its own or a lack of political will: The system is failing. This has not changed even after the turnaround proclaimed by Scholz.

Germany simply carries on as before

It still makes no difference whether the new construction of a highway section or the procurement of weapons is put out to tender. Award procedures in Germany continue to be conducted as if there were no new security situation in Europe. As a result, other nations have already placed orders with the German arms industry ahead of the domestic Bundeswehr.

By the parliamentary summer recess in July, 24 procurement projects will now be submitted to the Bundestag for approval, including heavy transport helicopters (Chinook), guided missiles, air defense systems (Iris-T) and guns to replace howitzers supplied to Ukraine. [Means: it will last even longer, Skybird]

The Germans have shaken their heads at their dysfunctional armed forces and their equipment for decades. No wonder, the main mission of the Bundeswehr was in Afghanistan for more than twenty years, and that country was far away. But changing times is not just about money, defense, arms procurement and armed forces. It starts in the mind.

The mental turnaround threatens to get stuck

The number of Germans who want everything to be the way it was before the attack is growing. They are calling for negotiations and rejecting arms deliveries. But at the moment that would be nothing more than giving Putin what he wants. The mental turnaround in Germany is threatening to stall. In order for the turnaround proclaimed by Scholz to actually become such, he must break down the deeply rooted rejection of fundamental change.

That it can be done in principle is evident in the German government. The left wing of the Social Democrats, in particular, has painfully abandoned its strict rejection of arms exports to war zones and its basic stance of "creating peace without weapons. Reality beats ideology. [There is also a strong camp that wants to block the "militarization" of Germany, Skybird].

Last year, the German government delivered "lethal and non-lethal equipment" worth 2.2 billion euros to Ukraine, including howitzers, air defense systems, machine guns, armored vehicles and ammunition. This year, further arms assistance worth 2 billion euros is planned, including battle tanks and infantry fighting vehicles. All in all, Germany is Ukraine's third-largest supporter after the United States and the United Kingdom.

So far, the turn of the tide in Germany has largely remained just a buzzword. Only gradually are the Germans realizing that they have to say goodbye to the cherished illusion of a self-evident peaceful world order. Slowly, something is returning to the reality of their lives that was already found in the writings of Plato some 2,500 years ago: "If you want peace, prepare for war.
--------------------------------

Das wird nix mehr mit Deutschland. Zu kaputt.

Skybird

03-01-23, 07:08 AM

Its getting worse and worse - and intentionally so.

"Ethically unacceptable": Christian nursing home puts old and infirm on the street - now refugees arrive.

A nursing home in Berlin-Wedding is being evacuated. Helpless residents have nowhere to go, as there is a shortage of places throughout the city. The owner is now taking in refugees.
https://www.nzz.ch/international/christliches-stift-kuendigt-senioren-und-nimmt-fluechtlinge-auf-ld.1728198?_x_tr_hl=de&_x_tr_pto=wapp&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_sl=auto

Slowly and insidiously, Germany is becoming more and more of a nasty, dark hole. The case is not an isolated one. From all over Germany, there are increasing reports of de-housing in order to accommodate migrants. But the government still categorically refuses to limit the influx of migrants.

The overwhelming majpority of migrants form Syria and Afghanistan do not work, are social net receivers. And of the Uukrainian refugees, after one year only 17% found a job due to overwhelming bureaucratic hurdles and refusal to accept their Ukrainian diploma and qualifications.

Interior social fat cat Faeser strictly refuses to limit the number of migrants or to sort them. A categorical No from her, and being snapped if pressed by further questions for the sense in this.

Before the middle of this century this mental asylum named Germany will blow up from all its inbred stupidity. Or its torso simply collapses one day and blows dry dust up in clouds after having been hollowed out and rotting in the hidden for all these years. Either the one, or the other.

Skybird

03-02-23, 06:10 AM

Deutsche Welle:
--------------------
What happened to the German military's €100 billion fund?

A year ago, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz promised to upgrade the Bundeswehr with a massive one-off fund. Critics say not much has happened since.

Just over a year ago, Chancellor Olaf Scholz (https://www.dw.com/en/olaf-scholz/t-57304267) gave a speech to the German parliament that is likely to define his chancellorship — and he was barely two months into it. The "Zeitenwende" speech (literally "turning of the times"), a response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, was built on the announcement that the German military would receive a special one-off fund of €100 billion (https://www.dw.com/en/germany-commits-100-billion-to-defense-spending/a-60933724) to be upgraded.
On June 3, the center-right opposition in the Bundestag joined forces with the ruling parties to change the constitution and allow the additional debt — an unprecedented occurrence in the history of the Federal Republic.
Since then, Scholz's center-left coalition has been dogged by broadsides from the conservative opposition and critics who say Germany's troops have not benefited from this windfall. "The Bundeswehr (https://www.dw.com/en/bundeswehr/t-17430904) has tremendous deficits, and the Zeitenwende hasn't even started in it," Roderich Kiesewetter, foreign policy spokesman for the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) (https://www.dw.com/en/cdu/t-17351950) told the Augsburger Allgemeine newspaper on Monday. "The military has lost a year and is barer than it was at the start of 2022."

Why Germany's military is in a bad state, and what's being done to fix it

In response, Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann, head of the Bundestag defense committee and a member of the governing coalition's Free Democratic Party (FDP) (https://www.dw.com/en/fdp-free-democratic-party-free-democrats/t-17365530), remarked pointedly to the Deutschlandfunk public radio station that, in the 16 years the CDU had occupied the Defense Ministry under Angela Merkel (https://www.dw.com/en/angela-merkel/t-17280098), "nothing at all" had been done to modernize the army.
She then listed what she said were the government's achievements of the past year: new orders of F-35 fighter jets and heavy transport helicopters from the United States and a new digitalization drive to modernize the forces.
For its part, the Defense Ministry says €30 billion of the €100 billion has already been earmarked for major purchases. There has been some criticism from European allies, and within Germany, that so many big orders have been placed in the United States, though ultimately most of the special fund is likely to stay in Germany, which has a strong weapons industry.
And anyway, Strack-Zimmermann said, €100 billion isn't something that can easily be spent in a year. Manufacturing sophisticated new equipment takes time. The first eight F-35s, for example, are expected to be delivered in 2026 (they will initially stay in the US while Bundeswehr pilots are trained), with the remaining 27 to be delivered by 2029. Some goods, like new digital communication equipment, will be available more quickly, while others will take even longer.

Time is pressing. Economic forces are eating away at the €100 billion. Rafael Loss, a defense specialist at the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR), told DW that the original estimate was that only €8 billion of the special fund would have to go toward the interest payments on the loan that the government had taken out. Now, thanks to rising interest rates, that estimate has gone up to €13 billion. So that leaves €87 billion of actual money to spend.
On top of that, there's inflation, dollar-euro exchange rates, and the value-added tax, all of which mean that, once all the extra costs have been covered, only about €50 to €70 billion will be left over to spend on actual hardware. "The longer you have this money sit around somewhere, the longer factors like inflation and interest payments have to eat away at this pile," Loss said.
To some extent, Loss agrees that the government could have acted quicker. "In some ways, last year was a lost year for the Bundeswehr," he said. "But the new defense minister (Boris Pistorius) seems to be pushing for a lot of things to happen on accelerated timelines, like the replacement of the Leopard tanks."
Boris Pistorius took office just over a month ago, after his predecessor Christine Lambrecht, also a Social Democrat, resigned (https://www.dw.com/en/german-defense-minister-christine-lambrecht-resigns/a-64401401) in part because of a wave of discontent with her leadership that leaked from within the army ranks.
And the new minister has been pushing for more money (https://www.dw.com/en/german-army-chief-wants-more-money-for-equipment/a-64823052): This week he suggested that the special fund was not enough to cover the military's needs, and called for his ministry's budget to be increased by an extra €10 billion. Some of his colleagues, among them his party's co-leader Saskia Esken, appeared less than enthusiastic about the idea.

Pistorius' apparent urgency is a shift for the German military, which has for many years suffered from inefficiency in its procurement. In 2022, that was a familiar complaint made Hans Christoph Atzpodien, head of the German security and defense industry association BDSV, whose members include all of Germany's biggest suppliers of heavy military equipment, including Krauss-Maffei Wegmann, which makes the Leopard 2 tank.
Atzpodien has argued that the bureaucratic colossus that is the military's procurement system suffers from a "perfectionism" in its regulations that often means the troops don't actually get what they need — citing the example of the German tank crews who don't have the same radio equipment their international partners do, even though these have been specifically requested.
That particular wrinkle has since been ironed out. "I have to give the procurement process credit for the fact that in December 2022 a procurement decision was made for precisely this equipment — even with a German company — which we of course welcome," he told DW.
This is a new tone. As recently as December, Atzpodien was getting into public rows with senior government figures who alleged that the arms industry should be working harder to increase capacity. Now, the two sides appear to be on the same page: "We are very confident that the orders that were essentially held up by budgetary bureaucratic processes will now get underway on an appropriate scale," he said.

The procurement ecosystem

Loss said the complexities of procurement remained an issue that defies easy fixes: "It's a very complex ecosystem between parliament as the budget holder, the Defense Ministry, procurement agencies and the armed forces."
After the Cold War (https://www.dw.com/en/cold-war/t-38208135), he said, the Bundeswehr settled into a culture in which speed was not a priority. "There was an enormous risk aversion to doing anything wrong and spending maybe a little bit too much money on things to get them through the procurement pipeline faster," he said.
On top of that, Loss thinks that the regional interests of Bundestag members often played a part in how procurement decisions were made — with Bavarian politicians pushing for Bavaria-based aviation companies to win contracts, for example. "This leads to budget processes being less oriented towards military needs," said Loss. "I suppose in the US they would call this pork-barrel politics."
In other words, Scholz's famous "turning of the times" involves turning around the colossal ocean tanker that is the German military, its culture and its bureaucracy. Even one year isn't enough to do that.

Skybird

03-02-23, 06:15 AM

Deutsche Welle, German edition:
----------------------------------
Germany: Inflation remains at a high level

As in January, consumer prices in February were 8.7 percent higher than in the same month a year earlier. This is the result of an estimate by the Federal Statistical Office. Experts had expected a decline.

The decline in general inflation in Germany surprisingly failed to materialize in February. Goods and services became more expensive, as in January, by an average of 8.7 percent compared to the same month last year, as announced by the Federal Statistical Office on Wednesday after its first estimate. Economists polled by Reuters news agency had predicted a drop to 8.5 percent. Prices rose 0.8 percent from January to February.

Energy cost 19.1 percent more in February than a year earlier. The upward trend in prices thus weakened here: In January, there had still been an increase of 23.1 percent. Food, on the other hand, rose by 21.8 percent, more than the recent increase of 20.2 percent. Services cost an average of 4.7 percent more than in February 2022.

Experts now expect a turn for the better next month at the latest. "As the explosive rise in energy and food prices following the start of the war in late February 2022 will drop out of the year-on-year comparison from March onwards, the overall inflation rate should fall noticeably from March onwards," said Berenberg Bank's chief economist Holger Schmieding.

It is true that in quite a few German states, the cost of fuel and light heating oil did not rise quite as much in February. "However, this welcome news is more than offset by higher prices in other areas," Schmieding said. For example, people's increasing desire to travel is likely to have contributed to the fact that package tours in North Rhine-Westphalia, for example, cost 8.1 percent more in February than a year earlier, following a rate of 6.2 percent in January. Citizens also had to spend significantly more on overnight stays in hotels and on eating out in restaurants. "High heating costs, expensive food and the shortage of waiters and other staff is probably making itself felt here," Schmieding said.

A survey by the Munich-based Ifo Institute also points to a slowdown in inflation. According to the survey, significantly fewer German companies than before intend to raise their prices in the next three months. The index of price expectations fell in February for the fifth time in a row to 29.1 points, as the Munich-based economic researchers announced on Wednesday.

The bad news for consumers is that a large number of retailers are still planning price increases. In the food and beverage sector, for example, it is still more than three quarters (77.2 balance points), according to the Ifo survey. According to the survey, the majority of tour operators (63.2) and restaurateurs (52.7) also intend to further increase the price of their services, even though the index in these two sectors has also fallen.

To a large extent the wave of the price increases on the building had died down against it. According to the report, in the main construction sector, on average the fewest companies want to pass on increased purchase prices to their customers, with the index falling to 18.7 points, the lowest value since April 2021. "Companies have already passed on a large part of the increased costs to their customers, while at the same time demand is weakening in almost all sectors of the economy," summed up Ifo's head of economic activity, Timo Wollmershäuser. "This should reduce inflationary pressure in the coming months."

Real wage losses in Germany last year were not as severe as previously indicated because of the corrected inflation rate. Gross monthly earnings of employees, including special payments, increased by 3.5 percent, but consumer prices rose much more strongly at 6.9 percent. Thus, real wages fell at a record pace of 3.1 percent and for the third year in a row, as reported by the Federal Statistical Office on Wednesday. An earlier estimate had even shown a minus of 4.1 percent, but has now been corrected significantly downward.

This became necessary because the inflation rate for the past year was recalculated. The basket of goods used to determine prices was changed to the consumption patterns from 2020, previously 2015 served as the basis. As a result, the inflation rate was corrected significantly downward - namely from 7.9 to 6.9 percent, because energy, which has recently become much more expensive, has less weight in the new basket of goods.

"As before, this is the highest increase in nominal wages accompanied by the strongest real wage loss for employees measured in Germany since the start of the time series in 2008," the statisticians emphasized. While in 2020 the increased use of short-time work due to the Corona pandemic in particular had contributed to the negative nominal and real wage development, in 2021 and 2022 high inflation eroded the nominal wage increase. Most recently, the trend was also negative: In the fourth quarter of 2022, real wages fell by 3.7 percent.

Skybird

03-02-23, 06:33 PM

Neue Zürcher Zeitung:
---------------------------
Government statement on the "turn of the times": Olaf Scholz wants to have weapons produced continuously again

The German chancellor announces long-term contracts and down payments for the arms industry in the Bundestag. At the same time, he revises his funding pledges for the Bundeswehr, calling into question his own "turn of the times."

One year after his speech on the "turn of the times" caused by the Russian war of aggression, Chancellor Olaf Scholz has announced a strengthening of the German defense industry. "We need ongoing production of important weapons, equipment and ammunition," he said Thursday morning in a government statement in the Bundestag. With "long-term contracts and down payments," the government wants to ensure that companies expand their capacities, he said. In this way, he said, an industrial base was to be created in Germany that would contribute to securing peace and freedom in Europe.

The government in Berlin is thus continuing its course of making Germany defensible again. A year ago, Scholz announced a special fund of 100 billion euros for the German armed forces. After decades of decline, the German army is to be modernized with these funds. In his review of the past year, the chancellor failed to mention that his government has hardly placed any orders with weapons manufacturers since the outbreak of war.

Instead, he announced that the contracts for the majority of the procurement projects from the special fund would be concluded this year. These are mainly aircraft and helicopters, but also frigates, submarines, armored personnel carriers and radio equipment. Howitzers, rocket launchers, air defense systems, battle tanks and infantry fighting vehicles supplied to the Ukrainian armed forces from Bundeswehr stocks are also to be reordered this year. However, ammunition, which is most urgently lacking for the Bundeswehr, has not yet been included in the special fund. It is to be financed from the current defense budget.

No more talk of more than two percent of GDP for the military

A year ago, Scholz announced that the budget for the Bundeswehr would be raised permanently to "more than two percent" of the gross domestic product. As he did at the security conference in Munich two weeks ago, he now wanted nothing more to do with this in his government declaration. Instead, he spoke only of wanting to achieve NATO's two percent target on a permanent basis. In view of the planned spending from the special fund (8 billion euros) and the defense budget of almost 50 billion euros, he will not keep his promise this year.

Scholz rejected criticism of the arms deliveries to Ukraine. You don't create peace when you shout "never again war" in Berlin and at the same time demand that all arms deliveries to Ukraine be stopped, he said, alluding to recent protests. Last weekend, an initiative led by left-wing politician Sahra Wagenknecht and author Alice Schwarzer held a demonstration in Berlin demanding an immediate end to arms deliveries and the start of peace negotiations with Putin. "With a gun to the temple, it is impossible to negotiate except about one's own submission," Scholz complained to the demonstrators.

As expected, he praised the work of his government. Scholz considered it a success for Germany that a large majority in the UN General Assembly the previous week condemned the Russian attack. However, 32 states had again abstained from voting, including China and India. Scholz also chalked up as his success the fact that Beijing had "unequivocally" opposed any threat of nuclear weapons and their use a few months ago. "Do not supply weapons to the aggressor Russia," he said, addressing the government in Beijing directly.

More arms deliveries for Ukraine

Germany will maintain its military support for Ukraine for as long as necessary, he said. Scholz announced that more equipment would soon be delivered, including anti-tank weapons, howitzers, five Gepard anti-aircraft tanks, an Iris-T air defense system and ammunition. He said progress is also being made on the tank alliance. Poland, Sweden, Norway, Spain, Canada, Portugal, the Netherlands and Denmark have agreed to support Germany in supplying Leopard tanks to Ukraine.

Scholz remained vague on the most interesting point of his government statement. He said Germany would help Ukraine achieve a just peace. "That is why we are also talking with Kiev and other partners about future security commitments for Ukraine," he said. But he did not say what he specifically meant by "security commitments" and what that meant for Germany and the Bundeswehr.
----------------

Smoke screens, evasive phrases and vague Bla-bla, spiced up with his usual self-appraisal. Forget the Zeitenwende, he never meant that serious anyway, nor did he ever mean to keep the promise of sticking to the 2% goal.

Skybird

03-03-23, 11:59 AM

I would be speechless - if I wouldn't be used to scandalous sentences like this since many years by now. FOCUS writes:
---------------------------

"On track to become normal citizen "Syrian rapes 15-year-old and gets off with probation

In July 2022, a drunk Syrian raped a 15-year-old girl in Osnabrück. This Friday, the verdict was: probation. The court's reasoning: the man was on his way to becoming a normal fellow citizen and the girl would thus at least receive compensation for her pain.

"You are well on your way to becoming a normal citizen here," said the judge at the end of the trial against a 30-year-old man from Syria. He was charged with drunkenly raping a 15-year-old girl in Osnabrück. The court also established this beyond doubt. Nevertheless, the man got off with a suspended sentence and compensation for the victim. The "Neue Osnabrücker Zeitung" reports that.

"It was the first time I drank alcohol," the 30-year-old testified in court. "Possibly he was piqued by the alcohol," argues his defense attorney. The fact is that on his way home from a disco, the Syrian met the girl, who was on her way to her boyfriend. In Möserstraße, he asked her for a cigarette, smoked it and talked to her as far as his language skills allowed.

Later, he pushed her against a wall, fiddled with her and did not let go of the girl even when she fled into a staircase. Using violence, he finally raped the girl. Exactly why remains an open question to this day.

During the trial, it also emerged that the Syrian had given the 15-year-old a bag containing half a gram of cannabis. This was another reason why the 30-year-old was finally sentenced - but only to a suspended sentence.

"I'm not allowed to say anything about the content of the counseling, but we had a hard time," said the judge in charge at the district court after the verdict. In favor of the defendant, he said, was that he was disinhibited due to alcohol and had no significant criminal record. The intensity of the rape was also "on the lower edge" from a purely legal point of view.

Finally, the judge highlighted another aspect. The man, who fled from Syria in 2015, could show an apartment and soon also a job, he said. "You are, after all, on a good path to becoming a normal fellow citizen here."

All this saved the 30-year-old from prison. Instead, he is now on probation for three years, may not approach his victim more than 50 meters and must leave immediately if he sees the girl anywhere. In addition, he must pay 3000 euros in damages to the 15-year-old.

According to the judge, this should also be seen as positive for the victim. Thus, the 15-year-old finally also has more from the suspended sentence than she would have from a stay in prison. "Because this way you can at least work and pay her the pain money that she would otherwise certainly never get."
---------------------

Thats cynism at the finest. I spit into the face of this comically so-called "judge".

And new ordinary citizens like this they can use to isolate reactor cores with. I dont want such new "citizens", I dont need them, I dont tolerate them.

And I spit on this "justice system". Its a cynical joke. Too many, way too many sentences like this, Even in my own biography me and my family were affected by such terrible failures of a court sentence. THREE times. Two times it costed lives, and several seriously injured. One time it costed me over half a million. Im done with the german "justice system".

Skybird

03-03-23, 12:14 PM

The era of the Merkel. Desastrous. The Focus has this bitter bilance:
----------------------------
Merkel's true record reveals Germany as an investment ruin

When Angela Merkel retired from the Federal Chancellery after 16 years, the media rained red roses. But the true record reveals Germany to be an investment ruin. Five examples.

"A woman who changed the world," raved Steffen Richter in Die Zeit. Alexander Osang of Der Spiegel compared the era of Elizabeth II to Merkel's reign: "An age of reason, predictability, perseverance." For Osang, Angela Merkel was "the German queen."

If media misjudgements were treated the same way as a new car with transmission damage, warranty claims would have to be filed with the publishers immediately. And Osang would have to drive up with a replacement vehicle.

Because it has now become clear that the true legacy of Angela Merkel is a toxic one. It looked reasonable, but that reasonableness has oxidized. What felt like perseverance brought torpor. It left Germany not as a thriving landscape but as an investment ruin.

Example Bundeswehr

The Bundeswehr looks bombed out. The suspension of compulsory military service and the percentage cut in the defense budget, started by others and continued by it, means that Germany cannot defend itself today. Less than half of the large-scale equipment, such as tanks or combat aircraft, is currently operational, found Eva Högl, Germany's defense commissioner. Rheinmetall CEO Armin Papperger also concludes, "We lack everything."

With his special fund of 100 billion euros, Chancellor Olaf Scholz promises to remedy the situation - but even his Defense Minister Boris Pistorius knows and says so that this is not enough. On Monday aboard Pioneer One, Papperger fleshed out the scale of investment needed for a defensible Bundeswehr:

"My feeling is that it's between 200 and 300 billion, which means that between 100 and 200 billion euros are still missing."

Merkel knew - at least since Putin's invasion of Crimea - that Germany's armed forces were only conditionally deployable. But she needed the money to expand the welfare state, which grew strongly during her time in office.

Example: railroads

During the Merkel era, the infrastructure of Deutsche Bahn AG was allowed to deteriorate with a clear eye. According to Deutsche Bahn itself, the investment backlog amounts to 60 billion euros. Only with rail transport will we achieve our climate targets, Merkel said in her Sunday speeches - only to ignore this realization on weekdays. She sent her CDU Secretary General Ronald Pofalla to the rail board, but even his admonitions went unheeded. She didn't want to modernize the railroads; she expected Pofalla to keep the rail workers quiet.

Example: traffic

Angela Merkel even let road traffic fall into disrepair - even though all department heads drew her attention to it. In the next few years, more than 13,000 highway bridges will have to be renovated - this is the bitter legacy of that time. In the next ten years, Transport Minister Wissing wants to rehabilitate 4,000 highway bridges - that is, 400 per year, four times more than are currently being rehabilitated annually.

Autobahn GmbH, responsible for the maintenance, financing and construction of trunk roads and thus also the 28,000 highway bridges nationwide, is clearer than clear:

"If the necessary maintenance measures on the thousands of structures are not implemented to the required extent and in a timely manner, there will be significant traffic restrictions and even closures of bridge structures in the coming years."

Example: education

Merkel has never really been interested in education policy. In many places, the eternal chalk era prevails. The digitization of schools and universities made no progress in her 16 years. Maike Finnern from the GEW executive board says, "The education system in Germany has been significantly underfunded for decades - with dramatic consequences." She calls for a "turnaround" in education as well - with a 100-billion investment program attached.

Only the tone has changed under Merkel. While Chancellor Schröder still called teachers "lazy sods," Merkel ingratiated herself with the teaching staff with sentences like this: "Educators are one of the most important professions in society."

Still, nothing happened.

Example Russia

The need to restore energy sovereignty is also part of the legacy of Merkel's Russia policy. During her tenure, dependence on Russian gas has steadily increased.

The construction of Nord Stream 1 was completed under Merkel, and that of Nord Stream 2 was initiated.

As recently as 2011, Russian gas accounted for just under 37 percent of total imports; by 2020, it will account for 65 percent.

Conclusion

The Merkel era was a time in which the welfare state, above all, expanded: statutory minimum wage, maternity pension, pension at 63, East-West pension harmonization, basic pension. The political benefits of this systematic equalization by the CDU and SPD paid off for them on election day.

This proves that in advanced capitalism, everything can be bought - including the chancellorship.

-------------------------

Skybird

03-07-23, 06:40 AM

:har:

The Boxer APC is a German development, and was sold, amongst others, to Australia, where it is build in license.

The Bundeswehr now wants to buy 100 Boxers from the Australian production plants becasue the Australians can get the order fulfilled much faster than the Germans. :D

https://img.nzz.ch/2022/03/16/e8e79d0c-2ad6-46ee-80f2-5498b60de93d.jpeg?width=654&height=436&fit=bounds&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=8192,5462,x0,y0

Meanwhile it got known that the tank batallion specified for supplying and holding ready 30 MBTs for NATOs very high readiness quick reaction force cannot fulfill this duty, and for the whole year will have only 14-20 tanks ready, the others will be in maintenance and repair. The batallion has - on paper - a strength of 40 Leopards. That means the "Klarstand" (ready-for-mission status) for many months this year again will be not even 50%. They now try to cannibalize Leopards from other units. But so many other units with Leopards there are not.

Gimme back the 80s. In the mid-80s the BW was at the height of its capabilities and potentials, was seen by many as the best conscript army in NATO. Today? It is unreliable, incapable of way too many tasks, and the running joke at NATO HQ.

Jimbuna

03-07-23, 08:54 AM

You want to hope and pray Putin isn't reading your post :)

Skybird

03-07-23, 09:32 AM

You want to hope and pray Putin isn't reading your post :)
But maybe he would laugh himself to death if reading it. Worth a try.

Skybird

03-09-23, 09:22 AM

Here, a state-imposed government betrayal against its own population is being initiated, the extent of which is at least equal to that of the Euro catastrophe.

I remind you that the Greens have been a fundamentally Marxist-Maoist movement from the very beginning in the eighties - and have always remained so.
-------------------------------------

This climate policy risks social peace

The media response to Berlin's planned ban on fossil-fuel heating is great. And that's a good thing. Because at the same time, Brussels is also pushing ahead with its building directive. Owners and tenants should be aware of the decisive consequences both have for them.

A full 18 percent of German citizens think the planned ban on oil and gas heating from the beginning of 2024 is right, while 79 percent are against it, according to a survey by "Stern" magazine. Economics Minister Robert Habeck is looking to the public to counteract: with appeasements, new promises of support and moral appeals, he wants to make the coming heat pump republic palatable to the citizens. The fact that the draft bill for the building energy law of the traffic light government, which became public last week, could develop such a tremendous effective power, is good news.

After all, hardly any other topic will have such a drastic effect on the lives of people in Germany in the future as the plans of politicians to fight for climate targets for houses and apartments. With widespread media coverage, more and more citizens are now finding out what's in store for them - and how serious the government really is about transforming the building sector.

And that's not all. Because in addition to the plans at national level, Brussels is also working at full speed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the building sector with a view to the Paris climate targets.

Together, these two factors are exposing Germany's building stock - and its owners - to unprecedented pressure to change. In the name of climate protection, policymakers are massively encroaching on the most private thing people have: The four walls in which they live. And in a remarkable departure from its duty to provide for the public good, the state wants to shift implementation and responsibility for these plans onto citizens.

While the traffic light coalition is seeking air sovereignty over boiler rooms and wants to ban the installation of new oil and gas heating systems from January 1, 2024, the Brussels institutions are fine-tuning an amendment to the EU Buildings Directive (EPBD). According to this, residential buildings are to be brought up to at least European efficiency class E by 2030. Class D is then to be mandatory by 2033.

Promised subsidies would often only be a placebo

2033 - that's a whole ten years away. Of the roughly 16 million single- and two-family homes in Germany, more than half are currently in the lower efficiency classes E to H due to their energy condition. In order to bring these buildings up to the classes acceptable to the EU, massive investment is needed in facade insulation, windows, roofs and - see above - heating.

Even in Germany, the country with the strongest economy in the EU, many people will simply not be able to afford this. Inflation is hitting all areas of life and mercilessly narrowing financial leeway. In many cases, the promised subsidies are likely to be little more than a placebo. The owners of old buildings in particular have often got on in years together with their properties, have paid off their loans over decades - and are now, shortly before retirement, supposed to start all over again with them. Without any guarantee that the investment will actually pay off.

But even if they wanted to: Some of them would be refused a new loan by the banks anyway - they are often too old, and with the new energy efficiency requirements, their property naturally also loses value as collateral. What's more, all owners who bought their property with a low-interest loan and will have to take out follow-up financing in the next few years face a significant additional burden from debt servicing alone, given the rise in interest rates.

In other, poorer countries with much poorer building standards, the EU's plan is even more hopeless. There, however, people sometimes have a government that stands up for the interests of its citizens.

In Italy, for example, a broad alliance across party lines exerted such massive pressure on the responsible Irish MEP, Ciaran Cuffe (Greens), with the demand for a "balance between ambition and feasibility" that the entire project threatened to falter. Thus, the boot state wrested a number of exceptions from Brussels, together with Poland, and countries are also being given greater leeway for their national renovation plans.

Politicians fail to recognize the reality of people's lives

That this will be used differently in Italy than in Germany should not be too bold a prediction. Together with France, Germany would have preferred to push through the stricter version of the building directive - proof of the extent to which politicians misjudge, disregard and disregard the situation, the needs and the reality of people's lives. And thus jeopardizes trust in politics and social peace.

Of course, there are still people who believe that they will not be affected by the climate policy clampdown from Berlin and Brussels because they do not own any real estate. This is often a fallacy, because where rented houses and apartments are being compulsorily renovated, the owner will recoup his investment from the tenant through the rent.

In this way, politicians make many owners and tenants pay for a sacrifice in terms of prosperity that does not even benefit the climate - because the oil and gas that is no longer burned in Germany is then simply used for heating elsewhere. In any case, it will not remain unused in the ground, as there are too few imitators of the European way.

In the future, however, heat pumps will buzz in the front yards of German households and provide heat for the home, despite the uncertain and sometimes not at all green power supply. That's what the Greens want. It's a plan with a longer history than Robert Habeck's inaugural date as Minister of Economics and Climate Change would suggest.

Many will have to part with their homes

The goal he has set, for example, of reaching a stock of six million heat pumps in Germany by 2030, can already be found in a study by the so-called Agora Energiewende think tank from February 2017. The organization's director at the time was Patrick Graichen. Today, he is state secretary under Habeck.

Those who cannot afford to renovate their homes and say goodbye to fossil-fuel heating will also have to bow to the plan. They will have to part with their homes - and then become a burden on a rental housing market that is already hopelessly overloaded. Within just a few years, Germany's population has risen to 84 million, politicians are making no attempt to control further immigration, and the Construction Ministry is desperately trying to recapture the new construction target of 400,000 homes per year from the early days of the coalition, which now seems like something from another world. This collateral damage is also the responsibility of those who overburden citizens with their policies.

Green policy will have to adjust to headwinds

How will we be allowed to live and heat in the future? The fact that this question is suddenly getting space in the public debate is important. It puts pressure on politicians to pursue goals with a sense of proportion, to find a balance between desires and their feasibility, and to take people along with them in their actions. Disregarding their will and the reality of their lives, green policies, mandated by the will of 14.8 percent of the electorate, will hardly be sustainable for long.

A kind of warning sign may have just been observed in Frankfurt/Main: There, a Green Party candidate unexpectedly missed the runoff for mayor. She had entered the election campaign with one central theme: Making Frankfurt climate-neutral by 2035.

-----------------------------

And all this for - NOTHING. It will nto change anything regarding global climate. Absolutely nothing. These damages are initiated by ideologists politicians only to delay their own demasking.

Unfassbar. One of the many faces of madness. Remains of Nero burning down Rome.

Catfish

03-09-23, 10:01 AM

Where is the energy for the noisy heat pumps supposed to come from?
Solar cells? Not enough yield, especially not in regions far north or south of the equator.
Ah i forgot there are wall plugs, no need to think further :D

Skybird

03-10-23, 05:33 PM

Madness is a way too serious topic than to leave it to the ill. Leave the execution of lunacy to the experts:
------------------

Bureaucratic insanity: official wants to decommission intact howitzers for new guns

The Bundeswehr had handed over 14 howitzers to Ukraine. However, according to internal documents, the contract for the follow-up purchase only provides for the procurement of ten self-propelled howitzers in the first stage. Further howitzers can be procured in quantities of six howitzers each. So, from a purely legal point of view, the German government could buy the Bundeswehr four howitzers too few - or two too many.

According to internal documents, a top official in the ministry has now suggested in a submission to the House leadership that two more functioning howitzers be decommissioned so that 16 can then be purchased. He apparently got the green light for this from Armaments Secretary Benedikt Zimmer in a memo.

In response to an inquiry from Business Insider, a spokesman for the Defense Ministry claimed that the ministry was not considering such a move to decommission functioning systems in order to buy new ones. The Federal Office of Bundeswehr Equipment, Information Technology and In-Service Support (BAAINBw), which is ultimately responsible for the implementation of the howitzer procurement, did not want to comment on the events when asked by Business Insider.

Skybird

03-11-23, 07:24 AM

From the Achse des Guten:
-------------------------------

The "energy transformation" is costing us our freedom

"Paris calls for concession," says the headline. It's about Germany blocking the ban on internal combustion vehicles. It is no wonder that the rulers in France want to push through the ban on internal combustion vehicles. Not only because they have plenty of electricity due to their nuclear power plants, but also because they hope that their carmakers will profit from it.

But that's not it alone, the EU also wants to enforce a compulsory renovation of houses. As part of the "Green Deal", facades are to be insulated, windows replaced and, for example, solar roofs installed throughout Europe in order to achieve a certain energy standard. However, the way it is being implemented puts German homeowners at a clear disadvantage:

"The Commission's draft stipulates that member states define those 15 percent of their buildings that are the worst insulated as Class G - i.e., the lowest category. The other houses and apartments are then to be distributed among the remaining classes F through A.

This is therefore a relative classification. The EU does not want to set rigid, Europe-wide target values, such as for energy consumption in kilowatt hours per square meter. Instead, the classes are based on the condition of other buildings in the respective country.

For countries like Italy, Spain and Greece, this is a great help. After all, the insulation there is often much worse than in Germany, for example, so the need for renovation is significantly higher. And it would be unrealistic to bring all the houses in Greece up to Class D by German standards in the next ten years.

For Germany, on the other hand, where a lot of renovation work has already been done, the relative classification is disadvantageous. This is because it means that those states that have made an effort in the past will now have to do even more. After all, their most inefficient 15 percent are already - comparatively - doing well."
Result: cold expropriation

Not only does this mean that those who have already made special efforts will be penalized for doing so, but this plan will result in cold expropriation. Those who cannot afford such costly renovations will have to sell their homes, but will hardly get anything in return because of these regulations. The home of one's own as an old-age security and retirement home - the dream is shattered. Incidentally, this is also a bitter loss for the generation of heirs, and in a country where private wealth is already lower than in other EU countries. "Wealth shock: Germans are the poor sausages of the EU," was the title of one article that pointed out that citizens in most EU countries have more than twice as much wealth as in this country.

Germany does not need external enemies, we are doing away with ourselves. Putin and Xi just need a little patience with our politicians and the EU, and their calculations will work out. One can't help but wonder what business connections there are. Many people profit from and with the Greens, not only NGOs.

China should be pleased. Its plans to expand and become the dominant world power will be furthered by this. It is well known that the West is dependent on China for semiconductors. The West has transferred its know-how to China, has accepted the unspeakable conditions of China's CP for "the quick mark" and now stands there empty-handed. Stupidity that hurts.
No energy turnaround without rare earths

But it's not just semiconductors, the issue of "rare earths" is just as important.

"Without the 'rare earths' and strategic metals, there is unlikely to be any chance of the energy transition, the automotive transition to electric cars would also have to fail and the entire industry would not be able to manufacture its core products."

One could now enumerate where lithium, molybdenum, titanium, cobalt, tungsten, manganese, gallium, chromium, tantalum, germanium and indium are used, but one can also simply put it all in a nutshell: The "energy turnaround" depends crucially on "rare earths", without them no e-cars, wind power and solar plants and much more.

And who has "rare earths"?

"In the case of 'rare earths,' for example, the 'U.S. Geological Survey' in 2020 already indicated that China has a global share of 37 percent of the reserves, Vietnam is second at 18 percent, Brazil at the same 18 percent, Russia at 10 percent, India at 6 percent, Australia at 3 percent, Greenland and the U.S. at 1 percent, and the remaining countries at 6 percent."

So anyone who pushes the energy transition is driving us directly into the arms of China and ultimately Russia. This counteracts all necessary efforts at strategic independence from the states that are fighting a rights-based, free world order.

There is only one way: Either the free West fights for its way of life or there is the "energy transition". Both at the same time is not possible, the goals are mutually exclusive.
--------------------------

It only makes no sense as long as one sticks to the idea that they want to defend liberty, competing market economy and burgoise humanistic society. The moment you realise that it is the intention to destroy these three things you see that the plan by which to achieve these objectives makes perfect sense.

Marx slobbers in his grave.

Skybird

03-14-23, 06:33 AM

Presentation of the annual report of the Commissioner for the Armed Forces. As usual: sobering.

https://www-focus-de.translate.goog/politik/deutschland/wehrbeauftragte-im-liveticker-hoegl-stellt-jahresbericht-vor-weitere-produktionskapazitaeten_id_188301378.html?_x_tr_sl =auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=de&_x_tr_pto=wapp

Skybird

03-15-23, 06:19 AM

End of this month Germany will switch off its last three nuclear powerplants. Because their power is not needed and there is capacity enough, the government has started to reactivate additonal new coal powerplants - additional to those coal plants that got reactivated already over the past 12 months. They also mull the reactivation of oil powerplants. This is because we have power enough, and electricity from the nuclear plants is not needed, and coal and oil is so much cleaner than nuclear power, which in itself is not only a technology, but a high risk technology. :shucks: Freak out, please.

An association of the German industry and businesses, i forgot which one it was, some days ago published a study, and it was a quite extensive examination of the trends in electricity demands and supplies over the next 7 years. Considering the elctrification, the plans for homes and heating and e-mobility, assuming that there will be no construction limitations due to material shortages (shall we say thats very optimistic?!) , they calculated that in 2030 Germany will have a deficit in electricity supply of minimum 30 GW, that is roughly the equivalent of 25-30 nuclear powerplants (a typical german medium-sized plant like Lingen--Emsland had a capacity of 1400 MW). This illustrates that these three nuclear powerplants, which are an extremely dangerous and existence-threatening high risk technology, mind you, are not needed. You now may freak out again at the risks of nuclear energy, if you want.

Also, the drugstores report steady supplies of tea lights. So what could go wrong?

Skybird

03-16-23, 07:53 AM

https://unbesorgt-de.translate.goog/morgen-kinder-wirds-was-geben/?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=de&_x_tr_pto=wapp

Only when you have shut down the last burner, dismantled the last gas heater and the last fuel oil tank is empty, will you realize that fine dust from wood and coal stoves is the least of your problems. They're not the problem, they're a symptom. The symptom of a country's energetic and economic impoverishment. And environmental awareness, environmental protection and the responsible use of resources is a state of mind that only sets in when people can lift their noses out of the furrow of their daily struggle for existence. Increasing the pressure to the point where people are forced back into this rut not only leads directly to economic catastrophe, but also to ecological one.

Rockstar

03-17-23, 12:54 PM

Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann: "On Russian tanks it says 'to Berlin'. And Kadyrov threatens to occupy East Germany"

Defense is the central issue of the next generation, says German defense politician Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann. She sees Germany's long hesitation in arms deliveries as a mistake, and she criticizes Switzerland's lack of cooperation.

Claudia Schwartz, Benedict Neff
146 comments
03/17/2023, 5:30 a.m.

https://www.nzz.ch/feuilleton/marie-agnes-strack-zimmermann-auf-russischen-panzern-steht-nach-berlin-und-kadyrow-droht-mit-der-besetzung-ostdeutschlands-ld.1730163?reduced=true&mktcval=twpost_2023-03-17&mktcid=smch

Google translate

Ms. Strack-Zimmermann, is Germany actually experiencing a turning point, or is this a major political phrase?

The turn of the century works, albeit slowly. The fact alone proves that we talk publicly about the Russian war of aggression every day, that it is worth a headline when we discuss the ammunition issue in the EU, which would not have really interested or alarmed anyone months ago. Also the Chancellor's speech in the Bundestag on the occasion of the anniversary of the Russian attack on the 24th. February and the form, as he almost of course spoke of the delivery of the tank to Ukraine, would have been unthinkable months ago. At best, it would have been discussed once again that the Bundeswehr should be strengthened.

However, the sudden turnaround also has something strange: when, for example, the Green politician Anton Hofreiter, who was in the reputation of a pacifist, now suddenly talks fluently about all weapon systems.

The clear announcement also by the Greens to supply Ukraine with weapons without restriction surprised many and would have been unimaginable a year ago. However, I find it at least as remarkable that their base and their voters obviously fully support this.

Germany hesitated for a long time to supply Ukraine with substantial weapons. Is politics really more determined now?

This hesitation and waiting was a big mistake. The Federal Republic should have reacted much faster. If Leopard tanks had stood in eastern Ukraine in time, the military situation today would be different. Tragically, too much time has gone into the country. In the meantime, we have a new defense minister who brings movement into the system. As a Social Democrat, he also picks up people who have so far had little to no connection to the Bundeswehr and have recently refused the use and supply of weapons. A conservative government would not have succeeded in doing that

Why?

A conservative chancellor would have triggered significantly more resistance per se in certain circles, no matter what he would have decided.

The Ukrainians defend their country and receive the support of most German politicians. Is the relationship with the nation-state changing in Germany in general?

Through the dramatic images that we get to see every day from Ukraine, and the perception of how bravely the Ukrainians defend their homeland, it is clearly shown to all of us what it means when a large country like Russia mercilessly questions the integrity of its neighbor. Defending one's own homeland accordingly is just a value in itself. We Germans are very inclined to react to challenges either euphorically or completely contradictory, with great horror and fear. Due to their own past, it took the Germans a long time to accept their nation. In Germany, we have succeeded in working through our own history over generations. This has particularly shaped my generation and taught us that it is of great importance to be part of a strong community. Specifically as part of the EU and a member of NATO.

Is the war in Germany also growing awareness that you need a defensive nation-state yourself?

I very much hope that it dawns on most people that a peaceful life in freedom and democracy is not given to God, but must always be cherished and cared for and defended in an emergency. Many people in Germany probably believed that after the fall of the Wall and the end of the Cold War, we could live safely and unscathed in the heart of Europe, surrounded by friendly states. At the latest with the Russian attack, it should have become clear that we are also exposed to the aggression of Russia. On Russian tanks it says "after Berlin", and the Chechen president and Moscow's ally Kadyrov openly threatens with the occupation of East Germany. It must be clear to all of us: Never before has there been such a long phase of peace in world history as in Europe since 1945 until today. We should not be naive, such a phase can always come to an end. This does not mean that we should be anxious or even hysterical. However, we should already be defensive, defensive and able to defend ourselves.

You once said that the Bundeswehr needs an "enemy image" and that is Russia. Why does the German army need a concrete enemy?

With this statement, I have once again made a lot of friends . . . We should be aware of the dangers to which we are exposed. The free Western world is confronted today with the fact that there are brutal autocrats whose declared goal is to fight democracy: economically, socially, unfortunately also militarily. These can be attacks of a conventional nature, but also cyber attacks or also targeted destabilization of democracy from within. Fake news is spread on the net every day in order to destabilize society. It is obvious that the language on the net has radicalized massively. This was already clearly visible during the pandemic, and it has continued since Russia's attack on Ukraine.

Do you think Corona has pushed ahead with the brutalization?

The fear of the virus, the associated restrictions in everyday life and, as a result, social isolation, all this has consequences that we will have to live with for a long time. It is also no coincidence that Putin launched the attack on Ukraine just in 2022.

This means that Putin expected less resistance in the face of a Western society weakened by Corona?

Putin obviously expected a weakened Western society, which was more concerned with itself and which has already hardly reacted to the annexation of Crimea and the first attack on Donbass in 2014. Even understanding was expressed for Russia's actions: Well, you have to understand that the Russians wanted to have guaranteed access to their own Black Sea fleet. Such explanations were disturbing. By the way, Corona has strategically brought many setbacks to the West. Problems that were believed to be under control broke out again. For example, in northern Iraq, where terrorism had been successfully fought, IS was able to record success again because Western soldiers could not be de facto present due to Corona. Terror has also taken advantage of the weakness of the West. By the way, Putin reports that he also withdrew in the pandemic for fear of the virus and radicalized even more.

The Swiss War Materials Act prohibits countries such as Germany from re-exporting weapons acquired in Switzerland. As chairman of the Defense Committee in the Bundestag, how do you assess Switzerland's position?

It is not for me to explain to Switzerland what to do. But the question arises: What to do? In Switzerland, ammunition is produced on a large scale, including for the German fighter planes Tornado and Eurofighter, for the Mantis air defense system and for the anti-aircraft gun tank Gepard, which is currently in use in Ukraine, among other things, to protect the port of Odessa from Russian air attacks. Grain is exported worldwide from Odessa. There are 190 million people depending on it. In order to carry out at least a fraction of this, Germany has asked Switzerland for permission to export the ammunition already stored with us to Ukraine. Switzerland's no has raised the question in Germany of how reliable the supply chain of urgently needed ammunition will be in the future if Switzerland itself does not deliver in defense of food exports.

What consequences do Germany and NATO draw from this?

Of course, we have to accept the Swiss attitude. But let's think ahead and assume that the Baltic States would be attacked by Russia, Germany would defend Lithuania as a NATO state, and Switzerland would also declare in this case that it does not want to deliver ammunition to a crisis area. The answer is obvious. In the future, the ammunition should be purchased exclusively in NATO states or produced directly in Germany. And that's exactly what's happening now. In a few months, the cheetah ammunition will be produced in Germany. We make ourselves independent and can react immediately in the event of a crisis.

Why did you actually specialize in defense policy when you were first elected to the Bundestag in 2017? At that time, this was a completely unpopular topic in Germany.

I have already dealt intensively with security policy in my political studies and have never been able to fully understand why we no longer care about the security of the country in Germany. It was therefore clear to me that if we should return to the Bundestag, I would like to make a security policy. Thankfully, the FDP group has allowed this, probably also in the assumption that no one would really be interested in the topic.

It turned out differently.

After the Bundestag election in December 2021, the FDP took over the chairmanship of the Defense Committee. I was elected chairman. 72 days later, Russia attacked Ukraine. The rest is history, also that this committee then received this media attention.

You don't like the exposed at all?

If you go into politics and don't want to be noticed with your work, you missed the job. But the attention that is now being paid to my work has indeed taken on a different dimension.

We have read how you are characterized in this way.

Oh, now I'll get the warm jacket out . . .

They have already been described as "the woman who confuses the republic", as the "clear writer", the "strong large caliber of the FDP", the "lintenweib", the "caughty" or "the woman because of whom the party leader can no longer sleep at night".

I like "Rauflustig". That corresponds to my Rhenish temperament. I'm fighting, but to make that clear, not because of the fight. I'm all about it, and yes, I'm passionate about that. The Chancellery actually accused me that I would make a "business model" of criticizing the chancellor. I find that frankly almost cynical. We discuss for months how we can help Ukraine, which is struggling for survival, and a subaltern has nothing better to do than to worry less about the content than about the form of discussion. The turn of the century means not only having a strong Bundeswehr, taking significantly more money into your hands, but also that the situation we are in is also in the head. To pretend that all this does not concern us or that the political world continues to turn unchanged is dangerously naive.

Have you changed these last few months?

I sleep too little . . . But my family and friends would hopefully tell me that, because that would be terrible.

Have you already made education and health policy as aggressive as you are now doing defence policy?

Being confronted with a war is literally a particularly serious and brutal issue. But I would say that I have always done politics like that. I was active for many years, among other things, in the urban planning committee in the Council of the City of Düsseldorf. When I walked through Zurich today, I thought to myself: Why does the city of Zurich actually allow a multi-lane road to run across the city and directly along the lake. That almost screams for a city tunnel. The cars belong underground, the surface belongs to the people. The city is approaching the lake.

With the left-green-dominated Zurich government, you run into open doors.

We implemented it in exactly the same way in Düsseldorf. We have laid the main roads in the city center underground. You can't even imagine the quality of stay there. Imagine Zurich is located directly at the lake. Wouldn't that be great?

Now you dodge a bit, we wanted to talk about your person.

I didn't want to distract. But talking about yourself is kind of strange. Through my work, I am currently very exposed in public and trigger clear feelings, sympathy, but also blatant rejection.

Their strong commitment to Ukraine is polarizing, especially in the peace movement. Do you particularly like a woman?

Women are approached particularly harshly in public. But maybe we also react to primitive and stupid sayings more sensitively than our colleagues. What is certain, however, is that there are still people who still do not stick to women on certain political issues. We have many experts in the Bundeswehr, in foreign policy and in security policy. The public broadcasters in Germany have the requirement that not only men should sit in the talk shows. So now we realize: Wow, there are really good women.

Does that mean that the women's quota is of some use?

I'm not a friend of the quota. But what cannot be: that we talk about socio-politically relevant topics and discuss only men except the moderator.

The CDU decided on the women's quota last year, the young women rather rejected it, the women over fifty like Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer or Julia Klöckner voted for it. Apparently they think it is not possible without a quota. What does the FDP look like?

This is also being discussed by the Free Democrats. If not about the quota, then increasingly about a self-commitment to consider men and women equally, especially when setting up the list in view of upcoming elections. At the base, the voices are getting louder in this regard. I welcome that.

Her parents were in the CDU. Why did you choose the FDP?

The Women's Union approached me as a young woman. But the image of women in the Union was not mine. I was just brought up differently. My father attached great importance to the fact that you can feed yourself as a woman and not make yourself dependent on your husband. There are certain similarities in economic and defense policy with the CDU, but a lot separates us socio-politically.

In Switzerland, independence, self-responsibility, freedom are terms for the community. In Germany, equality, justice, community are the more dominant coordinates. Can the FDP shake up this basic consensus at all, or is it hopeless?

Being a free democrat has never been easy in Germany. There has never been a liberal mainstream. We have never been a party that moves the masses, because Germany is structurally a very conservative country. And yet there is a great liberal potential for us.

However, the German model says: If there are problems, one looks at the state expectantly. The FDP is crooked in the political landscape.

They can't always call for the state only when it gets difficult. The state can set a legal framework in which we move freely. He can have a social effect, but he will never be able to completely compensate for personal risks. We may stand in the way of some state authorities, but we are not crooked. We have a very strong medium-sized company, phenomenal company. Maintaining this means being open to technology and not rigidly serving everything.

Let's come back to the discussion about arms deliveries to Ukraine. In your lecture in Zurich, you distanced yourself severely from Alice Schwarzer because of her pacifist manifesto, with which intellectuals call for negotiations. Is the icon Schwarzer just falling itself off the pedestal?

Alice Schwarzer was an icon for us women, detached from their political attitude. She has done an incredible amount for the women. This makes it all the more unimaginable that she in particular ignores the suffering of the raped women in Ukraine and does not even address it during demonstrations. She betrays her own values.

You also talked about this at your lecture in Zurich: What happens to women in Ukraine?

I don't know if there is an increase in perversity. Ukrainian women have told me that the hands of the women who are raped by Russian soldiers are broken beforehand so that they cannot defend themselves. I heard from a Ukrainian soldier how he lost many comrades in Irpin while trying to save children. They had been placed on the bodies of the raped and killed mothers and then put explosive traps. Where is Mrs. Schwarzer? I don't just expect an outcry from her.

Don't demonstrations for peace also have their justification?

Dreaming of peace is honorable. But we just have to be aware: Vladimir Putin's on this earth is not interested in this. Defensiveness is the central theme of the next generation. If we can't manage to defend ourselves, then God's grace.

Vertical starter in the Bundestag
Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann (65) studied journalism, political science and German studies and worked for a long time in publishing. From 2008 to 2014, she was the first mayor of the NRW state capital Düsseldorf. Since 2017, she has been a member of the German Bundestag and has made a vertical start here; since 2021 chairman of the Defense Committee of the German Bundestag. She is a member of the FDP Federal Executive Board and the Executive Board of the FDP parliamentary group. Strack-Zimmermann is married and has three adult children. The interview took place as part of a lecture by Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann at the University of Zurich at the invitation of the Swiss Institute for International Research (Siaf).

Skybird

03-20-23, 09:19 AM

https://think-again.org/deutschland-ein-trauerfall/
-----------------------------------

GERMANY - A BEREAVEMENT

Even if our rulers suddenly had the best intentions for the German people, if they suddenly made a political 180° turn - they would not be remotely capable of implementing them. After all, they had not even been able to learn a decent trade or complete a degree. How were they now going to solve the challenging political problems where integrity, intelligence, discipline and enormous general knowledge are required? At best, they would make a 360-degree turnaround.

The dictionary translates "sober" as "sober," but that doesn't do the English vocabulary justice. Not everyone with zero alcohol in their blood is "sober." It includes seriousness, calmness and respect for the importance of the moment.

The other day I was talking to an acquaintance via Skype, and immediately I noticed that he was highly "sober." His facial expressions, his choice of words, his posture and even his clothing were full of the aforementioned seriousness, calmness and respect for the importance of the moment.

I wanted to know, "what's wrong with you," but he didn't understand my question. He was not aware of his state of mind. In the course of the conversation, however, it became clear what had happened: there had been a bereavement in the family.

He and his wife had been tossing around the idea of emigrating from Germany to the U.S. for some time, but had only half-heartedly pursued the plan so far. Nostalgia kept coming up, memories of the dear neighborhood, the landscape, the culture and the history of Germany. This made them hesitate to take the decisive step. And they felt responsible; they did not want to abandon their homeland.

Yes, they knew, of course, that politics in the country was in a desolate state, and that the green mania would stop at nothing, but they secretly hoped for a kind of peaceful revolution; for a reasonable majority of the population to become aware of this disastrous political course, and for a return to reason. But this illusion was shattered by a trivial experience.

The two had visited an art-house cinema in a nearby provincial town, where a film about the hard life in one of the world's slums was being shown. Before the screening began, however, the equal opportunity commissioner of this very provincial town appeared on stage and enlightened the audience about the oppression of women, in particular about the fact that, according to the calculations of the World Economic Forum, real equality would only be achieved in 134 years if things continued as slowly as before.

Now this was too much bull**** for my acquaintance and his wife, they looked at each other shaking their heads and uttering sounds of disapproval. But they were the only ones. The rest of the audience gave restrained applause, not a single boo came from the auditorium. And now the two knew there could be no hope. If the worst politically correct garbage is allowed to be emptied over the heads of society without the slightest objection, then the future is lost.

The Germany of yesterday, which they knew and loved, no longer existed from that moment on. The beloved homeland had died for them at that moment. And after this very bereavement, a state of mind of seriousness, calmness and respect for the importance of the moment spontaneously set in. The two of them had said goodbye, goodbye to the world of yesterday, and the path to the future suddenly lay clearly before them.

It hurt, of course, to accept that the current generation was ignoring the unique cultural legacies of Hegel and Heisenberg, Wagner and Weber, Straßmann and Schnitzler; that they were wantonly trampling on the legacy of the economic miracle brought about by founders and pioneers; and that they dare to deface Germany's uniquely beautiful meadows, forests and floodplains on a large scale with useless technology.

It had also become clear to my acquaintances, however, that even if those in power were suddenly to change their minds, if they wanted to act with the best of intentions for the German people, if they wanted to realize a political 180° turnaround - they would not be remotely capable of doing so. After all, they had not even been able to learn a decent profession or complete a degree. How were they going to lead a sophisticated political renaissance now, where integrity, intelligence, discipline and enormous general knowledge were required? At best, they would make a 360° turnaround.

In any case, we wish our emigrants the very best in the new world.
-----------------------

Skybird

03-24-23, 12:35 PM

This post first appeared on Birgit Kelle's Facebook page:

A German court is currently making it a punishable offense to speak the truth - namely, to refer to a biological male as a man. We are no longer talking about funny "gendergaga", but a massive attack on women's rights and freedom of expression that affects us all.

In case anyone still hasn't understood why trans politics in this form must not only be criticized, but stopped: We are no longer talking about funny "gendergaga", but a massive attack on women's rights and freedom of expression that affects all of us:

"In a decision dated March 17, 2023, the Press Chamber of the Regional Court of Frankfurt am Main prohibited Rome Medien GmbH and its author Judith Sevinç Basad from referring to the journalist Janka Kluge as a 'man' in a published article. For the first time a regional court forbids thereby in the way of a provisional order the Mis-gendering of a trans woman , writes Dr. Jasper Prigge, the attorney Janka Kluges, on its Blog.

And adds:

"The publishing company led by ex-BILD editor-in-chief Julian Reichelt had published a post on the blog 'Pleiteticker.de' for which it was responsible, in which our client was criticized. In the post, our client was first referred to as a 'transwoman,' then 'biological man,' and towards the end only as a 'man.'"

A German court currently criminalizes speaking the truth. It is forbidden to point out a fact and is subject to a six-figure fine if repeated. In this logic, to give an example, it is a criminal offense to point out that "Tessa" Ganserer is on a women's seat ticket for the Green Party in the German Bundestag, even though he is a man and named Markus. These are facts, which he himself confirms, his real name stood nevertheless also correctly and officially exactly in such a way on the ballot paper.

This is exactly the evil face of transpolitics. Our government wants to raise exactly this to the new standard in Germany with the now planned self-determination law and the associated "deadnaming" ban (the naming of the original first name of a gender-reassigned person, editor's note).

Our "Queer" commissioner, whom we all pay for with our tax money, Sven Lehmann, wants to introduce exactly such laws. Offenses and dissenting opinions are already registered as "transphobia" or even as "antifeminism" at the state-funded registration offices in NRW and at the Amadeu Antonio Foundation as of now.

We register non-crimes of non-offenders in order to pillory them for non-crimes. This is the preliminary stage.

Once the law is in place, you will all be in court. We will then all find ourselves in court if we still point out that being a woman is not a matter of imagination and a trans woman is simply a biological man. Lies will then become law and truth a crime.

And to enlighten all those who are now hyperventilating at the drop of a hat and already reporting this posting: Very well I support the protection of real transwomen and respectful treatment. At the same time, the issue of facts is non-negotiable, we must protect the rights of bio-women in shelters, sports and locker rooms just as much without ifs and buts, and respect is not a one-way street either, by the way.

Anyone remember George Orwell, 1984: "Black and White"...?

The time for laughing about Genderism and such things is over. Now it becomes threatening and dangerously real. Mind you: this is valid law in germany now, since some time already. This is valid law. It was thgre atened for some years, and now the hread has been turne dinto reality. The penalties for ignoring it, are obscenely high, macking mockery of robbery, assault, rape and such. The mind terror gets enforced with maximum brute force by the state which has completely lost all its senses, has become completely insane.

Really, I cannot laugh anymore at all. The laughter got stuck in my throat already a long time ago.

This country more and moree turns into a mental landfill.

Skybird

04-04-23, 05:48 AM

A newly published book takes a dim view of the German socialists' Russia policy and describes Gerhard Schröder's environment as downright conspiratorially pro-Russian.

https://www.nzz.ch/feuilleton/gerhard-schroeder-und-die-moskau-connection-ld.1732365?_x_tr_hl=de&_x_tr_pto=wapp&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_sl=auto

Reading the «Moscow Connection» leaves you breathless. As a Swiss reader, you have to ask yourself whether you actually ever knew your neighbors; as a German reader, one wonders in which country one has lived so far.

https://www.amazon.de/Die-Moskau-Connection-Schr%C3%B6der-Netzwerk-Deutschlands-Abh%C3%A4ngigkeit/dp/3406799418/ref=sr_1_1?__mk_de_DE=%C3%85M%C3%85%C5%BD%C3%95%C3 %91&crid=TE4VEP84Y777&keywords=die+moskau+connection&qid=1680605426&sprefix=die+moskau+connection%2Caps%2C78&sr=8-1

And with the same destructive, incorrigible and blase self-confidence, they are now driving the economy and the German bourgeoisie head-on into the wall at top speed - just like that.

Skybird

04-16-23, 06:42 AM

It is a realistic scenario that the Bundeswehr will go bankrupt in 2 years.

https://www.nzz.ch/international/bundeswehr-trotz-sondervermoegen-befuerchten-politiker-die-pleite-ld.1733808?_x_tr_hl=de&_x_tr_pto=wapp&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_sl=auto

And the exodus of frustrated soldiers who are "fed up with the Saftladen" is accelerating rapidly.

And since the Ukraine war, the dropout rate of recruits has increased dramatically. They suddenly get reminded of the nature of what is expected of soldiers to do. And that is not drilling waterholes for the regional population in the third world and repairing bridges in villages and painting the walls in village schools and protecting the locals' market place on the other side of the planet, but to fight in wars.

The article says that 30 days of war like in Ukraine would cost the BW ammuntiioon nworth 30-40 billion Euros. The reserves are gone, the magoziones int he bunkers als practically empty. The Bundeswehr plans to buy ammunition worth 1.5 billion. Do the math yourself.

If I were NATO, I woudl get rid of the Germa ns as fast as possible, they are like a millstone around everyone else's neck. Other nations may fail in their military obligations as well, but in no other case the failure counts as heavy as in the Germans' case.

But what else to expect of a country that is mad enough to kill its last running nuclear reactors in the midst of an energy crisis and uncertain future of electricity production and "energy transformation"? Or should I better say "transformation of the laws of physics"?

Jimbuna

04-16-23, 01:11 PM

You have to register for free to read on.

Skybird

04-16-23, 02:38 PM

You have to register for free to read on.
Strange, in Germany you must not. And it is a Swiss newspaper, not a German one. Think I must then stop to refere to the NZZ. Thats a loss, its one of the few remaining best newspapers we have in German-speaking Europe, and probably Europe in general. As Helmut Schmidt once put it: "Why should I read the daily breafings of the Bundesnachrichtendiest if I could spend the same time better with reading the NZZ?" :)
----------------

A special fund of 100 billion euros, a current defense budget of 50 billion euros, and yet the German armed forces are threatened with running out of money in two years. How can that be?

The Norwegian Arctic, German soldiers in white uniforms skiing and snowmobiling through the snow, assault rifle in front of their chests, backpacks on their backs. Mountain troops from Bavaria, "extreme terrain and extreme weather are their daily business," says an off-screen voice. "With this knowledge, the Gebirgsjäger troop also positions itself strongly for long-term national and alliance defense."

Then the video ends, a Bundeswehr promotional film taken last winter of the "Ice Crystal 2022" exercise. It shows German soldiers training in ice and snow in temperatures as low as minus 30 degrees. That was before the Russian attack on Ukraine. Since then, Berlin has been committed to making the Bundeswehr operational again in order to be able to defend Germany and NATO territory against an attack.

To this end, the troops should be given everything they need. This is what Chancellor Olaf Scholz said in his "turn of the times" speech at the end of February last year. A special fund of 100 billion euros and an annual defense budget of 50 billion - after the social budget, Germany spends more money on nothing else than on its defense.

No exercise should fail any more for lack of funds, former Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht had said. But when the German Army wanted to send the mountain troops to Norway again this winter, financial planners shook their heads. "Ice Crystal 2023" took place without the Germans. The reason: no money.

One could overlook this, could say that it was, after all, only a single exercise. But the cancellation of "Eiskristall 2023" may be just the harbinger of what Andreas Schwarz, budget and defense expert for the Social Democrats, describes as follows: "If we don't massively increase the defense budget, things will soon look bleak for the Bundeswehr."

Schwarz is not just anyone. He is responsible for the defense budget for the chancellor's party. He is a powerful man. His counterpart in the opposition is Ingo Gädechens. He and Schwarz are rivals. But in this case, the Christian Democrat and the Social Democrat are on the same page. "If it stays with the current financial planning, the Bundeswehr will soon be broke," Gädechens says.

100 billion in special assets, 50 billion in the defense budget, and the Bundeswehr will soon be broke? To explain this, you have to look at what the Bundeswehr spends all that money on.

First of all, there is the special fund, 100 billion euros, financed by debt. It is supposed to be used to buy urgently needed weapons and equipment. This includes new fighter jets (F-35), transport helicopters (Chinook), maritime reconnaissance aircraft (Poseidon), submarines, warships, armored personnel carriers, air defense systems, digital radios, all included in a list approved by the Bundestag last year.
Ammunition, which the Bundeswehr needs at least as badly, is largely not included.

When the government incurs debt, it has to pay interest. How high these will be was revealed by the Defense Ministry at an internal event in Bonn in January. There, a ministerial housekeeper said that interest of 13 billion euros could be expected over the years.

This means that there are not 100 billion euros in the special assets, but only 87 billion. Added to this is the high inflation. All in all, deductions from the special assets are so large that the procurement list adopted by the Bundestag last summer is now obsolete. Already at the end of last year, K130 corvettes and F126 frigates had to be removed from the list.

Now, according to NZZ information, the Defense Ministry is said to be considering removing the procurement of 15 Eurofighter ECRs from the special assets list as well. The aircraft are designed to jam the enemy's electronics and disable its radar sites. They would now have to be financed from the regular defense budget. But there they compete with other projects. In addition, Defense Minister Boris Pistorius has already hinted at having to shift further projects from the special assets to the defense budget.

But that is unlikely to be possible. The defense budget in Germany this year is 50.1 billion euros. That is also a lot of money, much more than in most years since reunification. Nevertheless, only a small portion of this remains for the Bundeswehr to invest in new weapons, ammunition and equipment.

That's because just under half of the budget is spent on personnel and a third on day-to-day operations. Even from the rest, not everything remains for investments in new weapons, equipment and ammunition. Of this, for example, the expenditures for NATO must also be made.

All in all, this leaves around 7.8 billion euros for military procurement this year. That is 15.5 percent of the total defense budget. 1.1 billion euros of that will go toward buying new ammunition, a fraction of what the Bundeswehr just needed. Just to stockpile ammunition for 30 days of war, as required by NATO, the German armed forces budget between 30 and 40 billion euros. Their stockpiles are as good as empty.

The Bundeswehr is therefore in urgent need of significantly more money to invest in its equipment. But if the defense budget does not increase significantly in the next few years, it may soon no longer be able to invest any money at all from the current budget in new weapons, equipment and ammunition.
Andreas Schwarz of the Social Democrats assumes that this "catastrophe" will occur as early as 2025. Ingo Gädechens from the CDU/CSU takes a similar view.

There are three reasons for this.

The first reason is personnel costs. The Bundeswehr currently has 183,000 soldiers and 80,000 civilian employees. They are all public service employees. Employers and unions have been negotiating a new collective agreement for months. The employee side wants 10.5 percent more pay, while the public employers are offering 5. The mediation round is currently underway. Schwarz and Gädechens expect an agreement on 8 percent. This would result in an annual increase of about 1.5 billion euros in personnel spending by the Bundeswehr. Possible one-time payments have not yet been taken into account.

The second reason is the inflation rate. Whether the Bundeswehr is buying new weapons and ammunition or meat and potatoes, everything costs more money than in previous years.

The third reason seems paradoxical at first glance: It is the special assets. Tanks, guns, airplanes, helicopters, ships and boats - basically all the new equipment that the Bundeswehr will be getting in the coming years - mean that there is less and less money left in the defense budget for investment. The reason is the cost of maintaining these highly complex, high-maintenance weapons systems.

For example, the F-35 fighter aircraft costs 80,000 euros to fly a Eurofighter for one hour. Ingo Gädechens reckons that the cost of the F-35 will be significantly higher. He would have liked to find out how much from the Ministry of Defense. But the ministry is stonewalling. "The ministry says they first have to do a requirements analysis on the costs of using the aircraft," says Gädechens. For him, this is an unmistakable sign that the expenditure "will be extremely high.

With the new weapons from the special fund, it's like buying a car. While you used to be able to repair an old car yourself, today even minor damage to the bumper costs thousands of euros because dozens of sensors are installed there that are connected to the car's electronic and computer system.

The situation is similar for tanks, airplanes, ships and boats. The Bundeswehr can hardly repair its equipment itself. It has become far too complex. It needs industry to do it. Years ago, the industry said that in the future, it would not be the sale of a new weapon that would bring in the most money, but long-term maintenance and repair.

The Bundeswehr has more money than ever before, and yet it runs the risk of soon being unable to make any more investments from its current budget. This is because, if the defense budget remains unchanged, all additional spending on personnel and operating costs will be charged to the procurement budget.

Boris Pistorius, the German defense minister, recognized this shortly after taking office in January. Since then, a figure has been circulating:10 billion. According to Pistorius, that is the amount by which the defense budget would have to increase in the coming years, at least, in order to cope with the expected expenditures and at the same time be able to buy weapons and ammunition.

But at the moment, it doesn't look like that will happen. The federal government has not yet been able to agree on the key points for the 2023 budget and subsequent years. There are too many desires of the individual ministries, such as 12 billion euros for the basic child allowance, because of which other ministries would have to make savings.

Finance Minister Christian Lindner has made it clear on several occasions that there will be no new debts or tax increases with him. Only what the federal government takes in through taxes can be spent, he said. The amount of this is not yet known, the current tax estimate is not yet available.

Ingo Gädechens fears that Pistorius will get at most 3 billion euros more for 2024. Andreas Schwarz says that, according to his calculations, the Bundeswehr needs 10 billion more to avoid hitting the wall in two years. But actually, 70 billion euros a year would be needed in the long term to meet NATO's financial targets and thus become fully operational again.

An army has value when it has well-trained and motivated soldiers, modern equipment and sufficient ammunition. Recently, a senior officer wrote on Twitter that many young soldiers leave the Bundeswehr not because of hard training, but because of the lack of material. They are frustrated, he said, because they were promised modern equipment that does not exist.

There is one piece of good news, however. The Army announced that the mountain troops would again participate in the "Ice Crystal" exercise next year. It would again be in the exercise calendar as usual, it said.

Skybird

04-17-23, 05:41 PM

https://www-focus-de.translate.goog/finanzen/kommentar-von-hugo-mueller-vogg-die-abrechnung-eines-managers-mit-den-weltenrettern-sollte-uns-zu-denken-geben_id_191372614.html?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=de&_x_tr_pto=wapp

Gunther Kegel, successful manager and president of the electrical engineering association ZVEI, has now warned in “Die Welt” of dangerous de-industrialization. His prognosis is bleak: "Hardly any new factories are being built, not enough is being invested in existing ones, and with the sharp rise in energy prices caused by the war, many companies from the energy-intensive sectors are now threatening to quickly depart." When large corporations partially relocate their production abroad, this inevitably affects medium-sized suppliers and service providers as well. The ZVEI President therefore fears the loss of particularly well-paid jobs that require insurance and thus a “massive loss of prosperity”. Without explicitly naming the Greens, Kegel speaks of “forces that are even happy about this and want to destroy individual branches of industry in order to create something new and want to accelerate the necessary transformation towards climate neutrality in a way that is almost impossible to achieve. These are ideological world saviors who want to show and demonstrate to the whole world what industry should look like in the future.”
(...)

The picture that the association president paints of Germany as a location is gloomy, but not unrealistic. Because the signs of creeping deindustrialization are unmistakable. The Volkswagen Group is building a production facility for electric vehicles in the USA for two billion dollars. The chemical group BASF is relocating parts of its production abroad [and massively to China, Skybird]. Bayer is expanding its pharmaceutical research – in the USA. The vaccine pioneer Biontech, one of the great success stories of recent years, has chosen Great Britain as the location for expanding cancer research. And and and …

Skybird

04-20-23, 06:45 PM

Germany shortly before a coup. Germany shortly before a coup...?

https://www.nzz.ch/international/umsturzversuch-was-bleibt-vom-staatsstreich-der-reichsbuerger-ld.1734151?_x_tr_hl=de&_x_tr_pto=wapp&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_sl=auto

Meetings with extraterrestrials and "drunk talk at the regulars' table" - what remains of the alleged coup d'état by the Reich citizens? Four months ago there was panic in Germany over an allegedly imminent attempted coup. It's been strangely quiet ever since. A high-ranking intelligence official speaks of "stupid political pressure".

Skybird

04-23-23, 10:06 AM

All that remains for people like me is sheer rage.

https://think--again-org.translate.goog/nicht-in-meinem-haus/?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=de&_x_tr_pto=wapp

https://www.focus.de/politik/deutschland/habeck-wegen-familiaerer-verflechtungen-in-seinem-ministerium-in-der-kritik_id_191877552.html

August

04-24-23, 08:47 AM

All that remains for people like me is sheer rage.

Impotent rage.

Skybird

04-24-23, 10:53 AM

Who owns the Leopard 2?

https://www.nzz.ch/international/krauss-maffei-wegmann-und-rheinmetall-streit-um-den-leopard-2-ld.1734940?_x_tr_hl=de&_x_tr_pto=wapp&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_sl=auto

Bizarre, in a time like this.

Skybird

04-29-23, 06:14 AM

Political leaders, ministerial rank, top German quality. For every order of such, an unlimited compensation for pain and suffering is granted. The product speaks for itself, or at least it desperately tries to, I'll leave that uncommented.

https://unser-mitteleuropa.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/video_2023-03-22_23-26-16.mp4

Make Germany greater than ever!:yeah:

Skybird

04-29-23, 07:19 AM

French-German rivalries and animosities between KMW, Rheinmetall and Nexter, threaten to derail the planned MGCS main battle tank project.

https://www-focus-de.translate.goog/finanzen/news/im-streit-um-gemeinsames-panzerprojekt-verhaken-sich-deutschland-und-frankreich_id_192351270.html?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=de&_x_tr_pto=wapp

Things do not look much better for the planned 6th generation FCAS fighter. Dassault wanted to ursurp all contorl power and rights over it, but just earlier this year gave ground (a little bit) to Airbus and German and Spanish financiers.

Personally I was always against the cooperation of KMW and RH with the French Nexter. The gains in experzise and c omnpetence are all on France's sides, the Germans have surprisnigly little advantage form this arrangement. The Leclerc is said to be modern and complex and much electrified and automatized - but also very prone to technical problems and system breakdowns. More of a highly bred racehorse than a robust plow horse. The French planned from surprisingly early on to develope a new MBT.

Skybird

05-06-23, 03:13 PM

Democracy, destruction of logic, energy transformation. A perfect storm. Thanks to an increasingly intellectually incapable populace.

https://think--again-org.translate.goog/demokratie-und-logik/?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=de&_x_tr_pto=wapp

Stupidity is a pandemic, too.

Skybird

05-07-23, 05:23 AM

https://www-focus-de.translate.goog/politik/deutschland/cia-experte-ueber-spionage-geheimdienst-experte-mahnt-deutschland-hart-gegen-russische-spione-vorzugehen_id_192957246.html?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=de&_x_tr_hl=de&_x_tr_pto=wapp

After the BND scandal involving the mole Carsten L., Germany wants to take tougher action against Russian espionage. 30 diplomats have already been expelled in this context. But for the CIA expert John Sipher, Germany's newly displayed harshness can by no means slow down Russia's spies.

I doubt the German attempt and that it will last. Just look at how slow, if ever, the crawl alonmg the debate of militarey restrengthening of Germany: plenty of hot air pushed from one corner of the room to the other. The Germans still made only babysteps so far to ressupply a very minor share of the amunition they sent to Ukraine. Baby steps. Russia is in full wartime production mode, since mid last year.

Skybird

05-07-23, 05:29 AM

And another German anti-success story:

https://www-focus-de.translate.goog/klima/experten/experte-prof-dr-achim-lerch-durch-den-wasserbett-effekt-werden-verbote-fuers-klima-unnuetz_id_193052950.html?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=de&_x_tr_pto=wapp

The dispute over the ban on internal combustion engines, an obligation to refurbish old buildings or the partial ban on gas and oil heating currently dominates the climate policy debates. This is unnecessary, writes expert Professor Dr. Achim Lerch - because the measures discussed are not only superfluous, but even harmful.

The Greens are more braindead than a Zombie, so i doubt they will ever understand what the manis talking of.
Der Streit um das Verbot von Verbrennungsmotoren, eine Sanierungspflicht für Altbauten oder das Teilverbot von Gas- und Ölheizungen beherrscht derzeit die klimapolitischen Debatten. Das ist unnötig, schreibt Experte Professor Dr. Achim Lerch - denn die diskutierten Maßnahmen sind nicht nur überflüssig, sondern sogar schädlich.
Der Streit um das Verbot von Verbrennungsmotoren, eine Sanierungspflicht für Altbauten oder das Teilverbot von Gas- und Ölheizungen beherrscht derzeit die klimapolitischen Debatten. Das ist unnötig, schreibt Experte Professor Dr. Achim Lerch - denn die diskutierten Maßnahmen sind nicht nur überflüssig, sondern sogar schädlich.

Skybird

05-08-23, 05:12 AM

This illustrative documentation of political physics in the Focus is too nice to miss it. The exmained subject is the shooting star Robert Habeck: quickly risen, even faster to crash. He should have stayed with writing fairy tale books for children instead of trying to turn them into politics.
-----------------
Robert Habeck is the first star of the traffic light government that we get to watch burn up. Contrary to what he suspects, his political energy is not regenerative. The pressure drop can be clearly read on the dashboard of the demoscopes.

The physically interesting thing about this incandescence is the fact that no outside energy is involved. The diminishing luminosity was triggered inside the star. For a better understanding of these phenomena here is a small encyclopedia of political physics:

1. nuclear energy: The nuclear energy of the politician is his competence. Ideally, it forms the core of the core of his political personality, catapults him into high government offices and illuminates his being, as happened in the case of Helmut Schmidt, sometimes beyond his own term of office.

In the case of Robert Habeck, this economic competence energy is found only as a creeping current, which explains the dense succession of assertion ("We have no electricity problem") and retraction ("The energy price shock acutely endangers Germany's prosperity"). Against the problems of an excessively high electricity price - which he himself has fueled with nuclear power plant shutdowns, bans on Russian gas and coal phase-outs - subsidies are now to be provided with state money. Politics paradox.

2. connected energy: The energy reservoirs of a top politician are always fed from the reservoirs of his political partners as well. That's why a politician's ability to compromise and cooperate is so important, because only then can these energies of connection emerge.

Christian Lindner (finance minister, FDP) and even more so Olaf Scholz were initially quite willing to connect their energy reservoirs with Habeck. But somehow the connections didn't fit. Baerbock and Habeck are rivals anyway. Nothing flows there, and if it does, then only negative energy. There was also no connectivity between Lindner and Habeck. Even Scholz has meanwhile stopped importing energy from the chancellor's office to the Ministry of Economics because the clan structures there irritate him. Thus, a lonely Habeck became an energy self-supporter.

3. wind energy: The wind energy of politics is generated by the media. The windmills set up everywhere in the media landscape manage to inspire even mediocre politicians for some time. Martin Schulz and AKK know what is meant here.

In the case of Robert Habeck, the winds of the ARD broadcasting houses and "Spiegel" blew extremely intensively for years. This was more than helpful for Robert Habeck's climb to the top. But the debate about the independence of public television and the criticism of activism at "Spiegel" have left their mark on the rotor blades of these wind machines. Now people are hesitant to blow further into Habeck's sail.

Der Spiegel" also describes the conditions in the management of the Ministry of Economics as "nepotism" and disparagingly calls the Greens a "muesli and morality party. The energetic result: Habeck's wind harvest turns out to be meager this spring.

4 Geothermal energy: In Habeck's case, the heat flows from the depths are supplied by friends and family members, who reciprocate posts, company cars, salaries and environmental prizes, thus conforming to the principle of cogeneration.

They provide heat and he provides the power of office. But tapping into this family geothermal energy from sister, brother-in-law and brother does not bring the upward mobility that is needed now; on the contrary, it causes an energetic thrust reversal. It is no longer Habeck who warms the audience, but the audience who heats him up. The minister's chair must currently be imagined as a reddened hot plate.

Magnetic energy: Magnetic energy, also called the force of gravity, is both fair and treacherous, because sooner or later it brings every highflyer back to the ground. As soon as the thermals weaken, the magnetic energy comes into play. As soon as Robert Habeck re-entered the earth's orbit of normal mortals, he was rudely received. A crash landing of the minister is no longer out of the question. Magnetic energy knows no relatives.

Conclusion: Habeck is out of thermodynamic equilibrium. He has gone from being the coalition's energy supplier to its biggest energy guzzler. In this state, he can no longer mobilize the driving energies needed to transform a still largely fossil-fuel industrial society.

The chancellor must at least think about taking it off the grid when the opportunity arises. Habeck undeniably has many talents - the right way to deal with economics is not one of them. If one is honest, Habeck, the Minister of Economics, is already functioning only in a stretch mode.

https://www.focus.de/finanzen/gastbeitrag-von-gabor-steingart-der-grosse-absturz-von-superstar-robert-habeck_id_193214839.html

Skybird

05-09-23, 09:23 AM

They just can't get it right, not by a long shot. Or maybe they don't want to? Fifteen months - nothing has happened except for stupid verbiage.

https://www-faz-net.translate.goog/aktuell/politik/inland/der-bundeswehr-fehlt-es-an-munition-stillstand-bei-beschaffung-18880592.html?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=de&_x_tr_pto=wapp

Jimbuna

05-09-23, 01:04 PM

If I were a German citizen in the present world climate I'd be quite worried.

Catfish

05-09-23, 01:38 PM

Don't mention the war "climate" or "change" :D

Skybird

05-09-23, 03:25 PM

If I were a German citizen in the present world climate I'd be quite worried.
We must not be, because as Germans we know that the state always takes good care of us.

Jimbuna

05-10-23, 05:38 AM

Well, I reckon our lot currently in power aren't a whole lot better :)

Skybird

05-12-23, 07:55 AM

A too sensitive beast.

https://www-faz-net.translate.goog/aktuell/politik/inland/panzer-ist-der-puma-eine-wunderwaffe-oder-ein-reinfall-18886835.html?printPagedArticle=true&_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=de&_x_tr_pto=wapp#pageIndex_5

If I were the supreme decision-making top-of-the-food-chain commander of an army and wanted to buy a new IFV, I would look at the Puma's tremendous firepower and superior agility, and put it up against its extreme susceptibility to breakdowns and costly maintenance logistics - and I would reject the Puma for the latter reason.

In war, robust workhorses are needed that are tough and persistent in any weather, not neurotic, highly bred racehorse primadonnas that stay in the barn every other day because the barn temperature was two degrees too low at night and her sensible Highnesses didn't dream pleasantly enough. The Puma is just way too sensitive and way too logistics-intensive for my taste. I also do not like that the Bundeswehr cannot alone maintain the Puma, but depends essentially on industry workers being present and doing the work. And when I think that chains and gears only last a fraction of the kilometers that they do on the Leopard, then they have to be completely replaced, then I really have a crisis. Who designs such nonsense...? What will happen to such luxury logistics chains if there is a war? War means scarcity, not abundance. Combat means maximum stress, wear and tear, not maximum conservation.

August

05-12-23, 08:49 AM

If I were the supreme decision-making top-of-the-food-chain commander of an army

Woe be to that army for sure.

Catfish

05-12-23, 02:52 PM

^ lol

The "Puma" is way too much complicated. It will be a real good weapon if anyone could master it, but normal people won't.
It is completely integrated in a net of other forces, but honestly one soldier in a hundred is able to handle it. This from someone who has to work with it on a daily basis. (Not me. Thank God.)

Skybird

05-12-23, 06:41 PM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5i7Te1NVOx4

The guy is an American from Portland, he came to Germany in 2016 and is a (now retired) pro American Football player in a German AF team. He has done many videos on Germany, I now have watched some, and mostly, all in all, he gets it right. Its entertaining to see this place of mine through his eyes. Here is his channel:

https://www.youtube.com/@NALFVLOGS/videos

Skybird

05-14-23, 06:28 AM

I am not sure whether Google will translate this sufficiently well, so I post a German and English translation link.
Its about the wanted ugliness of Berlin, and what it tells about the ideology of the politics behind it.
I know some nice places in Berlin, but all in all I am so very happy that I am out of that cloaca.

The author uses some creative German vocabulary, I am not sure Google will translate that well.

https://www.publicomag.com/2023/02/baeaem-die-zukunft-steht-im-kottischlamm-eine-grand-tour-durch-das-neue-berlin/

https://www-publicomag-com.translate.goog/2023/02/baeaem-die-zukunft-steht-im-kottischlamm-eine-grand-tour-durch-das-neue-berlin/?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=de&_x_tr_pto=wapp

Rockstar

05-16-23, 06:33 AM

So-yeon Schröder-Kim, wife of Gerhard Schröder, ex-Chancellor of Germany, lost her job after the couple visited the Russian embassy on 9th May.

She worked for the North Rhine-Westphalian company as a representative for South Korea and was reportedly repeatedly warned that she should not voice opinions on politically sensitive topics in her role.

https://i.postimg.cc/VkTzHSpD/IMG-1466.jpg

Rockstar

05-16-23, 06:41 AM

Poland investigates former German Chancellor Schröder's involvement in Russia's invasion of Ukraine

May 11, 2023, 05:44 PM

Polish authorities are looking into the role former German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder may have played in helping Moscow prepare for its invasion of Ukraine, Polish news outlet RMF24 reported on May 11.

According to the report, Poland’s National Public Prosecutor's Office is investigating if Schröder may have used his position in the Russian energy sector to exert undue pressure on EU countries and Ukraine. In particular, there’s concern that the former chancellor could have used his influence to help Russia browbeat the EU into refraining from supporting Ukraine militarily.

Documents from the case indicate that Schröder did not sever ties with the Kremlin after the beginning of the full-scale invasion and continued to hold positions in Russian state energy companies – until the European Parliament threatened him with personal sanctions.

On May 20, 2022, Schröder resigned from the board of directors of Rosneft, after the European Parliament announced the former official was facing personal sanctions.

Skybird

05-23-23, 03:41 PM

Now the main battle tanks that were handed over to Ukraine are being reordered - but nothing more. A further purchase option is only theory so far.

This model designation has not played a role in the months-long debates about military aid to Kiev. This has been about the most diverse variants of Leopard tanks, which were either exported to Ukraine from industrial stocks or supplied directly to the Ukrainian army from the Bundeswehr.

But reordering of these older or somewhat younger types is "no longer possible," according to the relevant contract documents. Now the Bundeswehr is are getting the very latest Leopard 2A8 as a replacement.

The decision will be made this Wednesday in the Budget Committee of the Bundestag. It is important if only because the Leopard 2 is known to be "the main weapon of the German tank force," according to the bill obtained by the Tagesspiegel. The gaps caused by the deliveries to Ukraine must be filled as quickly as possible, especially where the ability to defend the country is directly affected.

The Bundeswehr handed over a total of 18 of its most modern 2A6 main battle tanks to Ukraine after resistance to tank deliveries in the chancellery collapsed at the end of January under the impression of massive Russian attacks on Ukraine's civilian infrastructure. It is now to receive 18 of them again - at a purchase price of 525.6 million euros.

A good half a billion euros does not have to be the end of the line in this case either. As in the case of approvals for the new F35 fighter jets, the PZH 2000 self-propelled howitzers and the Puma infantry fighting vehicle, Boris Pistorius' (SPD) Federal Ministry of Defense is once again pointing to possible delays and cost increases. For example, it reckons with around 36 million euros a year in "follow-up or utilization costs" alone.

"Depending on further developments on the world market, particularly in the area of electronic components and other raw materials, the risk of a delay is assessed by the BMVg as medium to high," it also says. A contractual penalty shifts it at least partially away from the taxpayer and instead to the manufacturer Krauss-Maffei Wegmann (KMW).

The first Leopard2A8 is to be handed over to the Bundeswehr no later than 26 months after the order, which can take place immediately after approval by the Bundestag. A further ten months later, in the summer of 2026, the so-called firm order portion of the contract is then to be completed.

But it could also be for significantly more: The contract, which will be voted on by the Bundestag this Wednesday, includes an option for up to 105 additional main battle tanks at a price of another 2.3 billion euros. According to the contract documents, KMW has offered to produce an additional two main battle tanks per month from June 2026 onwards - provided the government exercises its option now.

This is apparently the order of magnitude that the force itself considers necessary. Currently, the Bundeswehr has 328 Leopard 2s - far fewer main battle tanks than during the Cold War.

CDU budget politician Ingo Gädechens points to the government's ambitious plans "to have the first fully operational division in place by 2025 and another one as early as 2027 - which will require, among other things, additional Leopard 2 tanks. Why not order enough on this occasion to cover the need?

He criticized the fact that "only what has been surrendered is being procured - despite all the Sunday speeches to the contrary, the German government is unable to make budget funds available for anything else.

[Tagesspiegel]

What remains of Babble-Olaf's boastful talk from last year? Schall - und ansonsten nicht einmal Rauch.

Skybird

05-25-23, 01:48 PM

They cannot hide it any longer: Germany has very officially now sled into a recession. The economy shrunk in Q4 2022 by -0.5%, and in Q1 2023 by -0.3%.

Since Q1 the trend must have worstend, for a secret the government tries to hide or deny is that a growing and already alarming high numbers of companies have scrambled to leave Germany. Some point to the worsening labor situation and poor energy prospects, others are lured to the U.S. by the American investment program, while still others say they see no prospects for themselves in the medium and long term if the country that takes them in quite actually wants to do away with itself.

Also cafefully hid from the public's awareness is that we have a great net brain drain, since years, and it has constantly growen in the past 5+ years at least. It adds to the companies' bad employement situation. There are too many jobs that do not need just any worker, but need qualifed specialists and academically well-trained head-workers. But these get ripped off with taxes and payments and high electricity costs. So what do they do? They pack their young families, and leave to countries that treat them better, offer better working conditions, and allow them more wealth.

mapuc

05-26-23, 07:53 AM

AfD is climbing up in the polls says a Danish newspaper, 1 out of 4 German could put their vote on this party.

Following is translated from this news paper and it's only a little part(behind paywall)

The party flirts with expressions from the Hitler era and has sharpened its far-right course. Now the voters are flocking
One in four Germans in a new survey is considering voting for the right-wing national party AfD. Most recently, the party's chairman held a voter meeting with a far-right bannerman, but that apparently does not scare the voters. Germany's intelligence service warns in strong terms.

They have also a new motto "Alice für Deutschland"

Edit
it shocked me I thought the German had learned their lessons
End edit

Markus

Skybird

05-26-23, 09:36 AM

Recent INSA and other mainstream polls have the AfD at 17% in national elections, one point more than the Greens. Sympoathy for the AfD probably goes beyond that 17%, but not every sympathisers automatically puts his sympathy into a real vote.

I have no sympathy for the AfD, but with this worthless political garbage at the helm currently forming the government and having declared an economic and fiscal war against the German population, it is impossible to side with the latter against the former. And so I end up wishing them both to hell.

Foreign press does not really fully cover and understand how desastrous the climate policy enforced by the Greens really is, its a massacre. If they get their will, the sh!t will hit the fan. Not just in the economy, but also in society. What the Greens press for must necessarly cause a massive social collapse and a redistribution of wealth from the middle class to the ultra rich like only few seem capable to imagine: The past two weeks I got word from two of us five house owners: they will sell their appartments, probably with losses, because they cannot shoulder the enforced investemewnt costs the govenrment wants to impose on us all. And I expect it will not be private persons buying these appartments, but some real estate company - because only these can afford these costs.

So, it is no wonder that the government parties are in a steep dive and the AfD as the only real confronting opposition (the CDU is just a lame joke) gains points every month. They must not even do anything for it, they must just be there and be different than the established parties.

mapuc

05-26-23, 09:50 AM

Thank you Skybird.

Yes I forgot the most important question-WHY! Why 17% or so could think of putting their vote on AfD.

You gave a good explanation.

There must be some other serious oppositions to the traffic light constellation, than AfD.

I would rather stay home, enjoy a good movie, with a pizza than vote for AfD. instead of putting my vote on one of the traffic light.

Markus

Rockstar

05-27-23, 08:49 PM

Did Merkel Pave the Way for the War in Ukraine?
The former German chancellor is unapologetic as critics reexamine her deals with Putin and reluctance to punish his previous aggressions.

Bojan Pancevski
May 26, 2023 12:01 am ET

https://archive.ph/B6CJr/a95d34e36da8e7fa0ad7308ea3717cf71f536d17.jpg

Dressed in an imperial purple blazer, Angela Merkel beamed at a ceremony in April as she received Germany’s highest honor, recognizing the achievements of her 16-year chancellorship. It was her first appearance on a live broadcast since leaving office more than a year ago. She was at peace with herself, she said. She now had time to indulge her long-standing interest in the Renaissance, and though politics had the reputation of being a “snake pit,” she added, she could recall joyful moments from her time in power.

For any other leader, receiving the Grand Cross of the Order of Merit at Berlin’s understated Bellevue Palace would have marked the crowning of a legacy. Only two other people had previously received the honor: Konrad Adenauer, the first post-World War II chancellor, and Helmut Kohl, Merkel’s own mentor.

But the award kicked off a controversy. Adenauer and Kohl would be remembered as great chancellors, said Wolfgang Schäuble, a member of Merkel’s Christian Democratic Union who twice served as a key minister in her governments. For Merkel, he said, “It’s too early.”

https://archive.ph/B6CJr/34d0a6d10e172a6a0d8d134a6a7035b785f1d6d7.jpg

The ceremony belatedly jolted Germany into reappraising Merkel’s role in the years leading up to today’s European crises—and the verdict has not been positive. As Vladimir Putin wages a war of aggression in Ukraine, Merkel’s critics argue that the close ties she forged with Russia are partly responsible for today’s economic and political upheaval. Germany’s security policies over the past year have been, in many ways, a repudiation of her legacy. Earlier this month, Berlin announced a new $3 billion military aid package to support Ukraine in its fight against Russia, and an approaching NATO summit is expected to discuss how to include Ukraine in Europe’s security architecture—an extension of the alliance that Merkel consistently resisted.

Merkel was a key architect of the agreements that made the economies of Germany and its neighbors dependent on Russian energy imports. Putin’s invasion of Ukraine has destroyed that strategic partnership, forcing Germany to find its oil and natural gas elsewhere at huge costs to business, government and households. Berlin was able to secure enough natural gas to carry its economy through last winter, but it is unclear how Germany will meet its long-term supply needs.
Merkel’s successive governments also squeezed defense budgets while boosting welfare spending. Lt. Gen. Alfons Mais, commander of the army, posted an emotional article on his LinkedIn profile on the day of the invasion, lamenting that Germany’s once-mighty military had been hollowed out to such an extent that it would be all but unable to protect the country in the event of a Russian attack.

Most controversially, former allies of Merkel and other experts say that her refusal to stop buying energy from Putin after he seized Crimea from Ukraine in 2014—she instead worked to double gas imports from Russia—emboldened him to finish the job eight years later.

https://archive.ph/B6CJr/5443a53dacbf71fad3e667743765756a83d69db5.jpg

At an event last year, Merkel recalled that after annexing Crimea, Putin had told her that he wanted to destroy the European Union. But she still forged ahead with plans to build the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, linking Germany directly to Siberia’s natural gas fields, in the face of protests from the U.S. Merkel’s government also approved the sale of Germany’s largest gas storage facilities to Russia’s state-controlled gas giant Gazprom.

The Nord Stream 2 pipeline was set to double Russian gas exports to Germany at a time when the country already depended on Putin for 55% of its gas supply. The pipeline was built but never came online, and it was later scrapped by Merkel’s successor because of the war in Ukraine.
Since leaving office, Merkel has defended the pipeline project as a purely commercial decision. She had to choose, she said, between importing cheap Russian gas or liquefied natural gas, which she said was a third more expensive.

After Russia’s invasion of Crimea in 2014, Anders Fogh Rasmussen, then NATO secretary general, warned her against making Germany more dependent on a rogue Putin, who had just occupied and annexed part of a European nation. For Putin, he said, the pipeline “had nothing to do with business or the economy—it was a geopolitical weapon.”

Officials who served under Merkel, including Schäuble and Frank-Walter Steinmeier
(her former foreign minister and now Germany’s federal president), have apologized or expressed regret for their roles in these decisions. They believe that Merkel’s policies empowered Putin without setting boundaries to his imperial ambitions.

Merkel, by contrast, has acknowledged no mistakes and offered no apology in interviews since leaving office. She declined to be interviewed for this article.

At the time her policies were made, they reflected the dominant view among German politicians and industrialists, who saw trade as the main source of growth for the German economy and did not think the country could interact just with Western-style democracies. Merkel has also spoken of her conviction that economic engagement with authoritarian countries could bring about a rapprochement.

Merkel didn’t react when Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky publicly invited her last April to visit Bucha, the site of alleged Russian war crimes, to see what he described as the results of her policy of concessions to Putin. Though she has condemned the invasion of Ukraine as barbaric, she also has urged negotiations with Putin.

In a speech last September, she said the late Chancellor Kohl would not only have supported Ukraine but ”would also think about what currently appears unthinkable, simply unimaginable—namely, how to develop something like relations with and to Russia again.” Delivered just as international organizations were launching investigations into Russian atrocities, the suggestion of rebuilding ties to Moscow struck some critics as, at the least, ill-timed.

https://archive.ph/B6CJr/227d69bb4a78d75d61a468b236c6449b992a1da0.jpg

Joachim Gauck, who was president of Germany when Putin first invaded Ukraine in 2014, said Merkel’s decision to boost energy imports from Russia in the wake of Putin’s aggression was clearly a mistake. “Some people recognize their mistakes earlier, and some later,” he said.
That mistake had its roots in another decision by Merkel: Her move to greatly accelerate Germany’s planned phasing out of nuclear energy in 2011, in response to the Fukushima disaster in Japan. The gap in energy supply created by this dramatic shift meant that Germany had to import more energy, and it had to do so as cheaply as possible. This meant becoming dependent on Russian natural gas, said Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer, who served as defense minister under Merkel.

Kramp-Karrenbauer, once picked by Merkel as a possible successor, opposed Nord Stream 2 and tried in vain to rebuild Germany’s depleted armed forces. Her push to meet a NATO target of spending 2% of gross domestic product on defense, agreed upon after Russia’s annexation of Crimea, was blocked by the chancellery, Kramp-Karrenbauer said.

https://archive.ph/B6CJr/60810ef7b45e5df617e2e747e2493206830a0aef.jpg

“We broke the promise to NATO, and I believe this was a big mistake,” Kramp-Karrenbauer said. “We abandoned the lessons of the Cold War. Diplomacy must be accompanied by military strength.”

Merkel’s role in shaping NATO policy toward Ukraine goes back to 2008, when she vetoed a push by the Bush administration to admit Ukraine and Georgia into the alliance, said Fiona Hill, a former National Security Council official and presidential adviser on Russia.

Merkel instead helped to broker NATO’s open but noncommittal invitation to Ukraine and Georgia, an outcome that Hill said was the “worst of all worlds” because it enraged Putin without giving the two countries any protection. Putin invaded Georgia in 2008 before marching into Ukraine.
After Putin first attacked Ukraine, Merkel led the effort to negotiate a quick settlement that disappointed Kyiv and imposed no substantial punishment on Russia for occupying its neighbor, Hill added. “No red lines were drawn for Putin,” she said. “Merkel took a calculated risk. It was a gambit, but ultimately it failed.”

Some observers believe that the failure to establish red lines and Germany’s continuing economic cooperation encouraged Putin to attempt a full-scale attack in 2022. “OK, so I could get away with that,” Putin concluded in 2014, according to Rasmussen. “So why not continue?”

https://archive.ph/B6CJr/20ee73e505539efd4e0b6b6d8f5a6a9a75ec82e6.jpg

Merkel still has supporters, and as Germany begins to grapple with her complicated legacy, many still hold a more nuanced view of her role in laying the groundwork for today’s crises.
Joe Kaeser, the former chief executive of the German conglomerate Siemens, worked closely with Merkel and accompanied her and other senior government figures on official travels, including to Russia, where his company was one of the largest foreign investors.

Kaeser, who now chairs the supervisory board of Siemens Energy, a listed subsidiary, agrees that Germany’s dependence on Russian natural gas grew under Merkel, but he says that there was—and is—no alternative for powering Europe’s industrial engine at a viable price.

“We didn’t expect that there would be war in Europe with the methods of the 20th century. This never featured in our thinking,” said Kaeser, who himself met Putin several times. He believes that Merkel’s Russia policy was justified. Even Germany’s new government has not found a sustainable and affordable replacement for Russian energy exports, he said, which could lead to deindustrialization.

Many defenders of Merkel say that she merely articulated a consensus. Making her country dependent on Washington for security, on Moscow for energy and on Beijing for trade (China became Germany’s biggest trade partner under her chancellorship) was what all of Germany’s political parties wanted at the time, said Constanze Stelzenmüller of the Brookings Institution.
“Without backing from the U.S.A., which was very restrained at the time, any tougher German reaction to the annexation of Crimea could hardly have been possible,” said Jürgen Osterhammer, a historian whose work on globalization and China has been cited by Merkel as an influence on her thinking.

For her part, Merkel is determined not to rely on historians for the historical record of her tenure. While unwinding from her long years of public service, she told German media, she is working on a memoir under a major publishing contract.

In retirement, Merkel told the German news magazine Der Spiegel, she has watched “Munich,” a Netflix movie about Prime Minister Neville’s Chamberlain’s infamous negotiations with Hitler in the run-up to World War II. Though Chamberlain’s name has become synonymous with the delusions of appeasement, the film offers a more nuanced picture of the British leader as a realist statesman working to postpone the inevitable conflict. That reinterpretation appealed to Merkel, the magazine reported.

She has also made an effort to rejuvenate relations with another retired statesman, President Barack Obama, whom she visited in Washington, D.C., last June. The former leaders enjoyed a museum visit and dinner at his favorite Italian restaurant. After the trip, Merkel complained that the growing criticism she is facing at home betrayed a lack of respect for her role as leader. “It is part of democracy to endure criticism, but my impression is that an American president who’s left office is being treated with greater respect by the public than a German chancellor,” she told Der Spiegel.

In April, Merkel was again asked on stage at a book fair whether she would not reconsider her refusal to admit having made some mistakes. “Frankly,” she responded, “I don’t know whether there would be satisfaction if I were to say something that I simply don’t think merely for the sake of admitting error.”

Bojan Pancevski is The Wall Street Journal’s Germany correspondent.

Skybird

05-31-23, 05:57 AM

Yesterday I saw a 30 minutes documentary about the Bundeswehr, and they illustrated quite well why so many leave it, early if they are recruits, or bitter and frustrated when they are already with it since many years. A women that was a Eurofighter pilot (honestly said I did not even know or remember we had female fighter pilots in service) just has left the cockpit after 14 years, frustrated and anything but at peace with the Luftwaffe. She quoted miserable personnel policies and lousy leadership as well as an extremely poor ready-status of equipment and unavailable equipment, often leading to situations that training flights were cancelled since no working Eurofighter was available again, and I have read a few years ago that many pilots cannot even get the mandatory minimum of flight hours (how they keep their license then they did not write...).

In mid-June, Germany will see parts of its airspace closed for NATO's biggest military exercise since decades. Civilian flight traffic will be massively affected in the closed air zones (will be cancelled). Hundreds of aircraft of NATO members are currently shuttled into Germany.

Today I read this:

For motorcycle rockers, it's part of the ritual: at a red light, the throttle is turned up to idle. The engine howls, the exhaust smokes, the audience watches a spectacle that could be described as a frenzied standstill. The simulation of motion is also widespread in politics.

The motorcycle rockers of the traffic light coalition look like Boris Pistorius and Eva Högl. With their loudly stated thoughts about reintroducing compulsory military service (Högl: "We have to start the debate now.", Pistorius: Discussion about compulsory service would be "valuable"), they have increased the torque of the debate, admittedly without shifting into gear.

Nothing moves, but it smokes and rattles. The practiced idling politician doesn't change the world, but the next morning's headline does. The advantage of this political simulation is obvious: the only one who really has to make an effort is the paperboy who carries the hot air through the housing estate.

The matter of compulsory military service, which all three parties in today's traffic light coalition voted to suspend in 2011, is well suited for such maneuvers. The demand is risk-free. There are five solid reasons why the federal government and also the business elite are not seriously thinking of re-deciding this issue.

Reason 1: Military justice not guaranteed

Draft justice - that is, the fairness in conscription mandated by the Constitution - was not guaranteed even in the past. Conscription was like a lottery; even in the good old days of the Bundeswehr, only 30 to 40 percent of a cohort found their way into the barracks.
To this day, the Two-Plus-Four Treaty stipulates that the absolute ceiling for German armed forces is set at 370,000. Equality is now causing additional problems: Young women would also have to be conscripted today - in barracks that don't even exist for them.

Reason 2: Bundeswehr currently unable to absorb new personnel

The Bundeswehr in its current state is dysfunctional and cannot absorb new personnel at all.

The report of the military commissioners meticulously records the deficiencies. At the Klotzberg barracks in Idar-Oberstein, for example, 90 men and women have access to only two toilets. The mountain troops report inadequate ski equipment, boat crews complain about a lack of cold weather gear. A large part of the war equipment cannot be used - in the case of helicopters, around 60 percent of all machines.

Reason 3: Compulsory military service would have serious consequences for the labor market

With a shrinking work force that will lose 400,000 workers a year from now on to retirement demographics, it would be madness to draft entire cohorts into the barracks.

In the event of general compulsory military service, an entire cohort - i.e. around 700,000 young people - would be deliberately kept out of the labor market - with serious repercussions also for tax and social security revenues. Germany would wilfully slow down its economic growth.

Reason 4: No capacity for hiring and training recruits

The personnel capacities for recruiting and training recruits no longer exist. With the abolition of compulsory military service, the Bundeswehr has been reduced from 225,000 soldiers to 185,000, and many Bundeswehr sites have been handed over to local authorities, which use the space for housing construction. The district military replacement offices, once responsible for recruitment and mustering, have been dissolved.

Reason 5: "We need professionals"

The most important difference between the conscript army of yesteryear and now is the innovation in military technology. It requires professionals, engineers, software developers, not military unskilled workers. Carlo Masala, a professor at the Bundeswehr University in Munich, says that today one would have to plan for a training period of 18 months "because the military equipment is so complex." His dictum: "We need professionals."
Conclusion: the "citizen in uniform" is a memory item from the poetry album of the early years. Today, he is only good as an extra in a historical drama. And the compulsory military service that legitimizes it belongs not in the law gazette again, but in the Museum of Contemporary History.

[Focus]

Skybird

05-31-23, 07:09 AM

The official inflation in Germany dropped to 6.1%, says the German government's statistics office.

Skybird

06-06-23, 05:56 AM

"When a clown moves into a palace, the clown does not become a king, but the palace becomes a circus."

https://pleiteticker.de/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/347567394_1418819425359388_8611342217414172487_n-1024x577.jpg

The story behind this:

https://pleiteticker-de.translate.goog/traditionsunternehmen-in-nrw-gruene-nein-danke/?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=de&_x_tr_pto=wapp

(...)
"We see little worth supporting in Green politics," he explains. He is particularly critical of the lack of qualifications of top Green politicians: "We see politicians who allow themselves to be elevated to certain positions without any qualifications. We fear a threat to our country as a result of a lack of competence."

While there are less-qualified politicians in all parties, he said, it is "particularly evident in the case of the Greens." In this regard, he takes the parties to task for putting qualified personnel at the top. "The Greens disregard this in a special way and put particularly low-qualified people at their top."

Hess rejects that a rejection of climate protection is also derived from his rejection of the Greens. One could discuss climate protection measures, "but we do not support the principle that the end justifies the means. The end does not justify all means."

In response to the accusation of adopting AfD slogans, Hess counters, "What's interesting is what's being said - not who's saying it."
(...)

Skybird

06-07-23, 07:00 AM

The useless riffraff in Berlin is once again exposing Germany to ridicule. This is the new official emblem of the Facebook presence of the German government. No joke.

https://ichmeinsgut.de/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Bundesadlerin.jpeg

No, no joke at all.

https://i.postimg.cc/9MGD18qc/brd.png (https://postimages.org/)

Skybird

06-07-23, 08:11 AM

I've been saying it for years, but hardly anyone wants to believe it, it's such outrageous stupidity that everyone says to themselves: that's so stupid it can't possibly be true. But green party thinking is brutal, fanatical, intelligence-free ideologism in its purest form. Its also deeply hostile to market mechanisms and capitalsm, self-responsibility and liberalism. It wants state control of evertyhing, command and control, and deindustrialisation to - according to quite some Green and always capitalism-hostile chief ideologists - up to 90%.

NINETY percent.

North Korea, anyone?

https://www.tichyseinblick.de/daili-es-sentials/rwe-krebber-stromknappheit-habeck-energiediaet/

RWE boss warns of power shortage - Habeck sets "energy diet" on shrinkage course

Parallel to the poll ratings of the Greens, the secure supply of affordable electricity is also declining: all this with announcement and according to the plans of the propagated degrowth. As Ulrike Herrmann says: "Eco-energy will be expensive. And the machines will only run on energy. With expensive and scarce energy, there will be no more growth, but shrinkage."

"Scary warning" at Bild and the head of RWE quoted, who in turn warns of an electricity shortage: electricity will soon be scarce in Germany. According to Bild, Krebber continues, this will drive companies and jobs out of the country.
"Germany's prosperity is based on strong industry," Krebber said. "A shortage of energy leads to high prices - this endangers the competitiveness of Germany as an industrial location. We are seeing the first signs of deindustrialization."

Krebber had already warned against a boycott of gas and oil from Russia after the Russian attack on Ukraine. An embargo must also be able to be sustained, he objected a year ago. He is backing so-called "green energies" and does not question the "energy turnaround." Instead of shouting "nonsense" loud and clear, he says "we" would have to simultaneously manage the massive expansion of the grids and build a "hydrogen economy." "We" would also have to build hydrogen-capable gas-fired power plants so that the coal phase-out in 2030 would succeed.

Nonsense terms like "renewables" pass his lips with ease, sending shivers down the spine of any engineer. Krebber is an economist, not a physicist or engineer, so he doesn't ask whether and how such a century-long undertaking could succeed in principle.

His solution: more money from the state. There must be "massive investment in green energies. The will and the money are there. To ensure that investments are actually made, a reliable framework is needed in the long term that creates incentives instead of setting hurdles."

Speaking of RWE and more money from the state: Instead of investing in Germany, RWE prefers to invest in the USA, and bought the US solar specialist "Con Edison Clean Energy Businesses" for 6.9 billion euros. RWE collected the funds for this through the nuclear and coal phase-out.

If the state has too little money, all nuclear power plants finally shut down, finally helps: Habeck's "energy diet".

His NGO machinery, which has hijacked the "Federal Ministry of Economics and Climate Protection," is unabashedly pushing out the next idea for another law: the so-called "Energy Efficiency Act." At the front of the ramp, Habeck has to laboriously represent that this should reduce Germany's energy consumption by more than a quarter - and already by 2030.

What every company is already doing on its own initiative, namely careful handling of expensive energy, is what those who have done something with "international relations," "public policy" or even "sociology" want to enforce with "mandatory energy consumption controls," among other things.

According to Habeck, "together we must succeed" in significantly and permanently reducing energy consumption in Germany. "Last year, we showed together that this is possible. With the new law, we are now creating a clear framework."

Clearly, this will succeed when the important industry has left the country and the factory halls are empty.

Parallel to the Greens' poll ratings, the secure supply of affordable electricity is also declining. However, all this happens with notice and follows the plans of the degrowth propagated by Greens. As Ulrike Herrmann openly admitted: "Eco-energy will be expensive. And the machines will only run on energy. With expensive and scarce energy, there will be no more growth, but shrinkage."

"Denk mich an Deutschland in der Nacht,
bin ich um den Schlaf gebracht..."

Skybird

06-09-23, 10:33 AM

Farewell to Germany - doubts are growing as to whether this is still our country.

https://www-focus-de.translate.goog/finanzen/news/abschied-von-deutschland-wie-wir-es-kennen_id_193059152.html?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=de&_x_tr_pto=wapp

Skybird

06-11-23, 03:48 AM

https://www-focus-de.translate.goog/politik/ausland/das-grosse-kampfpanzer-projekt-mit-frankreich-steht-jetzt-auf-der-kippe_id_196108300.html?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=de&_x_tr_pto=wapp

German-French cooperation to build the next MBT is running deeper into a dead end. I'm not sorry to hear that, I never liked the sharing by KMW with Nexter. The French should build fighters, the German tanks and conventional submarines, the Bris nuclear submarines, the Swedes IFVs and stealthed naval units. Something like that as a job-sharing. These international cooperations for one and the same platform make things expensive and take more time. Lets distribute projects amongst nations in the NATO and EU, but keep one project fully under one nation's responsibility. Germany simply does not need the French cooperation on tanks, its a purely political motivation behind this.

When I was student, I HATED work groups. Inefficient to the max, and afterwards I nevertheless still had to relearn everything myself, others cannot learn for you. Waste of time. In companies the idea of brainstorming sessions and group meetings are loosing ground, too, I red some months ago.

Skybird

06-13-23, 06:53 AM

Church and greed and indifferent state.

https://www.dw.com/en/germany-and-its-churches-wrangle-over-napoleons-asset-grab/a-65895538

German church members also pay mandatory church taxes that gets collected by the state.

Members of any religious community should negiotiate with dsaid community whethe roir not a emmberhsiup fee is to be paid, and the community shoul,d tak ecare opf it all by itself, like if you were a ember of a chess club, for example. Its worth it for you - you pay and play in club rooms. Its not worth it for you - you pass, pay not, and play not in club rooms. That simple.

Germany loves to describe itself as a secular state. It is not not.

We have just had the prptestant church meeting (Kirchentag). It does not get any greener, woker and gay and lesbian than there. The Protestant church is not the church anymore, its the appendix of the Greens. The Catholic church is a money grabber, is corrupt, protects sexual offenders and pedophiles, and does its best to evade investigatrions and leaves victims behind. Many of the German dioceses are amongst the richest wordwide. Money does not stink.Nobody knows this better than the inventor of indulgence trade (Ablasshandel).

Frnak Herbert, in his Dune novels, describes the rise and fall of the Atreides empire. The Fremen warriosr from the desert conquer the galaxy. But in the later books, the degenerate, and in the end are just a ptiiful shadow of their former self. Museum-Fremen they are called. Thats what the churches today are: shadows, carricatures of the Christians of the time around Jesus' lifetime and its immediate past. Museum-Christians.

Skybird

06-13-23, 10:34 AM

https://www.tichyseinblick.de/kolumnen/josef-kraus-lernen-und-bildung/abitur-pflichtpruefung-mathematik/

Germany: Land of the Mathastenics - the Mathematical Illiterates

More and more German states, eleven of them in the meantime, are dispensing with a compulsory mathematics examination for the Abitur. Now Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania wants to join these eleven.

Mathematics is a truly evil subject. Along with physics and Latin, it is the classic subject that students fail to take. In mathematics, the examinee can't just rant and rave like in some subjects in the humanities and social sciences, where a lot of chatter often results in a grade of 3. In mathematics, there are usually clear solutions. There, it is simply "right" or "wrong". Accordingly, the grades for mathematical performance are quite objective and incontestable. You can't make an "A" out of an "F," no matter how much empathy the examiners have. And anyway, as we hear from U.S. universities and their anti-colonialist, anti-racist departments, mathematics is a "toxic" subject because mathematics (allegedly) comes from ancient, white, male Greeks.

This ideology now seems to be catching on in Germany as well. More and more German states, now eleven of them, are doing away with a compulsory exam in mathematics at the Abitur. Now Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania has also joined these eleven. The education minister in office there, Simone Oldenburg (Left), set up a "steering group" of practitioners some time ago, which has been discussing the further development of the Abitur in an "open-ended" manner for more than a year. However, there can be no talk of "open-ended", because regional newspapers in the state on the Baltic Sea report that Simone Oldenburg is actually planning to abolish compulsory examinations in mathematics.

The CDU and AfD oppositions see it differently in unison - and without regard to Merz's firewall. "High school graduates should be able to do more than the multiplication tables. Whoever claims that mathematics is dispensable for many professions, and that the exam therefore is, is shamelessly lying to the students' faces," explained the education policy spokesman of the CDU state parliamentary group, Torsten Renz. The devaluation of the Abitur is no contribution to more educational justice. "Whoever grumbles against mathematics can fatally always hope for applause," explained the education policy spokesman for the AfD state parliamentary group, Enrico Schult, adding, "Instead of abolishing exams, schools should teach children: Mathematics is cool."

Quite unemotionally: Without a mathematical baccalaureate basis, you can't master physics, chemistry, computer science, engineering, economics or business studies. And even psychology or sociology studies are difficult without a solid mathematical foundation. The same applies to the subject of "climate research", unless you specialize in how superglue works. Two facts prove the importance of mathematics in a course of study: Firstly, because many students fail in the subjects mentioned because of their deficits. Secondly, because universities have to set up more and more mathematical air courses, especially in these subjects.

In addition, solid mathematical foundations have a political and media dimension that can hardly be underestimated. Specifically, the more diffuse mathematical knowledge or even rudimentary calculation skills are, the easier it is for the Habecks, the Lindners, the Baerbocks and others to fool the public with adventurous numerical comparisons, tricky trend and percentage calculations, and faked charts (histograms and polygons). To fool the public - and the "media professionals". Because the latter are often unable to see behind these number games due to their own lack of basic mathematical education; or else they continue to transport these tricks in an attitude loyal to the government without criticism.

However, it is often not even about higher mathematics. A foreign minister with a feminist and international law mindset sometimes says that the Ukraine war will only end when Putin turns 360 (!) degrees. She was already a minister then. But she wasn't yet a minister when she started spouting the following figures: Every German citizen emits 9 gigatons of CO2 per year. In fact, the figure is 9 tons (end of 2018). But that doesn't matter: You can make a mistake by a factor of 1 billion. Or: "People with low incomes usually consume (sic!) less CO2, are therefore not as strongly affected by the price increases and still get just as much money back as people with a large CO2 footprint who pay more" (June 2021). Which, however, takes us outside the realm of mathematics, because "consume" and "emit" are different physical facts. But never mind. The then candidate for chancellor meant well, and in 2018 and mid-2021 she did not yet have a whispering ministerial apparatus including ex-Greenpeace boss and US citizen Jennifer Morgan as German Secretary of State.

What does this "teach" us: A billion "or so" does not matter. You can also make it into the federal cabinet as a mathastenic/dyscalculic (m/f/d). Because one is also clear: Federal government and Bundestag are to be a representative image also of the stupid German pleb.

Incidentally, even CDU-led federal states are now making every effort to ideologize the school subject of mathematics as well. In a draft of the state of North Rhine-Westphalia from the spring of 2023 for a mathematics curriculum (empty plan?), the goals of math instruction - quasi as an invitation to swagger in exams - include:

Within the framework of the general educational mission of the school supports the subject of mathematics, supports the development of a mature and socially responsible personality and makes further contributions to interdisciplinary cross-interdisciplinary tasks in school and teaching, which include, among others:
[Mind you, this is the school curriculum for courses in mathematics!, Skybird]

- Human rights education,
- values education,
- political education and democracy education,
- Education for the digital world and media education,
- education for sustainable development,
- gender-sensitive education,
- cultural and intercultural education.
(Core curriculum for secondary level II Gymnasium / comprehensive school in North Rhine-Westphalia, mathematics (draft association participation, 23.01.2023) )--------------------------

The dumber a population, the less critical questions it can ask the politicians in command. Stupidity is very much wanted.

Some years ago I heard on radio that somebody was demanding to delete 1 and 0 from the numbers because these were sexualised numbers reminding of Lingam and Yoni and therefore they were sexually discrimination of non-heteros.

Cultural degeneration.

Skybird

06-16-23, 08:42 AM

KMW and Nexter are no more.

https://www-welt-de.translate.goog/wirtschaft/article245861268/Leopard-Hersteller-Krauss-Maffei-Wegmann-ist-jetzt-Geschichte.html?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=de&_x_tr_pto=wapp

I'm not a fan of this. Never was. I am not against such fusaions, but agaiunst the fusion of German KMW with French Nexter. Plenty of know-how will go from Germany to France. Not so much the other way around. Germany does not need this deal, France very much needs it, also to externalise some of the French costs to Germany.

The two nations will next collide on export regulations to third countries outside NATO, where Germany traditionally wants a much tighter regulation than France, and Paris wants a very loose handling.

The rivalry of Rheinmetall with former KMW and now KNDS will also produce thrilling results. RM cooperaters with KMW in the Leopards, at the same time raises compoetition to this project by propducing a rival to both the Puma IFV and the Leopard 2 MBT. The heads of both companies can't stand each other and are also engaged in a trade of personal hostilities.

Skybird

06-17-23, 06:16 AM

East Berlin, June 17th 1953

https://cdn.mdr.de/nachrichten/arbeiteraufstand-100-resimage_v-variantBig16x9_w-704.jpg?version=24607

https://img.nzz.ch/2023/06/14/683d629b-dcf1-47d2-a142-90c8c0cdacc3.jpeg?width=750&height=503&fit=bounds&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=2022,1357,x14,y181

https://www.sueddeutsche.de/image/sz.1.1698150/974x731?v=1528635571&cropRatios=0:0-BiGa-www&cropRatios=3:2&cropRatios=2:3&method=resize

Skybird

06-22-23, 02:54 PM

Didn't I say it? A year ago, I said it. I called it Olaf's verbosity, his loudmouthedness. And that he never had the intention to put his drivel about Zeitenwende into action. Never, not for one day. He lied from day one. The NZZ writes:

-----------------

Boris Pistorius is not getting the money he needs to quickly make the Bundeswehr defensible. Six months after taking office, the country's most popular politician hits the hard ground of reality.

Boris Pistorius and the Germans - what a nice honeymoon that was! Since taking office in January, the defense minister has been by far the most popular politician in the country. As a man of open words and a hands-on problem solver with a great zeal for making announcements, he outshines all his colleagues in the "traffic lights," which are dim at best.

Now, however, he is in danger of being disenchanted as a great illusionist. The culprit is himself - and his success. Pistorius must realize that being the country's most popular politician does not only have its advantages. The envious are working diligently to bring him down from his pedestal of popularity.

To do so, they are working on him where it hurts the most: with the money. There is basically no need to say anything more about the state of the Bundeswehr. But after the general statement a year ago that the armed forces were "bare," the next disastrous result follows after large quantities of weapons and ammunition were handed over to Ukraine, which is fighting for survival: the army is even more bare.

It therefore seems bizarre what the German government is now planning. It is true that the budget for the Bundeswehr is to be increased by 1.7 billion to 51.8 billion euros next year. But Pistorius had demanded 10 billion more to make the armed forces defensible again. Now he has nothing left in addition. That's because, after the collective bargaining agreement in the public sector in the spring, the increase will go entirely to higher pay for soldiers and civilian employees of the Bundeswehr.

Pistorius is now learning the consequences of making big announcements. His talk of 10 billion more raised expectations. But it should have been clear to him that this cannot be done with this government.

The "traffic light" may be rhetorically up to the mark. But in terms of budgetary policy, their decisions counteract the announcements of a "turnaround" in security policy. Certainly, the country is in a recession, and revenues are falling. But is there anything more important than Germany's security at the moment?

Anyone who doubts this should read through Putin's statements on his imperial intentions once again. According to them, Ukraine is just the beginning.

But for Germany to quickly become defensible again, more savings would have to be made elsewhere. That would leave individual ministers in an even worse position than they already are. It would also cause even more stress for Chancellor Olaf Scholz in his divided coalition. So it's better to leave everything as it is.

Boris Pistorius and his Bundeswehr have to make do, just like everyone else. Big words, little action - that's how it's been for decades in Germany's security policy.

So now the illusionist from the Ministry of Defense has to show whether he can also play illusion theater. The first attempt seems to have succeeded. The fact that Pistorius has quietly rowed back from 10 to 1.7 billion has in any case hardly upset anyone in German politics or the public. Nor, apparently, did the fact that the Bundeswehr is now running into a dangerous funding gap.

However, there is someone who should not fall for this illusion theater. Vladimir Putin will have realized what kind of performance is being given in Berlin and will know how to use the staging for his propaganda about a "soft Germany. In this context, the attempt by the "traffic light" to link the regular defense budget with spending from the special fund in order to conceal the country's departure from NATO's two-percent target is also a transparent maneuver.

Germany has abandoned its security policy "turnaround." The 100 billion euro special fund was not intended to supplement the regular military budget. It was to be used to make urgently needed major investments in weapons such as helicopters, combat aircraft, tanks, air defense systems and combat ships.

The defense budget should have increased in parallel, as announced by Scholz in his "turn of the times" speech in February 2022. This is necessary if only to finance the operation and maintenance of the new weapons and the personnel they require.

But the government is now putting this on the back burner and transferring responsibility for it to its successors. Many of its predecessors have done the same. Germany's security policy is in a time warp.

The outlook is bleak. For the Bundeswehr, because it will not get what it needs to fulfill its mission in the foreseeable future. For the allies, because once again they must fear that they cannot rely on Germany. And for the country, because it is permanently unable to defend itself.

After the honeymoon, disillusionment has set in. Boris Pistorius, too, is doomed to be a backdrop shifter, with everything remaining as it was. It seems that he, too, is just a defense minister who has rejoined the ranks of those who managed Germany's armed forces. In times of crisis, that is dangerously little.

-------------

And there was something else I said from the beginning: that Pistorius would fail. Or rather: that he would be allowed to fail.

Jimbuna

06-23-23, 04:49 AM

I know there is absolutely no chance of it happening but perhaps a period of suspension from NATO might suffice.

Jimbuna

06-26-23, 10:00 AM

German central bank risks bailout after money printing spree.

Germany’s central bank may need a bailout to cover losses on the debt it hoovered up as part of the European Central Bank’s (ECB) massive bond-buying programme, the country’s federal auditor has warned.

The Bundesrechnungshof said losses faced by the Bundesbank on more than €650bn (£570bn) of bond purchases were “substantial” and “could necessitate a recapitalisation with budgetary funds”.

The critical report of the ECB’s so-called public sector purchase programme (PSPP) – akin to quantitative easing in the UK and US – throws future bond-buying sprees to prop up the single currency bloc in doubt.

Economists have blamed bond-buying programmes for stoking inflation amid a series of negative supply shocks that have increased the risk of economies overheating.

Steep rate hikes by the ECB meant that the Bundesbank suffered a €1bn hit to its bond holdings last year alone.
https://www.msn.com/en-gb/money/other/german-central-bank-risks-bailout-after-money-printing-spree/ar-AA1d2mVC?ocid=msedgntp&cvid=54e28a043cc14e909cc10b3f07a6c8b9&ei=35

Rockstar

06-29-23, 06:18 PM

Unfortunetly Mr. Buna the U.S. and the U.K. are in it deep for the same reasons. And it has nothing to do with wage increases or brexit

https://youtu.be/Mn6GyDvgTKc

Gorpet

06-30-23, 12:37 AM

Gorpet

06-30-23, 12:59 AM

[QUOTE=Skybird;2873224]Didn't I say it? A year ago, I said it. I called it Olaf's verbosity, his loudmouthedness. And that he never had the intention to put his drivel about Zeitenwende into action. Never, not for one day. He lied from day one. The NZZ writes:

-----------------

Boris Pistorius is not getting the money he needs to quickly make the Bundeswehr defensible. Six months after taking office, the country's most popular politician hits the hard ground of reality.

Boris Pistorius and the Germans - what a nice honeymoon that was! Since taking office in January, the defense minister has been by far the most popular politician in the country. As a man of open words and a hands-on problem solver with a great zeal for making announcements, he outshines all his colleagues in the "traffic lights," which are dim at best.

Now, however, he is in danger of being disenchanted as a great illusionist. The culprit is himself - and his success. Pistorius must realize that being the country's most popular politician does not only have its advantages. The envious are working diligently to bring him down from his pedestal of popularity.

To do so, they are working on him where it hurts the most: with the money. There is basically no need to say anything more about the state of the Bundeswehr. But after the general statement a year ago that the armed forces were "bare," the next disastrous result follows after large quantities of weapons and ammunition were handed over to Ukraine, which is fighting for survival: the army is even more bare.

It therefore seems bizarre what the German government is now planning. It is true that the budget for the Bundeswehr is to be increased by 1.7 billion to 51.8 billion euros next year. But Pistorius had demanded 10 billion more to make the armed forces defensible again. Now he has nothing left in addition. That's because, after the collective bargaining agreement in the public sector in the spring, the increase will go entirely to higher pay for soldiers and civilian employees of the Bundeswehr.

Pistorius is now learning the consequences of making big announcements. His talk of 10 billion more raised expectations. But it should have been clear to him that this cannot be done with this government.

The "traffic light" may be rhetorically up to the mark. But in terms of budgetary policy, their decisions counteract the announcements of a "turnaround" in security policy. Certainly, the country is in a recession, and revenues are falling. But is there anything more important than Germany's security at the moment?

Anyone who doubts this should read through Putin's statements on his imperial intentions once again. According to them, Ukraine is just the beginning.

But for Germany to quickly become defensible again, more savings would have to be made elsewhere. That would leave individual ministers in an even worse position than they already are. It would also cause even more stress for Chancellor Olaf Scholz in his divided coalition. So it's better to leave everything as it is.

Boris Pistorius and his Bundeswehr have to make do, just like everyone else. Big words, little action - that's how it's been for decades in Germany's security policy.

So now the illusionist from the Ministry of Defense has to show whether he can also play illusion theater. The first attempt seems to have succeeded. The fact that Pistorius has quietly rowed back from 10 to 1.7 billion has in any case hardly upset anyone in German politics or the public. Nor, apparently, did the fact that the Bundeswehr is now running into a dangerous funding gap.

However, there is someone who should not fall for this illusion theater. Vladimir Putin will have realized what kind of performance is being given in Berlin and will know how to use the staging for his propaganda about a "soft Germany. In this context, the attempt by the "traffic light" to link the regular defense budget with spending from the special fund in order to conceal the country's departure from NATO's two-percent target is also a transparent maneuver.

Germany has abandoned its security policy "turnaround." The 100 billion euro special fund was not intended to supplement the regular military budget. It was to be used to make urgently needed major investments in weapons such as helicopters, combat aircraft, tanks, air defense systems and combat ships.

The defense budget should have increased in parallel, as announced by Scholz in his "turn of the times" speech in February 2022. This is necessary if only to finance the operation and maintenance of the new weapons and the personnel they require.

But the government is now putting this on the back burner and transferring responsibility for it to its successors. Many of its predecessors have done the same. Germany's security policy is in a time warp.

The outlook is bleak. For the Bundeswehr, because it will not get what it needs to fulfill its mission in the foreseeable future. For the allies, because once again they must fear that they cannot rely on Germany. And for the country, because it is permanently unable to defend itself.

After the honeymoon, disillusionment has set in. Boris Pistorius, too, is doomed to be a backdrop shifter, with everything remaining as it was. It seems that he, too, is just a defense minister who has rejoined the ranks of those who managed Germany's armed forces. In times of crisis, that is dangerously little.

-------------

And there was something else I said from the beginning: that Pistorius would fail. Or rather: that he would be allowed to fail.[/QU

Skybird, isn't this the future you dreamed of ? or thought would happen.Old man.I certainly didn't But i will tell anyone these people we have elected are the absolute smartest high IQ people we can turn our lives over to.