[Skybird]

Originally Posted by JALU3

Is there a pro-defense party that have a wide enough platform that you might be willing to support? Or is the ghost of the Third Reich still scarying many in your country about the honor it is serving their nation while carrying arms? Or is it that they fear the return of an offensively minded nation?

I have meet very few germans that I have come to know, but those that I have have very liberal leanings, but a very healthy respect of those who carry arms, and serve in uniform. Is this a minority?

Doesn't operating under a unifying flag, such as the EU or NATO, provide operational cover for those so opposed to Germany putting its weight behind the will of lawful nations in defending the common SLOCs?

Feel free to call me an ignorant American. Not like I would be the first to be called it. I know we have been on opposite sides of things the few times we have been at it, but any understanding you can provide about the German Public's opinions regarding Germany's anti-piracy efforts would provide an interesting insight.

I have no impression formed on how much the public supports the anti-piracy operation. Regarding the flagging thing, it is being raised by politicians, and also owes to an overly complicated legal situation that even is more complicated in Germany - at least so I was told - than international maritime laws already are. the reflagging is not being done due to calls raised from civil groups.

But remember - our leaders also stubbornly evade to call the mission in Afghanistan a war, and martial action. Only once a killed German soldiers has been officially called a soldiers KIA. All others, even if being killed by bombs and fire, were avoided to be described as losses in war.

with the exception of the usual suspects - the Green, the left (we have a party that indeed is called The Left), juvenile anarchists opposing everything, and self-perceiving philantrophists, I would say that the wide public has a much more relaxed relation to German armed forces today than for example 25 y<ears ago, at the end of my school days. whule most are adamant in their opposition to afghanistan, being in uniform usually does not trigger any social alienation or even hostility anymore. That is even more true in cities that have had a long presence of NATO allied contingents (Brits, Dutch) stationed with them, since these troops socially isolated themselves very much from German society, on the other hand members of foreign armed forces use to wear their uniform in public more naturally and more relaxed, it seems to me (but maybe it is just me). German military is very stiff both in verbal tone and public behavior. Compared to that the easiness in behavior of American troops in the berlin brigade - from a German perpsective - was almost provoking! Brits and Yanks surely are more relaxed regarding these things. I live in close proximity to British military over here, right down my street - at least as long as the garrison is not shut down (planned for). Where an occasional contact took place it - what happened time and again -, it was very relaxed. I found it easy to handle them, i like them. that they were military and sometimes in uniform never was anythign you spend a thought on. but german soldiers in uniform moving freely around - still gets them some gazes in their backs. Maybe not unfriendly, but not perceived as such a normal sight like for example a Dutch officer going home on bicycle (true, you see them a lot here, biking in uniform). For some reason the Dutch always seem to have something to laugh or to smile about.