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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.

06-22-23, 02:54 PM	#1990
Skybird Soaring Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: the mental asylum named Germany Posts: 40,494 Downloads: 9 Uploads: 0	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. __________________ If you feel nuts, consult an expert.