The planes do not fly, the weapon hits the target. Not the Bundeswehr, but the Olsen gang
The popular American edition of Politico has published Article “Once upon a time, the powerful Bundeswehr begins to resemble the Olsen gang,” dedicated to the state of the German military. It is worth recalling that the Olsen gang is a fictional Danish criminal gang, about which the comedy series was filmed. Gang members are completely harmless, never resort to violence and constantly fall into comic situations. Thus, the author of the material, in essence, compared the Bundeswehr with a gang of harmless fools.
Matthew Carnichnig writes in the Politico edition:
If you think that comparing the Bundeswehr with the Olsen gang is a mockery, then look at the HK G36 automatic rifle on the standard armament of the German army. The government decided to scrap it all weapon, after it was discovered that at too high a temperature, this weapon is not able to hit the target.
The deputy from the Social Democratic Party of Germany, Hans-Peter Bartels, who is a member of the commission on defense, in a report published in late January, states:
"Soldiers are far from fully equipped"
The German army, once one of the most formidable (and most cruel) in the world, is increasingly beginning to resemble a voluntary fire service, rather than a modern military machine. Last month, alpine arrows were sent to clean snow from rooftops in Bavaria.
During a recent trip to Lithuania, where German soldiers are stationed around 450 as part of strengthening the eastern flank of NATO, American officers were horrified to find that the Bundeswehr military men communicate using unprotected mobile phones because they lack professional radio stations.
At the end of the 2018, less than 20 percent of the 68 German Tiger combat helicopters and less than 30 percent of the 136 Eurofighter fighters were able to fly. Frustrated by this situation, the pilots leave the service.
A high-ranking German officer in the headquarters of the Bundeswehr in Berlin states:
This is worse than it might seem.
The German military machine has been falling for a long time. However, the report of Bartels and a series of recent revelations revealing mistakes in the management at the highest level of the defense department show that the state of the armed forces may be worse than even the biggest pessimists had supposed.
American President Donald Trump is putting more and more pressure on Berlin to spend more on defense and fulfill obligations arising from NATO membership. The deplorable state of the German army can thus be one of the main themes of the annual international security conference that is taking place now in Munich.
Is the government of Angela Merkel ready and generally able to cope with this problem? This is another question. Mrs. Chancellor’s center-right coalition oversees the Department of Defense for almost 15 years, and critics believe that the ruling party has aggravated the problems of the Bundeswehr.
Last month, Defense Minister Ursula von der Lyayen, trying to fend off criticism, said:
In recent weeks, von der Lyayen has been at the center of a scandal involving external consultants, including consulting companies McKinsey and Accenture, which are paid hundreds of millions of euros to clean up the army. So far, consultants can not boast of special success.
Concerns about the role of external actors led Parliament last month to create a special commission of inquiry to investigate orders-related violations and accusations that consultants received oversized contracts and acquired excessive influence.
The pressure on von der Lyayen, who has been Minister of Defense since 2013, is increasing on all sides. Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmerman, deputy chairman of the opposition FDP, warned that if the Minister did not quickly relieve the situation, it might be time to ask if the ministry was managed by the right people.
Scare America, ignoring the threat from Russia
Most media now portray the US as a security threat comparable to Russia. Public opinion is trying to steer in a similar direction. The tone of discussions on security is set by several analysts from expert analysis centers who think in this way, who seem to spend most of their time on Twitter, wondering if “Trump will destroy NATO”.
Most Germans believe that China would be a better partner for their country than the United States, according to a poll published last week by Atlantik Brücke, a transatlantic lobby group based in Berlin. About 80, percent of respondents rate US-German relations as “bad” or “very bad.”
In such an atmosphere, it is easy to forget that thousands of American soldiers are stationed in Germany, and that after the end of World War II, Washington is the guarantor of the security of Germany.
However, it is story can be a key issue when it comes to the German defense attitude. Many Germans seem to be blissfully unaware that their safety, and therefore their well-being, is largely based on the presence of the American nuclear shield.
Soon they can expect an unpleasant awakening. The aging German Tornado fighters, the only aircraft in this country capable of carrying nuclear warheads, will be sent for scrap in the coming years. Berlin must find a replacement for them in order to fulfill the obligations arising from the long-term joint nuclear strategy with the US.
This task can be difficult, at least from a political point of view. After the break in this month of the Cold War treaties on disarmament between the US and Russia, some of the policies of the SPD, a small coalition partner in the Merkel government, have begun to cast doubt that Berlin should maintain its nuclear commitments to the US.
The SPD, which loses heavily in polls, is probably only testing the soil for now. Christian Democrats Angela Merkel consistently maintain a nuclear alliance with the United States and any attempt to break it could probably accelerate the collapse of the government.
However, the SPD rhetoric reflects the general skepticism prevailing in Germany on all matters related to defense. This shows that updating the Bundeswehr requires equally to spend more money on changing attitudes in society.
Soldiers are afraid to walk in uniform down the street.
The hard evasion of the Germans from any participation in military actions may have roots in their history in the 20th century, but it also seems that decades of American protection have put this country to sleep and introduced it into a false sense of security.
Given the above, few politicians do anything to support the army as a purely democratic institution. For example, few people pay attention to the fact that the Bundeswehr is involved in dangerous foreign missions in countries such as Mali or Afghanistan.
Reports that the state of equipment of soldiers threatens their life and health, rather, become a topic for black jokes, and do not cause outrage. In a country where military service, as a rule, is not a reason for pride, few people worry about the fate of soldiers.
In Berlin and other German cities, some Bundeswehr employees say that they prefer to make their way to and from work in civilian clothes in order not to look for aggressive looks and unpleasant comments. In Potsdam, near Berlin, local politicians are wondering whether it is appropriate to place ads on urban trams calling for service in the Bundeswehr.
Even Merkel doesn’t care much about the Bundeswehr. Madam Chancellor has not visited soldiers in Germany since 2016. “Does the Chancellor care about the Bundeswehr at all?” Asked Bild on the tabloid cover last week.
In conclusion, the publication summarizes:
It should be noted that the deplorable state of the Bundeswehr is no longer a secret, but this is far from the concern of the American edition. So according to the results of a poll conducted in Germany by Pew on the eve of the Munich Conference, the majority of people in the country consider the USA to be more of a threat than Russia or China. In Germany, the USA is considered a threat - 49% of citizens, while Russia is 30% and China is 33%.
At the same time, the SPD, which is part of the government coalition, has recently set up a commission to revise the agreement under which German planes must carry American atomic munitions in the event of an attack by Russia, and, moreover, demanded the withdrawal of American nuclear weapons from the country. Naturally, such changes taking place in Germany are perceived in Washington as a threat to their strategic interests. This, in fact, explains the unexpected concern of American journalists about the state of the German armed forces.
Matthew Carnichnig writes in the Politico edition:
The once powerful German army looks increasingly helpless: fighters and helicopters that do not fly; ships and submarines that are unable to sail, and in addition an acute shortage of everything from ammunition to underpants.
If you think that comparing the Bundeswehr with the Olsen gang is a mockery, then look at the HK G36 automatic rifle on the standard armament of the German army. The government decided to scrap it all weapon, after it was discovered that at too high a temperature, this weapon is not able to hit the target.
The deputy from the Social Democratic Party of Germany, Hans-Peter Bartels, who is a member of the commission on defense, in a report published in late January, states:
There is a shortage of both people and armaments, often one shortage catches up with the other.
"Soldiers are far from fully equipped"
The German army, once one of the most formidable (and most cruel) in the world, is increasingly beginning to resemble a voluntary fire service, rather than a modern military machine. Last month, alpine arrows were sent to clean snow from rooftops in Bavaria.
During a recent trip to Lithuania, where German soldiers are stationed around 450 as part of strengthening the eastern flank of NATO, American officers were horrified to find that the Bundeswehr military men communicate using unprotected mobile phones because they lack professional radio stations.
At the end of the 2018, less than 20 percent of the 68 German Tiger combat helicopters and less than 30 percent of the 136 Eurofighter fighters were able to fly. Frustrated by this situation, the pilots leave the service.
A high-ranking German officer in the headquarters of the Bundeswehr in Berlin states:
Wherever you look, everywhere something does not work.
This is worse than it might seem.
The German military machine has been falling for a long time. However, the report of Bartels and a series of recent revelations revealing mistakes in the management at the highest level of the defense department show that the state of the armed forces may be worse than even the biggest pessimists had supposed.
American President Donald Trump is putting more and more pressure on Berlin to spend more on defense and fulfill obligations arising from NATO membership. The deplorable state of the German army can thus be one of the main themes of the annual international security conference that is taking place now in Munich.
Is the government of Angela Merkel ready and generally able to cope with this problem? This is another question. Mrs. Chancellor’s center-right coalition oversees the Department of Defense for almost 15 years, and critics believe that the ruling party has aggravated the problems of the Bundeswehr.
Last month, Defense Minister Ursula von der Lyayen, trying to fend off criticism, said:
This is a struggle on many fronts. I would also like to see things go faster, but 25 years of cuts and neglect will not be fixed in a few years.
In recent weeks, von der Lyayen has been at the center of a scandal involving external consultants, including consulting companies McKinsey and Accenture, which are paid hundreds of millions of euros to clean up the army. So far, consultants can not boast of special success.
Concerns about the role of external actors led Parliament last month to create a special commission of inquiry to investigate orders-related violations and accusations that consultants received oversized contracts and acquired excessive influence.
The pressure on von der Lyayen, who has been Minister of Defense since 2013, is increasing on all sides. Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmerman, deputy chairman of the opposition FDP, warned that if the Minister did not quickly relieve the situation, it might be time to ask if the ministry was managed by the right people.
Scare America, ignoring the threat from Russia
Most media now portray the US as a security threat comparable to Russia. Public opinion is trying to steer in a similar direction. The tone of discussions on security is set by several analysts from expert analysis centers who think in this way, who seem to spend most of their time on Twitter, wondering if “Trump will destroy NATO”.
Most Germans believe that China would be a better partner for their country than the United States, according to a poll published last week by Atlantik Brücke, a transatlantic lobby group based in Berlin. About 80, percent of respondents rate US-German relations as “bad” or “very bad.”
In such an atmosphere, it is easy to forget that thousands of American soldiers are stationed in Germany, and that after the end of World War II, Washington is the guarantor of the security of Germany.
However, it is story can be a key issue when it comes to the German defense attitude. Many Germans seem to be blissfully unaware that their safety, and therefore their well-being, is largely based on the presence of the American nuclear shield.
Soon they can expect an unpleasant awakening. The aging German Tornado fighters, the only aircraft in this country capable of carrying nuclear warheads, will be sent for scrap in the coming years. Berlin must find a replacement for them in order to fulfill the obligations arising from the long-term joint nuclear strategy with the US.
This task can be difficult, at least from a political point of view. After the break in this month of the Cold War treaties on disarmament between the US and Russia, some of the policies of the SPD, a small coalition partner in the Merkel government, have begun to cast doubt that Berlin should maintain its nuclear commitments to the US.
The SPD, which loses heavily in polls, is probably only testing the soil for now. Christian Democrats Angela Merkel consistently maintain a nuclear alliance with the United States and any attempt to break it could probably accelerate the collapse of the government.
However, the SPD rhetoric reflects the general skepticism prevailing in Germany on all matters related to defense. This shows that updating the Bundeswehr requires equally to spend more money on changing attitudes in society.
Soldiers are afraid to walk in uniform down the street.
The hard evasion of the Germans from any participation in military actions may have roots in their history in the 20th century, but it also seems that decades of American protection have put this country to sleep and introduced it into a false sense of security.
Given the above, few politicians do anything to support the army as a purely democratic institution. For example, few people pay attention to the fact that the Bundeswehr is involved in dangerous foreign missions in countries such as Mali or Afghanistan.
Reports that the state of equipment of soldiers threatens their life and health, rather, become a topic for black jokes, and do not cause outrage. In a country where military service, as a rule, is not a reason for pride, few people worry about the fate of soldiers.
In Berlin and other German cities, some Bundeswehr employees say that they prefer to make their way to and from work in civilian clothes in order not to look for aggressive looks and unpleasant comments. In Potsdam, near Berlin, local politicians are wondering whether it is appropriate to place ads on urban trams calling for service in the Bundeswehr.
Even Merkel doesn’t care much about the Bundeswehr. Madam Chancellor has not visited soldiers in Germany since 2016. “Does the Chancellor care about the Bundeswehr at all?” Asked Bild on the tabloid cover last week.
In conclusion, the publication summarizes:
The answer to this question may already be pointless at the moment. Merkel is leaving, so the task of restoring the Bundeswehr seems to fall on her successor. By this time, the plans of the “European Army”, of which Germany should be a part, have about the same chances of success as the German air force soars into the sky.
It should be noted that the deplorable state of the Bundeswehr is no longer a secret, but this is far from the concern of the American edition. So according to the results of a poll conducted in Germany by Pew on the eve of the Munich Conference, the majority of people in the country consider the USA to be more of a threat than Russia or China. In Germany, the USA is considered a threat - 49% of citizens, while Russia is 30% and China is 33%.
At the same time, the SPD, which is part of the government coalition, has recently set up a commission to revise the agreement under which German planes must carry American atomic munitions in the event of an attack by Russia, and, moreover, demanded the withdrawal of American nuclear weapons from the country. Naturally, such changes taking place in Germany are perceived in Washington as a threat to their strategic interests. This, in fact, explains the unexpected concern of American journalists about the state of the German armed forces.
Information