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German military too small


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German military too small to aid ‘collective defense,’ official says

JIEUYWG3TVBE5LSQQ4X27KCP34.jpgFor the largest economy in Europe, Germany’s military — the Bundeswehr — sure is small.

“The hard currency, in which the success of the [defense] minister is measured, is the readiness of the Bundeswehr,” Bartels said. “And that has not really improved in the last four years, but rather has become worse.”

https://www.defensenews.com/flashpoints/2018/01/25/german-military-too-small-to-aid-collective-defense-official-says/

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As I read this I had a flashback to the group of EU clownfish all rolling their eyes and mocking president Trump as he upbraided them for failing to "pay their fair share" for their own defense.  Maybe they should just make common cause with Putin to defend them and throw a few Euro his way each year. ;)   I mean no general disrespect to Germans, just their nutty, Left-leaning pols.  They really seem to believe that self-defense is "more of a guideline" than a hard rule...

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The biggest story: The German military is 'not deployable' in major crises

Germany is far from the only European country ill equipped for a military escalation, but the country's parliamentary commissioner now says that the situation has gotten so bad that Germany's armed forces are “not deployable for collective defense.”

Bundeswehr pilots are using helicopters owned by a private automobile club to practice because so many of their own aircraft are in need of repair. And about half of all Leopard 2s — the most common tank in Bundeswehr service — were out of order as recently as November. Read the full story.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2018/01/25/the-german-military-is-currently-not-deployable-and-6-other-global-stories/?utm_term=.7a22fe87c1c7

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Trump has valid point when calling on not just Germany but NATO to increase military spending and preparedness. 

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8 minutes ago, Captain Risky said:

Trump has valid point when calling on not just Germany but NATO to increase military spending and preparedness. 

I think that eventually, the EU will form their own military but they won't spend the money until they absolutely HAVE to.  Too many immigrants and social welfare programs to feed...

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1 minute ago, and then said:

I think that eventually, the EU will form their own military but they won't spend the money until they absolutely HAVE to.  Too many immigrants and social welfare programs to feed...

yeah, like you i think that the EU would like to but whether they're capable and willing to spending the required money on shared platforms like air to air refuelers, satellites, command centres and subsidising the militaries of front line states like Sweden, Poland and Greece is another matter. of course we're not even talking about a common defence doctrine of mutual assistance. could you imagine a combined EU NATO coming to the assistance of Russian or Turkish aggression against Poland and Greece? i can't.   

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2 minutes ago, Captain Risky said:

yeah, like you i think that the EU would like to but whether they're capable and willing to spending the required money on shared platforms like air to air refuelers, satellites, command centres and subsidising the militaries of front line states like Sweden, Poland and Greece is another matter. of course we're not even talking about a common defence doctrine of mutual assistance. could you imagine a combined EU NATO coming to the assistance of Russian or Turkish aggression against Poland and Greece? i can't.   

No, I can't imagine it, frankly.  I was serious about the Left in the EU making common cause with Putin's view of Europe.  

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BTW the HK-36 assault rifle the German soldier is using is soon to be replaced with the equally cool looking HK-433. The HK-36 for all its smart looks has many defects like overheating and accuracy problems. 

Image result for HK433

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1 minute ago, and then said:

No, I can't imagine it, frankly.  I was serious about the Left in the EU making common cause with Putin's view of Europe.  

that's not entirely a far out assessment. Germany has no stomach for military confrontation with anyone, especially Putin. if it wasn't for Russia's foray into Ukraine i bet the Russians would have had a preferential trade deal with the EU and even some armament co-production. the French were very close to selling arms and co-production with Russia before Crimea. If Trump isn't too careful he just might lose America's European allies.  

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I like the Tavor/ Bullpup style of assault rifle for non-sniper applications.  BTW, I got an FN Five Seven for Christmas and LOVE IT!  It's a really cool pistol with fantastic velocity and a 20 round magazine.

https://iwi.us/product/tavor-x95-5-56-nato-w16-barrel/

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2 minutes ago, Captain Risky said:

that's not entirely a far out assessment. Germany has no stomach for military confrontation with anyone, especially Putin. if it wasn't for Russia's foray into Ukraine i bet the Russians would have had a preferential trade deal with the EU and even some armament co-production. the French were very close to selling arms and co-production with Russia before Crimea. If Trump isn't too careful he just might lose America's European allies.  

The EU is going to look out for their own best interests and I wish them well but Vlad isn't a teddy bear.  They may rediscover this at the worst possible time.  OTOH, he may be more about business than confrontation for the near term.  Who knows?

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13 minutes ago, and then said:

I like the Tavor/ Bullpup style of assault rifle for non-sniper applications.  BTW, I got an FN Five Seven for Christmas and LOVE IT!  It's a really cool pistol with fantastic velocity and a 20 round magazine.

https://iwi.us/product/tavor-x95-5-56-nato-w16-barrel/

man that's so cool. here in OZ we're kinda restricted in gun purchases due to the odd nut job. besides my misses don't like guns so i do what I'm told. :) 

Love the look of the Tavor and from all indications its a great gun. i was reading that Tavor now produces a model in 7,62 NATo and might also do one in 7,62 x 39. (love that cartridge.) FN five seven. man that would be a real treat. I'm so jealous man.

here you'd like the new offering from IWI. Masada.

 

 Image result for masada pistol

Edited by Captain Risky
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8 minutes ago, and then said:

The EU is going to look out for their own best interests and I wish them well but Vlad isn't a teddy bear.  They may rediscover this at the worst possible time.  OTOH, he may be more about business than confrontation for the near term.  Who knows?

the thing as i see it is that with the exception of the French and the British leaving any EU armed force would just be an extension of French foreign policy. Maybe Russia might look to behave if it was promised free trade and a counter balance to America and China. 

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another problem with a joint and independent european army would be autonomy in weapon R&D and production. the collapse of the Soviet union is an excellent example of what can happen when a country can't depend on its own weapon production anymore and the time and budgets required to keep and maintain in country or EU. that means common procurement. now just imagine 27 countries settling for the same kit.  

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5 hours ago, Captain Risky said:

man that's so cool. here in OZ we're kinda restricted in gun purchases due to the odd nut job. besides my misses don't like guns so i do what I'm told. :) 

Love the look of the Tavor and from all indications its a great gun. i was reading that Tavor now produces a model in 7,62 NATo and might also do one in 7,62 x 39. (love that cartridge.) FN five seven. man that would be a real treat. I'm so jealous man.

here you'd like the new offering from IWI. Masada.

 

 Image result for masada pistol

That IS a nice looking piece.  I'll have to do a little research.  The five seven was a total, out of the blue surprise!  I was blown away and so thankful.  I've only fired it a couple of times because it's expensive to feed but the thing I like most about it is you don't have to be an expert pistol marksman to put plenty of rounds on target.  The recoil is very manageable.  I can't hit the broad side of a barn with a .45 and it's the HITS that count, not the noise :P  Sorry, I didn't mean to sound like I'm gloating, I'm just really happy with the weapon :) 

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A major problem with German Politicians is that they have mountains of cash in the piggy-bank but dont want to spend any of it on their armed forces. They prefer to rely on other nations spending on their own armed forces to come running to their aid when the proverbial "hits the fan".

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Just now, keithisco said:

A major problem with German Politicians is that they have mountains of cash in the piggy-bank but dont want to spend any of it on their armed forces. They prefer to rely on other nations spending on their own armed forces to come running to their aid when the proverbial "hits the fan".

Why do you say that? I mean is there recent evidence this is their mindset?

Or could it be that the mechanisms for military production and distribution are in place if needed but the nation chooses to spend on more currently pressing issues rather than have a massive standing military? (and I honestly don't know, but I wish the US would run itself like that) 

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4 minutes ago, Farmer77 said:

Why do you say that? I mean is there recent evidence this is their mindset?

Or could it be that the mechanisms for military production and distribution are in place if needed but the nation chooses to spend on more currently pressing issues rather than have a massive standing military? (and I honestly don't know, but I wish the US would run itself like that) 

The condition of their equipment and the huge cash reserves lend credence to my assertion dont you think? Why wouldnt you spend a relatively small amount on self-defence preparedness or indeed even the 2% NATO guidelines. If you can think of other reasons for allowing your equipment to become dangerously inadequate whilst maintaining a current account surplus of $294 BILLION (largest in the world) then I would like to know what it is. The UK, Greece and Poland are the ONLY NATO members that meet the 2% military spending target.  

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1 minute ago, keithisco said:

The condition of their equipment and the huge cash reserves lend credence to my assertion dont you think? Why wouldnt you spend a relatively small amount on self-defence preparedness or indeed even the 2% NATO guidelines. If you can think of other reasons for allowing your equipment to become dangerously inadequate whilst maintaining a current account surplus of $294 BILLION (largest in the world) then I would like to know what it is. The UK, Greece and Poland are the ONLY NATO members that meet the 2% military spending target.  

Sure I can its just about priorities, its not necessary to fix right now.  Clearly they have the surplus to fix it if needed, it seems that some intelligent forethought on the mobilization process could put a nation in position to quickly respond with a small standing force while mobilizing the reserves. 

Purely conjecture on my part of course but that's how I would do it if I were king. 

 

   

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I wonder what the chances are that theyve looked at all the potential threats to their state and done some kind of analysis of that which has brought them to the conclusion, that maybe, just maybe, they don't really need a massive army and loads of tanks, and that theres not much point spending all that cash on stuff they dont need if it can be used better elswhere....

 

just a thought...

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Yeah the article is incomplete.  Collective defense from who?   I'm pretty sure they can take out the girl scouts or the French pretty easy.  The Russians, the US, Space Aliens?  Probably not so much so.

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The Germans have had it pounded into their skulls for generations how evil German militarism is, with the rotting albatross of another time and another generation's sins hung around their necks for good measure. You can't expect the German people to suddenly and enthusiastically go goose-stepping down the street singing the Horst Wessel Song as though every thing was hunky dory and ginger peachy again. It's going to take a paradigm shift in national and social introspective self-evaluation to get them motivated.

Edited by Hammerclaw
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14 hours ago, keithisco said:

Why wouldnt you spend a relatively small amount on self-defence preparedness or indeed even the 2% NATO guidelines.

It is planned to match the 2% in 2024.

Quote

If you can think of other reasons for allowing your equipment to become dangerously inadequate whilst maintaining a current account surplus of $294 BILLION (largest in the world) then I would like to know what it is.

Dont mix up the values. The surplus of you mentioned is the 2017 current account surplus which is a commercial factor and not a tax factor. Its not the Job of Mr. Volkswagen and Mrs. Daimler to pay for defence equipment for Germany.

Quote

The UK, Greece and Poland are the ONLY NATO members that meet the 2% military spending target.  

Its funny that you mentioned Greece and Poland here. For your info, in 2016 Poland was No. 1 on the EU beneficiary list and Greece No. 3 while Germany was, and still is, the No. 1 on the EU payers list. Means, the defence budgets of Poland and Greece are well fed with Germany money as well.

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10 hours ago, Torchwood said:

I wonder what the chances are that theyve looked at all the potential threats to their state and done some kind of analysis of that which has brought them to the conclusion, that maybe, just maybe, they don't really need a massive army and loads of tanks, and that theres not much point spending all that cash on stuff they dont need if it can be used better elswhere....just a thought...

You are 100% right. I, as a German, dont feel threatened by any outside military force and I prefer that we invest our money in usefull things like education, research, regenerable energy technologies and infrastructure. I`m ok with Germany to be a part of the NATO, and to pay for and to support as per NATO guidelines, but any kind of superior army would be highly suspicious to me. And not to forget, its regulated in our constitution that our army is a defence army only and not an army thats allowed, or can be instructed, to attack a foreign nation/power.

I think the demand for a superior army is more a mindset thing than a real requirement. And this thread here is a very good example for different mindsets as two people here (don't take it personally, fellows) have posted images of their and/or favoured hand guns, which is giving a quite clear insight into the individual perception of weapons and the willingness to perform a deadly force for whatever reasons and all the time. I call it a fetish, a very dangerous one.

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