CDR Salamander, certainly not anti-German, is critical of the present stance of the German government:
The final part of the Merkle administration was problematic, but under the present SDP government led by Olaf Scholz – the Cold War socialist and Soviet apologist, Germany’s irresponsible stance in the face of European and NATO security requirements cannot go without consequences. The present, “Just do enough in security to look like we’re doing something, but not too much…” should be called out for exactly what it is.
Germany, even more than France, is the keystone to Europe. Too many nations look to her for leadership culturally, economically, and security. Poland is an emerging leader, but she does not have the population or GDP power to match Germany.
Here’s his proposal for changing things:
In NATO, General and Flag Officer billets are distributed amongst nations in a rather complicated way, but this formula is controlled by NATO – and as such – can be changed.
Entering argument: take the present formula for “fair distribution†and multiply by .75 any nation that spends 1.5% to 1.99% GDP on defense. Multiply by .5 any nation that spends between 1.25% to 1.499%. Multiply by .25 1.0% to 1.240%. If you fall below 1%, you get nothing and your OF5 (Col./Capt) billets are halved.
1.25x for 2.01%-2.25%. 1.5X for 2.26%-2.75%; 1.75x for 2.76% -3.0%. 2x for +3.01%.
IMO the situation is actually somewhat worse than he realizes. The greater threat to most European countries, other than those that actually border Russia, is not Russia but German banks. I also don’t agree that the Germans chose the wrong leader at the wrong time. I think they chose a leader who reflects Germany’s conflicted nature. They don’t want to pay for their own defense and they don’t want the Americans to think of them as an impediment or liability. So they try to straddle.
“The present, “Just do enough in security to look like we’re doing something, but not too much…†should be called out for exactly what it is.”
It’s been that way for decades, and every administration going back, to at least GWB has called them out. It hasn’t done anything.
Even if we could impose that, changing the general officer billet rotation will not convince German politicians (and the German people) to make the tradeoffs necessary to invest more in defense. If the US wants to play hardball, then they need to do so with something much stronger, like closing US bases in Germany and moving them to other countries. That will cost us a shit-ton of money too though. Not an easy problem.
“If the US wants to play hardball, then they need to do so with something much stronger, like closing US bases in Germany and moving them to other countries. That will cost us a shit-ton of money too though.”
I’m wondering if halfway measures wouldn’t deliver the message.
In any event, Trump was right. The freeloading must stop.
I read the CDR almost every day, and sometimes comment there. The CDR and his followers are for the most part American Imperialists, and they want all our allies to submit to our direction on nearly all issues. They want the military of 1945 and American world domination back.
I think it is plain than many Germans despise us. The blog Moon of Alabama is a good example, and a really good source for international relations. They want the good old days of 1914 back. My daughter, who has lived in Germany for over 15 years, passes for native German. She once overheard a conversation between some German army officers who had served in Afghanistan, and who regarded our officers and troops as lunatics.
NATO’s purpose ended with the collapse of the Soviet Union, and it should have been disbanded then. Since the collapse, the US and NATO have consistently meddled in the affairs of other countries, and have started numerous wars, beginning with Serbia and ongoing today in Somalia (our longest war, aside from the Indian Wars, 30 years and counting), Syria (where we are looting oil and wheat), and Iraq (where we cower in the Kurdish area).
Recently some German politician revealed that the Minsk I and II accords were not intended to be enforced, giving Ukraine peace, and keeping it intact, but rather were intended to give Ukraine time to build up its army for the coming war.
Recently, the US/UK/Poland attacked a German asset in Nord Stream I and II. We are also imposing a sanctions regime on them that is destroying their industrial base. In fact, one wonders if the whole Ukraine fiasco is merely a cover for an attack on Germany, its people, and its economy.