Under Pressure From Trump, Germany Boosts Military Spending

[Swordsmyth]

Germany has given its military a 5.7 billion Euro ($6.5 billion USD) boost after Defense Minister Ursula von der Leyen refused to sign off on the previous draft, reports Reuters.

Finance Minister Olaf Scholz on Monday proposed adding 5.7 billion euros (£5 billion) to the planned military budget from 2020, to buy more ships, fighter jets and other weaponry over several years, on top of a more modest 323 million euro boost in 2019. -Reuters

The boost in spending comes amid pressure from US President Donald Trump, who has encouraged Germany to increase its military budget to 2% of its 3.67 trillion (USD) GDP from its current 1.2% - a proposal which has sparked great debate within the country's ruling coalition. The United States spends approximately 3.1% of its much larger 19.39 trillion GDP on the military.

Experts say the military budget - now slated to reach around 43 billion euros in 2019 - would have to increase by 2 billion euros a year through 2021 and 3 billion euros a year after that even to meet Chancellor Angela Merkel’s promise to hit 1.5 percent of GDP by 2024.
It was not immediately clear how the extra funding, set out in a 290-page list of proposed budget revisions seen by Reuters, would affect the military budget’s share of GDP. -Reuters

Coalition split

Von der Leyen of Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservative CDU party would like to satisfy long-standing shortfalls in the German military's personnel and equipment.
Scholz's center-left Social Democrats, however, have been hesitant to increase military spending out of fear of alienating German voters as their polling numbers "are collapsing," according to Reuters.
The new revisions first reported in part by the Handelsblatt newspaper will be a topic of debate during this week's parliament meeting, and is subject to changes by the budget committee.

More at: https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2018-...itary-spending

[acptulsa]

Because Germany arming themselves worked out so well for us in 1911 and 1937.

[RJB]

Because Germany arming themselves worked out so well for us in 1911 and 1937.

As the Monty Python song goes, "Always look on the bright side of life..."

[r3volution 3.0]

Pushing Europe to re-arm while promoting nationalism...

What could go wrong?

[Swordsmyth]

Pushing Europe to re-arm while promoting nationalism...

What could go wrong?

Nothing that won't go wrong anyway.

[juleswin]

Because Germany arming themselves worked out so well for us in 1911 and 1937.

I think it worked out well for us, Europe was destroyed, the US became the sole super power, it brought us the Bretton woods monetary system. I think it worked quite well for the US.

Why anyone would oppose a country arming themselves is beyond me, its Germany's fault that France and Britain decided to declare war on her and when they got their arses kicked called in the US for help. I think the world would have been very peaceful had US stay out of WWI and Europe were left alone to sort their problems.

[juleswin]

I would like to know who exactly they are arming themselves for. I am guessing its not their no. 1 energy trading partner in Russia which leaves the other possible enemy in radical Islam. The only problem with the latter is that multiple million dollar jet fighters are going to be utterly ineffective against those guys.

Smart countries in relative peace time use periods like this to save up on security but here is Trump trying to get everyone to spend their limited resources of security. God help us all

[Swordsmyth]

I would like to know who exactly they are arming themselves for. I am guessing its not their no. 1 energy trading partner in Russia which leaves the other possible enemy in radical Islam. The only problem with the latter is that multiple million dollar jet fighters are going to be utterly ineffective against those guys.

Smart countries in relative peace time use periods like this to save up on security but here is Trump trying to get everyone to spend their limited resources of security. God help us all

Trump is trying to break NATO and Germany is arming up to force other countries to stay in the EU.

[juleswin]

Trump is trying to break NATO and Germany is arming up to force other countries to stay in the EU.

So I understand the post above, Germany arming up only counters Trump's goal of breaking up NATO? because if this somehow scares other countries to stay in NATO them Trump loses. I don't get it, a smart country should use this time to save up for rainy days instead a country who is fortunate to have his only potential enemy as his #1 energy trading partner is spending money building up its defenses.

These countries should look at Switzerland instead of the US, France, England, Saudi Arabia, Israel for guide. But sadly, this is what you get when u have shyte brain leader like Merkel listening to poo brain leader this Trump

[Swordsmyth]

So I understand the post above, Germany arming up only counters Trump's goal of breaking up NATO? because if this somehow scares other countries to stay in NATO them Trump loses.

That is how Germany is trying to respond to Trump but it will result in the fall of Merkel's government instead.

The other countries can't afford to increase their defense spending because of their welfare programs and terrible economies.

Trump will win.

War is coming to the EU one way or the other.

[r3volution 3.0]

Not only are the nationalist menchildren nonchalantly risking another European war, they're already working on a talking point to divert the blame.

War is coming to the EU one way or the other.

[Swordsmyth]

Not only are the nationalist menchildren nonchalantly risking another European war, they're already working on a talking point to divert the blame.

War was coming to the EU since it was founded, it was set up to benefit some members at the expense of others and it was always intended to become ever more insufferably totalitarian.

[CaptainAmerica]

Pushing Europe to re-arm while promoting nationalism...

What could go wrong?

encouraging germany to become a leader of its own country is a bad thing ? its an intelligent strategy to encourage Europes most intelligent , and autonomous country to start building its defense up. it basically indirectly causes the EUROPEAN union to shutter...to separate. GOOD. We dont need to keep funding those ass holes.

[juleswin]

encouraging germany to become a leader of its own country is a bad thing ? its an intelligent strategy to encourage Europes most intelligent , and autonomous country to start building its defense up. it basically indirectly causes the EUROPEAN union to shutter...to separate. GOOD. We dont need to keep funding those ass holes.

LOL, yea a country with foreign troops on its land is the most autonomous country in Europe. The big lie is that this is some ploy to encourage Europe to be more independent when it is obvious to anyone with any understanding of TPTB that this is a scheme to encourage countries in peace time to stimulate the military industrial complex with them buying equipment they do not need.

Germany is no Hong Kong who spend little to no money on defense, they have actively participated in wars in Serbia, Iraq I and II, Afghanistan, Libya etc. They are very capable of defending herself with the military they have now and it addition project their military power outside their borders. If Trump really wanted to encourage German independence, he would start by withdrawing the troops we have in that country now.

I promise you if he ever did that, the German people will not beg him to stop. They would instead cheer him on. Another lie is that we ever needed to protect Europe from anyone. The best move Germany can do is to call Trump's bluff and ask him to stop supporting them if he is going to whine all day about it. Ask him to stop the funding now and withdrawn the troops and equipment tomorrow. This is when you people will the true aim of Trump's whinning.

[Swordsmyth]

Germany is no Hong Kong who spend little to no money on defense, they have actively participated in wars in Serbia, Iraq I and II, Afghanistan, Libya etc. They are very capable of defending herself with the military they have now and it addition project their military power outside their borders.

The German military is currently unavailable

[r3volution 3.0]

encouraging germany to become a leader of its own country is a bad thing ? its an intelligent strategy to encourage Europes most intelligent , and autonomous country to start building its defense up. it basically indirectly causes the EUROPEAN union to shutter...to separate. GOOD. We dont need to keep funding those ass holes.

No, that's not good, as the main purpose of the EU is to prevent another European war.

[Swordsmyth]

No, that's not good, as the main purpose of the EU is to prevent another European war.

Its purpose is to be the 1,000 year Reich and to cause a war with Russia.

[r3volution 3.0]

Its purpose is to be the 1,000 year Reich and to cause a war with Russia.

[Swordsmyth]

LOL

Is that the best you can do?

[RJB]

as the main purpose of the EU is to prevent another European war.

Oh come on. You are not that naive. The main purpose of that governmental structure is control.

[r3volution 3.0]

Oh come on. You are not that naive. The main purpose of that governmental structure is control.

How, in your view, are the national governments superior?

LOL

Is that the best you can do?

I didn't think your silly theory justified any more.

[RJB]

How, in your view, are the national governments superior?

More control of the people at the local level.


BTW, if anyone on this forum believes that Rev33 is a libertarian/anarchist/monarchist please pm me immediately. I am in the bridge selling businesses and have a great deal on one in Brooklyn. It's a beauty, but you have to act NOW!

[r3volution 3.0]

More control of the people at the local level.

And what's the advantage of that?

[Swordsmyth]

More control of the people at the local level.


BTW, if anyone on this forum believes that Rev33 is a libertarian/anarchist/monarchist please pm me immediately. I am in the bridge selling businesses and have a great deal on one in Brooklyn. It's a beauty, but you have to act NOW!

There is a chance he is a monarchist, he loves tyrants.

[Swordsmyth]

And what's the advantage of that?

It's easier for them to defend their rights.

[RJB]

And what's the advantage of that?

It's not what I dream of, but it beats having someone who lives outside of where they live and doesn't even speak the same language, telling a group of people how to live.

[RJB]

There is a chance he is a monarchist, he loves tyrants.

. PM me your best offer on my bridge, ASAP.

[r3volution 3.0]

It's not what I dream of, but it beats having someone who lives outside of where they live and doesn't even speak the same language, telling a group of people how to live.

I understand; your preference for the national governments is based on your belief in national self-determination (a concept alien to libertarianism, which concerns individual rights, not the alleged collective rights of whole peoples). Now let me explain to you the libertarian view of the situation; that government is best which governs least (note the absence of any reference here to ethnicity, language, or other factors irrelevant to individual rights). Does the EU govern with a less heavy hand than the national governments? No, but it's also not any worse. It's basically the same. So what's the advantage of having the EU? Preventing war (which also invariably violates individual rights, not only by killing individuals, but by looting them to pay the salaries of the killers). For libertarians, this is a good thing. Nationalists evidently have a different view.

[RJB]

I understand; your preference for the national governments is based on your belief in national self-determination (a concept alien to libertarianism, which concerns individual rights, not the alleged collective rights of whole peoples). Now let me explain to you the libertarian view of the situation; that government is best which governs least (note the absence of any reference here to ethnicity, language, or other factors irrelevant to individual rights). Does the EU govern with a less heavy hand than the national governments? No, but it's also not any worse. It's basically the same. So what's the advantage of having the EU? Preventing war (which also invariably violates individual rights, not only by killing individuals, but by looting them to pay the salaries of the killers). For libertarians, this is a good thing. Nationalists evidently have a different view.

And let me tell you something.

If there is an invasion of people who want to violently disarm me, do I tell them, "Sorry, I am an individualist," and expect them to obey my wishes? No, I band together with like-minded people. Again, I know you are not this naive as you push your globalist agenda.

[donnay]

encouraging germany to become a leader of its own country is a bad thing ? its an intelligent strategy to encourage Europes most intelligent , and autonomous country to start building its defense up. it basically indirectly causes the EUROPEAN union to shutter...to separate. GOOD. We dont need to keep funding those ass holes.

Not to mention NATO was set up to protect them from Russia. Germany's biggest oil importer is Russia.