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. In terms of European land wars, this is a trivial situation.
. You can strongly argue that Ukraine is part of Russia and that this is an internal affair. I can see both sides here.
. The Russian simply aren't going to enter a square centimeter of the EU. Atomic weapons have locked down the borders between nuclear states and, as I mentioned, Russian doctrine now takes that fully into account. The Germans can feel free to use broomsticks to protect themselves for now.
You do have to wonder what the Soviets were thinking through the 1950's and 1960's by pushing a tank war to the Channel kind of approach. I guess it shows the strength of philosophical inertia in military matters.
First of all, Germans can defend Germany themselves.
Throughout the Cold War, and beyond, Germany (like Japan) practiced chequebook diplomacy, providing financial and logistical support instead of troops.
Helmut Kohl helped to bankroll the Gulf War but sent no soldiers. The Bundeswehr didn’t engage in foreign combat until 1999 (in Kosovo). Germany had become a ‘post-heroic society’. If you've been to Berlin, you should have noticed the city's very laidback attitude. Don't believe most Germans want war. The country is just awesome.
Americans sure seem to be concerned about Europe a lot for a nation that believes itself to be ah so exceptional.
Mostly Germany, for some reason when things go awry in that country, it tends to lead funny mustaches, goose-stepping, giant ovens, concentration camps and tens of millions of deaths around the continent, drawing the whole world into the conflict.
So, would you like Germany to have enough military power to be able to defend itself and all its European neighbours or would you like to keep it to a minimum, otherwise they might get another guy with a funny moustache in power? Is it damned if you do or damned if you don't?
First of all, Germans can defend Germany themselves.
Throughout the Cold War, and beyond, Germany (like Japan) practiced chequebook diplomacy, providing financial and logistical support instead of troops.
Helmut Kohl helped to bankroll the Gulf War but sent no soldiers. The Bundeswehr didn’t engage in foreign combat until 1999 (in Kosovo). Germany had become a ‘post-heroic society’. If you've been to Berlin, you should have noticed the city's very laidback attitude. Don't believe most Germans want war. The country is just awesome.
Is that also your answer the next time another lib wants say how much less Europe spends on defense compared to the U.S.?
Yep.
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