In Love - War
BERLIN/FRANKFURT AM MAIN A prominent German political scientist who serves as consultant for the German government, requests an avowal by Berlin and the EU for ,,aggressive self assertion,"in order to ,,limit and restrict"the US sphere of influence. The policy consultant, a renowned theoretician of ,,new wars"demands that the EU member states should ,,voluntarily commit to peace keeping and peace enforcing measures."
On the occasion of the 30th ,,Roemerberg discussions"in Frankfurt/Main, Herfried Muenkler, political scientist at the Humboldt University in Berlin and considered a leftwing liberal, pleaded for an aggressive ,,program of political self assertion"by the EU. The organizers, the city of Frankfurt and the State of Hessen, wanted to justify ,,Europe as a cultural and emotional region"under the main topic ,,In Love, Europe - About the power of emotions."
Preparation for war...
In his speech the German consultant to the chancellor conceptualizes a ,,program of political self assertion"with which to replace the current ,,strategic culture."His ultimatum to the European states postulates the willingness to conduct wars on a world wide basis: ,,Either they accept their permanent assignment to the status of dish washer, e.g. as a subordinate ally who, in exceptional circumstances may be able to evade a mission, but otherwise has to stay in line; or provide a minimum of capabilities for military self assertion, needed especially for the stabilization of the European periphery, including the Near and Middle East, and thus develop, like the USA, a determination to shape an independent international policy."For that reason Europe must make ,,a voluntary commitment to peace keeping and peace enforcing measures"and develop a ,,long term commitment to a robust strategy to export stability"- this is the prerequisite for ,,limiting and restricting"the sphere of influence of the USA.
... is just
Supported by the federal government, Muenkler publicizes his demands for warfare in public. In December of 2003, he moderated an event in Berlin with the topic ,,Is there a just war?". The event was ,,warmly supported"by the German Foundation for Peace Research (Deutsche Stiftung Friedensforschung) which had been established in October of 2000 by the Ministry for Education and Research. On stage, Juliane Kokott, the German judge on the European Court, declared the war against the Republic of Yugoslavia as legitimate under international law. Earlier the Foreign Office (AA) had invited Muenkler to the planning staff of the AA, where he declared wars ,,for prevention of a humanitarian catastrophe or for the protection of human rights"to be ,,important options of foreign policy."Afterwards the AA raised the issue of a ,,renaissance of the 'bellum justum' idea."
See also earlier articles Plans for actionand Background Report: The German Armed Forces heading toward taking the offensive
Sources:
Treffen mit Prof. Herfried Muenkler; www.auswaertiges-amt.de
Gibt es den gerechten Krieg?; www.bbaw.de
Die Botschaft der Athene; Frankfurter Rundschau 27.12.2003