Bright Abyss
BERLIN (Own Report) A German-French strategy paper submits contingency plans for the joint deployment of nuclear arms. The targets of these actions are the ,,regions bordering on the area of the EU", which ,,could pose a potential danger". The paper is authored by the official ,,Gesellschaft fuer Auswaertige Politik", (German Society for Foreign Policy or DGAP), and co-authored by the ,,Institut français des relations internationales"(Ifri). Both sides understand that the proposed military operations ( ,,stability export") will result in considerable internal disputes. Notwithstanding, in order to bypass such resistance tactically, the paper proposes to ,,pull out all the stakes of the ladder of escalation": ,,up to threatening the use of nuclear means".
The nuclear plans 1)published at the end of February include the whole EU, in which a ,,German-French ability to obtain a majority"is to be secured. The participation of Great Britain would be useful, since it would contribute to its detachment from the USA. 2)Oblique references to the British nuclear arsenal, mention that London would have to introduce ,,its most modern capabilities (...) in the area of dealing with international crises."
Flexible
Within the trilateral net of relations, Berlin reserves a special role for itself, by ,,influencing (moderately) French anti-Americanism while supporting the USA militarily, within the framework of its possibilities (as, for example, in Afghanistan)."Rapprochement with the USA, ,,which, meanwhile has become the federal republic's most important trade partner", is in Germany's best interest. A ,,junior partnership"with Paris is completely out of the question for Berlin. Should Great Britain veer off, ,,more flexible models"of obtaining the majority, would have to be utilized.
Greater military contribution
The paper, frankly and without consideration for the German constitution, ascertains that Berlin has ,,taken leave from its priority of territorial defense". The ,,reorganization"of the German armed forces ,,into a flexible army for crisis intervention"is in progress. Battles ,,beyond (...) European borders"are the objective of the ,,realignment"of the military. No basis for such an allocation for deployment is found in the German constitution. For this reason the authors seem to expect the resistance of extensive segments of the population. There is a warning that ,,sending soldiers into war zones", ,,will lead to widespread internal political dissent in Germany in the foreseeable future."The authors want to confront these disputes tactically by recommending that Berlin and Paris conduct war based on a division of labor: Actual operations at the frontline of battle should be left to the French army, which is supported by Germany with a ,,major military contribution."Political activities accompanying Berlin's military participation, would follow the cloaked German military participation and (as in the ,,Afghanistan peace conference at the Petersberg") contribute to reassuring the German public.
1) See also earlier articles German Armed Forces wants ,,influence over nuclear bombs"and War is Peace
2) See also earlier article The Dictate of Berlin
Source:
Zukunftsfaehig? Deutsch-franzoesische Beziehungen und ESVP; DGAP-Analyse Nr. 27. Januar 2004; www.dgap.org
