At Eye Level

BERLIN/VIENNA (Own report) - The German military command has begun analyzing the large-scale maneuver for future armed interventions in the Tricont ("European Challenge 2005") that had been carried out under its command. The military exercises ("infrastructure destruction", "fighter planes operations") were tailored to fit the EU "Battle Groups'" military objectives. These focus mainly on interventions in "crisis situations in failing states in Africa," including invasions such as those presently threatening Togo. Austrian and Czech support troops were permitted to participate in the maneuvers carried out by the German army, navy and air force.

The large-scale maneuver - that terminated at the end of April - was introduced through preliminary exercises by the German Bundeswehr ("Brave Lion" ) disguised as "multinational cooperation of branches of the armed services". 1)The 3000 soldiers of the Bundeswehr were placed in charge of the 6th Austrian mountain brigade and the 4th Czech brigade. 2)The Czech support troops were under the command of the German "division of mobile aerial operations".

Silenced

The division is to be brought with "rapid sea transport," into transcontinental theatres of operations, to execute "tasks within the framework of the international crisis management of NATO and the EU." 3)These are combat missions comprising up to 15 brigades (50.000 - 60.000 soldiers), deployable within 60 days anywhere on the planet and capable "of enduring" (Petersberg operations). 4)The plan of operation includes "preventive" deployment, in order to "destroy/paralyze (...) important objects, infrastructure, weapons and systems," in other words, any sort of military assault. The KSK (commando of special forces) is an element of this brigade. Its military equipment is secret. But the special G-36K rifle as well as the P-12 combat pistol are part of this equipment. Both are designed for close range (silenced) killing.

Evacuation

The scenarios for the exercises correspond to military expeditionary requirements, as would be currently demanded for West African Togo, which is threatened with coup attempts. "We are practicing a deployment aimed at conflict control and the separation of conflict parties," explained the German supreme commander. 5)Also rehearsed is the evacuation of German citizens from the "crisis zone" through deploying units of the army, navy and air force. Evacuation measures in Togo are included in the current deployment options being discussed by the crisis unit in the German foreign ministry.

Fields of operations

Already last year, the German navy command furnished selected journalists and politicians, with concrete plans for worldwide invasions, leaving no doubt that the African coast is a focus of future deployment. A "discussion paper" of the Berlin Stiftung Wissenschaft und Politik - SWP (German Institute for International and Security Affairs) ascribes operative measures to the German Bundeswehr, that had been common for colonial military expeditions, measures notoriously applied in Africa. The Bundeswehr should enhance its capability for urban warfare ("house-to-house combat") the paper states. The African "fields of operations" for house-to-house combat units can be identified "primarily in the capitals," the author explains. "Alongside foreign political and economic missions also the important airports and harbors" of the country are to be found there. 6)The "enhancement of the capability (...) for taking control of an airport or a harbor" is an element in the maneuver of the "special operations" division within the framework of "European Challenge 2005."

Prudent

The concepts of deployment of the European "Battle Groups," that the German military seeks to predominate, are also focusing on "crises in failing states in Africa". the German Konrad-Adenauer-Foundation, which is presently trying to recruit followers from within the top ranks of African military commands (including field officers in Togo) believes in reference to the tasks of EU combat troops that: "Faced with the growing problem of failing states, especially in Africa, it seems prudent (...) to also enhance the capacity of rapid military reaction". 7)

Valuable

The political objective of the large-scale maneuver was the further independence of the German command level from NATO structures, which had, up to now, been decisive. As was expressed by the German navy, in the EU accord (Helsinki Force Catalogue) Germany offered its fleet command structure to serve as headquarters, within the framework of the "European Challenge" maneuver, for the first time Germany is designated as the "German European Maritime Component Command" in order to be active "as a maritime headquarters of the European Union". 8)The "Center for Operative Information" of the Bundeswehr formulated it even more bluntly. As the psychological warfare troops declared with pride, Germany is "in Europe, in the leadership" and "with the USA at eye level." 9)

1) Brave Lion - tapferer Löwe im Netzwerk aktiv; www.heeresamt.de 28.01.2005
2) European Challenge 05 in der Rhön angekommen; www.heeresamt.de 25.04.2005: "Stark vertreten sind die Österreicher und Tschechen, die sich wie selbstverständlich in die internationale Truppe unter dem Kommando des deutschen Heeres eingliedern."
3) Die Division luftbewegliche Operationen; www.heeresamt.de 28.01.2005
4) Anlage 1 zu Anlage IV. Zwischenbericht des Vorsitzes an den Europäischen Rat (Helsinki) über die Stärkung der gemeinsamen europäischen Sicherheits- und Verteidigungspolitik, 10./11.12.1999
5) Bundeswehrmanöver in Eckernförde, www1.ndr.de 19.04.2005
6) see also Urban Warfare
7) Europäische "Battle Groups" - ein neuer Schub für die ESVP?; Analysen und Argumente aus der Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung 15.12.2004, www.kas.de/db_files/dokumente/analysen_und_argumente/ 7_dokument_dok_pdf_5827_1.pdf
8) Grußwort des Befehlshabers der Flotte; www.marine.de 17.04.2005
9) Neues Terrain in herausfordernder Übung; www.streitkraeftebasis.de 26.04.2005


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