Germany's "Act of Liberation"

Involvement Expected

Already last weekend, Defense Minister Ursula von der Leyen (CDU) came out in favor of an expansion of joint EU military interventions. "Europe will make no progress in the global power play, if some are always discretely hesitating, when it comes to military missions, and others are storming ahead without coordination," she declared, alluding to the years of the German/French power struggle over EU military policy.[1] Germany must take on more "international responsibility" in the future - in accordance with the habitual PR jargon of the Western elite, this also means military missions.[2] Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier has now followed suit with a similar declaration. A "policy of military reticence" should not be "misunderstood to be a principle of non-participation," announced the SPD politician. For Germany, "active foreign policy" is now on the agenda. Germany is "too significant, to merely comment on global policy: It is rightfully expected of us that we will become involved." Military interventions should not be "banned from consideration."[3]

"We Stand at the Ready"

Von der Leyen and Steinmeier's declarations represent the tentative culmination of a PR campaign, which had been launched last September, in the immediate aftermath of German parliamentary elections. It was aimed at securing a permanent sustainable domestic basis for military missions of a Berlin-dominated EU, which are obviously being contemplated for the next few years.[4] The German President gave the opening salve in his 2013 National Holiday speech.[5] Soon thereafter, a passage from the government's Coalition Contract was leaked to the press, which stated: "we want to actively help shape the international order. ... We stand at the ready, when our country is called upon to contribute to resolving crises and conflicts."[6] Similar declarations have become more commonplace in the meantime. Parallel to these declarations, a paper entitled "New Power. New Responsibility" was published in October and promoted throughout Germany's foreign and military policy establishment and to interested sectors of public opinion. The paper, which literally pleads for a "reassessment" of Berlin's global policy, is being actively advertized by the German Institute for International and Security Affairs (SWP) and the German Council on Foreign Relations (DGAP).[7]

The Munich Security Conference

The next climax of this campaign to expand German-European military missions is expected to come at the Security Conference to be held this weekend in Munich. The Chair of the Security Conference, Wolfgang Ischinger, announced that today, Friday, there would be a statement by the German Defense Minister; later a round of discussion will focus on joint EU Military policy, under moderation of former German Defense Minister, Volker Rühe (CDU). For the first time in the history of the Security Conference, an address by the German President is also scheduled. Wolfgang Ischinger applauds EU military cooperation - which now should lead to more joint interventions - as an "act of liberation."[8]

Crises and Conflicts

Military officials are pushing for "EU Battle Groups" to be deployed at the earliest opportunity. These are combat units of 1,500 soldiers, ready to be deployed anywhere in the world within ten days. In a recent press article, former Inspector General and Chairman of NATO's Military Committee in Brussels, Harald Kujat, explained that the EU must "be better prepared for coping with crises and conflicts, particularly at the European periphery," if "the German government wants to abandon its culture of reticence and aspires to a European foreign- and security policy pertinent to the country's size and its international importance." If "necessary, jointly maintained military capacities, such as the EU Battle Groups," should be deployed. Kujat explicitly points out that the Battle Group concept must "be seen in the context of the EU's pursuit of conflict management for the implementation of European security interests with its own military capacities" - "particularly if NATO cannot or does not want to become active."[9]

The Africa Corps

The focus is particularly on African countries for future EU military engagements. Repelling French advances in 1994, the German Defense Minister at the time, Volker Rühe, declared that the Eurocorps is "not an Afrikakorps." Referring to Rühe's announcement, the SWP now declares "the Euro corps is (indeed) an Africa Corps."[10] In an interview, Foreign Minister Steinmeier is raising the hypothesis of German intervention in North Africa - obviously with military means: "Do we want to clear out, secure or destroy weapons depots in Libya?"[11] As the German defense ministry announced, "the developments in Africa" should "be particularly highlighted" at the next Munich Security Conference in 2015. Conference Chair, Ischinger thinks that "in the next few years or perhaps decades" EU military interventions are "probably most needed" in Africa.[12]

Other reports and background on the German-European Global Policy can be found here: A New Era of Imperialism, Europe's Chancellor, Sleeping Demons, The Re-Evaluation of German Foreign Policy, Domination over Europe, The Agenda 2020 and The World's Expectations.

[1] See The Disengagement of France.
[2] Von der Leyen will Bundeswehr verstärkt im Ausland einsetzen. www.spiegel.de 26.01.2014.
[3] Einmischen statt zurückhalten. www.sueddeutsche.de 30.01.2014.
[4] See Domination over Europe.
[5] See Sleeping Demons.
[6] See Bereit zur globalen Ordnungspolitik.
[7] See The Re-Evaluation of German Foreign Policy.
[8] Münchner Sicherheitskonferenz: Aktuelle Sicherheitspolitik und alte Bekannte zum Jubiläum. www.bmvg.de 29.01.2014.
[9] Harald Kujat: Deutschland wird langfristig Waffenhilfe leisten müssen. www.focus.de 25.01.2014.
[10] Claudia Major, Christian Mölling: Das Eurokorps ist (doch) ein Afrikakorps. Fünf gute Gründe für ein deutsches Engagement in Afrika. www.swp-berlin.org 28.01.2014.
[11] Einmischen statt zurückhalten. www.sueddeutsche.de 30.01.2014.
[12] Münchner Sicherheitskonferenz: Aktuelle Sicherheitspolitik und alte Bekannte zum Jubiläum. www.bmvg.de 29.01.2014.