Premature Scepticism About Premature Talk
Some journalists just have a way with words. As Matthias Geis put it in this week’s Die Zeit article “Die Armee, die nicht verweigern darf” (The Army That Can’t Refuse), he writes i.e. understates that “(German) military missions are usually chosen with a clear view to the dangers involved...” Well ain’t that a mouthful of god-awful truth. He – and even the staunchest German pacifist out there by now – just can’t help but notice that Germany’s famous collective memory concerning what Chancellor Merkel labels the “historical duty” to defend Israel’s right to exist has become more selective these days instead.
It’s time for “utmost caution” again, in other words. Once Germany starts threatening to provide training for police and military forces, it’s all over folks. Angela Merkel in now in the process of institutionalizing a pattern of behaviour that appears to be handmade for the German psyche. You know, that proven say-no-before-anybody-asks-you-process begun by her predecessor - albeit she’s doing it for other reasons (she’s not up for election yet).
As ridiculous as it might sound, the 6,800 German troops currently in action around the world (good luck in the Congo today guys – seriously) is pretty much about it as far as German peacekeeping capacity goes. At least as far as the way Germans go about keeping the peace. Germany stopped spending on its military years ago, though strangely, the German weapons industry is charging along as hard is it ever and making a “killing” as usual (apparently another sacred-cow-taboo-topic that is never addressed in this country).
And with all due respect about these threats to train police and military, I don’t think Israel needs a whole lot of help in this department, people. Oh sure, sorry. You meant the Lebanese (or did you mean the Hisbollah?). Nobody needs better trained police down there. What both of these countries need is a new buffer zone between each other. Lebanon has been hijacked again, you see. This will stop the rockets from being fired into northern Israel. That’s why Israel is there now. Get it?
Yes it’s true, Germany. It’s premature to talk about any of this peacekeeping stuff before a ceasefire actually takes place in Lebanon. And sure it’s a little early to talk about such forces when we don’t even know just who might be putting them together. But it’s just as premature to say no to something you haven’t even been asked to do yet. Especially when the hundred or so Iranian (excuse me, Hisbollah) katjusha rockets landing in northern Israel everyday seem to be coming in right on time.
And somebody, as usual, is going to have to set up this buffer zone with the utmost caution.
Comments
This post is right on-target re: German military commitments to various crisis around the world. Actually, I think that Merkel has the good sense and guts to commit troops where they are really needed BUT she will always be blocked by spineless politicians and business leaders and a general public who have for decades been living in the comfort zone of letting the Americans and Brits and (occassionally) the French do the fighting.
Germany's lucrative and long-standing trade relationships with Iran and Syria are another huge stumbling block for troop commitments along the Lebanon-Israel border as well.
Troop commitments to hot zones may be changing within some EU countries and changing fast simply because the U.S. cannot cover their asses anymore and various crisis in the Middle East are growing very hot right on Europe's eastern and southern borders.
The EUFOR-RDC (DR Congo) has yet to be tested since the people of the Congo have fortunately conducted relatively peaceful elections up to now. The EU force led by the German military is ONLY there to evacuate foreign nationals (Europeans, Americans, perhaps some Asians) and election observers and NOT to provide protection to the Congolese people in Kinshasa or elsewhere across this vast country. Period. The German Defence Minister has said so (repeatedly) in TV news and press interviews.
You have a real nice project here @ anglofritz. Discovered your group blog via a post this week over at the Atlantic Review blog. Good luck.
Bill; August 4, 2006 1:41 PM