Germany has unveiled the most sweeping military reforms since the cold war, including the possible revival of national service, as part of efforts to better prepare its armed forces to defend Nato territory.
Speaking in Berlin on Thursday on the military alliance’s 75th anniversary, defence minister Boris Pistorius said he had signed an order to reorganise the German military from top to bottom.
“It is a landmark reform . . . Our goal is to restructure the Bundeswehr in such a way that it is best positioned in the event of defence, in the event of war,” said Pistorius. “Nobody should have the idea of attacking Nato territory — this is what we [want to] convey.”
The measures are part of a huge shift in Germany’s attitude towards its armed forces, reflecting what Chancellor Olaf Scholz said was a Zeitenwende or turning point in security policy after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine two years ago.
A single operational command will take charge of four new component forces, with cyber warfare raised to an equal footing alongside land, air and sea operations.
Military officials drawing up the plans have been given six months to implement them. A key demand from the ministry is that the Bundeswehr will be made ready for compulsory national service in Germany, Pistorius said, should a decision be taken to reintroduce it. The country stopped its mandatory military service — as well as the option to serve in non-military institutions — in 2011.
A defence ministry proposal on a model of national service for young adults will be put before German politicians in the coming weeks, he added.
It seems a terrible mix of party-political posturing („Friedenskanzler“), kowtow to pacifist majority of SPD party officials, deep rooted love for Russia and some elements of real fear,
@PuzzledUnityRepublican3wks3W
If Scholz wants to save them to defend Germany from Russia, his Ukraine policies are doing a great deal to make that a possibility. Why is Scholz working so hard to prevent Ukraine from destroying the Russian military machine?
There was a time when we would have answered the call of the Fatherland but absolutely not now, ever since Merkel stuffed Deutschland with all the Arabs, Africans, Syrians, Pakistanis and what not.
Ask them to fight now..!
Germany suspended this in 2011. Before that people who didn't want to join the military had to serve in the healthcare sector for 13 months.
However, since the suspension, both the healthcare sector and the military face an increasing shortage of qualified personnel.
The Wall Street Journal reports that Macron had told the U.S. and NATO that their troops won’t be needed if France sends its soldiers to Ukraine and those troops come under attack by the Russian Army.
Ironic thing here is that the military contribution of the conscripts themselves is a small negative.
For the pop support of the military and their recruiting of pro soldiers, it can be helpful though. Or for abusing the alternative civil service as cheap labor in elderly care.
@R3d1strictingOilPatriot3wks3W
You are doing us dirty. Prussian militarism: result because every nation wanted to dissolve us. We had to fight centuries for a German state, Israel is copying that "iron and blood" right now to some extent. the romans, French, Russians, asian invaders, British...
@MadGrasshopperForward3wks3W
You are doing us dirty. Prussian militarism: result because every nation wanted to dissolve us. We had to fight centuries for a German state, Israel is copying that "iron and blood" right now to some extent. the romans, French, Russians, asian invaders, British...
@CapitolJohnnyGreen3wks3W
@ISIDEWITH3wks3W
@ISIDEWITH3wks3W
If given a choice between serving in the military or in a non-military institution as part of national service, which would you choose and why?
@9LCD73S3wks3W
It becomes counter-productive to try to change someone's perspective unless we first acknowledge that their current perspectives matter
@ISIDEWITH3wks3W
How would you feel if your country decided to make military service mandatory for all young adults, including you?
@9LCDBQT3wks3W
No one should be forced to do something they don't want to do especially when their life is on the line
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