Ze Germans vill fight to ze last Pole

[Zaune]

Yeah, when you put it like that... Feh. Ah, well.

[Darth Nostril]

There are certain sections of the British public that you cannot convince of anything, they have swallowed the propaganda hook line & sinker and will not be swayed from their blinkered viewpoint.

[FTeik]

Hmm, actually I'd imagine such people will just attribute this to some cunning ruse. The Germans no doubt have their weapons hidden in some incredibly secret location, which they shall unleash when the time is right. Then Germany will conquer the world!

Well, something like that.

We would. Unfortunately our hollowed-out volcano-bases are so well hidden, that we don't find them anymore. So we have to settle for economic domination.

Seriously, the current situation shouldn't come as a big surprise. Not if a military designed with home-defense in mind is suddenly deployed all over the world, has to transform from a force mixed of conscripts and professionals into a purely professional force and the available hardware - which takes years to develop and iron the flaws out - is suddenly obsolete, because the requirements have changed.

[Bernkastel]

We would. Unfortunately our hollowed-out volcano-bases are so well hidden, that we don't find them anymore. So we have to settle for economic domination.

How disappointing. Europe deserves a better standard of villains. You're making us look incompetent.

*sighs*

Seriously, the current situation shouldn't come as a big surprise. Not if a military designed with home-defense in mind is suddenly deployed all over the world, has to transform from a force mixed of conscripts and professionals into a purely professional force and the available hardware - which takes years to develop and iron the flaws out - is suddenly obsolete, because the requirements have changed.

True. It is interesting though to consider how this problem might be solved. It would seem that there are substantial obstacles in the way. I'd be interested in seeing if an answer can be put forward as to how to solve them.

[FTeik]

More integration and cooperation and pooling of resources between countries for a given/lasting task. Like Germany, Danemark, Poland and the Baltic States sharing responsibility for patrol and defense of the Baltic Sea with costs and equipment shared. Granted, you'd have to overcome a lot of national politiking and find a way to make the command-structure work, but better a working force that has to be shared, than pieces of one. At the same time this should also free up the resources for deployments outside of NATO-territory.

[Thanas]

Schäuble just said the defence budget will rise in 2017 (I'll believe it when I see it), meanwhile the Bundeswehr is reactivating another tank bataillon in response to the Ukraine crisis.

[Lonestar]

Schäuble just said the defence budget will rise in 2017 (I'll believe it when I see it), meanwhile the Bundeswehr is reactivating another tank bataillon in response to the Ukraine crisis.

I don't think actual end strength is as big a problem as the poor maintenance practices that are going on keeping existing equipment inoperable.

[Thanas]

Schäuble just said the defence budget will rise in 2017 (I'll believe it when I see it), meanwhile the Bundeswehr is reactivating another tank bataillon in response to the Ukraine crisis.

I don't think actual end strength is as big a problem as the poor maintenance practices that are going on keeping existing equipment inoperable.

Oh certainly. The main problem is a lack of spare parts. Case in point the Airbus - it still has not yet been delivered because Airbus treats the program like a red-headed stepchild. And until that happens, the Transall has to keep flying - but it was not supposed to fly, so there are no spare parts available right now etc. THing is a perfect storm of inept procurement and inept manufacturing pushing back entry dates of the next gen of weapon system, thus forcing us to use the old stuff, which leads to more maintenance problems etc.

[cmdrjones]

In which case I can only conclude that either:
1) The German electorate wants Germany to be unable to win wars, or
2) The German electorate is very stupid.

How about the unfathomable option 3) - The Germans think Social security and other things are much more important than the military, and are only willing to spend the absolute necessary on military, lest other things might suffer.

The actively "Wanting to be unable to win a war" does not even come into the equation as, like most European countries, Germany isn't particularily interested in taking part in one. And right now, they have other things that needs their financial attention.

interesting idea, if you DON'T want to partake in a war, and someone invades you anyway, does that mean you are at war?

[Iroscato]

*Necro alarm screams*

[K. A. Pital]

And locked. One-year necromancy shall not pass. Thank you, please proceed to your stations.