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Skybird · 03-02-23, 06:33 PM

Neue Zürcher Zeitung:
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Government statement on the "turn of the times": Olaf Scholz wants to have weapons produced continuously again

The German chancellor announces long-term contracts and down payments for the arms industry in the Bundestag. At the same time, he revises his funding pledges for the Bundeswehr, calling into question his own "turn of the times."

One year after his speech on the "turn of the times" caused by the Russian war of aggression, Chancellor Olaf Scholz has announced a strengthening of the German defense industry. "We need ongoing production of important weapons, equipment and ammunition," he said Thursday morning in a government statement in the Bundestag. With "long-term contracts and down payments," the government wants to ensure that companies expand their capacities, he said. In this way, he said, an industrial base was to be created in Germany that would contribute to securing peace and freedom in Europe.

The government in Berlin is thus continuing its course of making Germany defensible again. A year ago, Scholz announced a special fund of 100 billion euros for the German armed forces. After decades of decline, the German army is to be modernized with these funds. In his review of the past year, the chancellor failed to mention that his government has hardly placed any orders with weapons manufacturers since the outbreak of war.

Instead, he announced that the contracts for the majority of the procurement projects from the special fund would be concluded this year. These are mainly aircraft and helicopters, but also frigates, submarines, armored personnel carriers and radio equipment. Howitzers, rocket launchers, air defense systems, battle tanks and infantry fighting vehicles supplied to the Ukrainian armed forces from Bundeswehr stocks are also to be reordered this year. However, ammunition, which is most urgently lacking for the Bundeswehr, has not yet been included in the special fund. It is to be financed from the current defense budget.

No more talk of more than two percent of GDP for the military

A year ago, Scholz announced that the budget for the Bundeswehr would be raised permanently to "more than two percent" of the gross domestic product. As he did at the security conference in Munich two weeks ago, he now wanted nothing more to do with this in his government declaration. Instead, he spoke only of wanting to achieve NATO's two percent target on a permanent basis. In view of the planned spending from the special fund (8 billion euros) and the defense budget of almost 50 billion euros, he will not keep his promise this year.

Scholz rejected criticism of the arms deliveries to Ukraine. You don't create peace when you shout "never again war" in Berlin and at the same time demand that all arms deliveries to Ukraine be stopped, he said, alluding to recent protests. Last weekend, an initiative led by left-wing politician Sahra Wagenknecht and author Alice Schwarzer held a demonstration in Berlin demanding an immediate end to arms deliveries and the start of peace negotiations with Putin. "With a gun to the temple, it is impossible to negotiate except about one's own submission," Scholz complained to the demonstrators.

As expected, he praised the work of his government. Scholz considered it a success for Germany that a large majority in the UN General Assembly the previous week condemned the Russian attack. However, 32 states had again abstained from voting, including China and India. Scholz also chalked up as his success the fact that Beijing had "unequivocally" opposed any threat of nuclear weapons and their use a few months ago. "Do not supply weapons to the aggressor Russia," he said, addressing the government in Beijing directly.

More arms deliveries for Ukraine

Germany will maintain its military support for Ukraine for as long as necessary, he said. Scholz announced that more equipment would soon be delivered, including anti-tank weapons, howitzers, five Gepard anti-aircraft tanks, an Iris-T air defense system and ammunition. He said progress is also being made on the tank alliance. Poland, Sweden, Norway, Spain, Canada, Portugal, the Netherlands and Denmark have agreed to support Germany in supplying Leopard tanks to Ukraine.

Scholz remained vague on the most interesting point of his government statement. He said Germany would help Ukraine achieve a just peace. "That is why we are also talking with Kiev and other partners about future security commitments for Ukraine," he said. But he did not say what he specifically meant by "security commitments" and what that meant for Germany and the Bundeswehr.
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Smoke screens, evasive phrases and vague Bla-bla, spiced up with his usual self-appraisal. Forget the Zeitenwende, he never meant that serious anyway, nor did he ever mean to keep the promise of sticking to the 2% goal.

03-02-23, 06:33 PM	#1930
Skybird Soaring Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: the mental asylum named Germany Posts: 40,672 Downloads: 9 Uploads: 0	Neue Zürcher Zeitung: --------------------------- Government statement on the "turn of the times": Olaf Scholz wants to have weapons produced continuously again The German chancellor announces long-term contracts and down payments for the arms industry in the Bundestag. At the same time, he revises his funding pledges for the Bundeswehr, calling into question his own "turn of the times." One year after his speech on the "turn of the times" caused by the Russian war of aggression, Chancellor Olaf Scholz has announced a strengthening of the German defense industry. "We need ongoing production of important weapons, equipment and ammunition," he said Thursday morning in a government statement in the Bundestag. With "long-term contracts and down payments," the government wants to ensure that companies expand their capacities, he said. In this way, he said, an industrial base was to be created in Germany that would contribute to securing peace and freedom in Europe. The government in Berlin is thus continuing its course of making Germany defensible again. A year ago, Scholz announced a special fund of 100 billion euros for the German armed forces. After decades of decline, the German army is to be modernized with these funds. In his review of the past year, the chancellor failed to mention that his government has hardly placed any orders with weapons manufacturers since the outbreak of war. Instead, he announced that the contracts for the majority of the procurement projects from the special fund would be concluded this year. These are mainly aircraft and helicopters, but also frigates, submarines, armored personnel carriers and radio equipment. Howitzers, rocket launchers, air defense systems, battle tanks and infantry fighting vehicles supplied to the Ukrainian armed forces from Bundeswehr stocks are also to be reordered this year. However, ammunition, which is most urgently lacking for the Bundeswehr, has not yet been included in the special fund. It is to be financed from the current defense budget. No more talk of more than two percent of GDP for the military A year ago, Scholz announced that the budget for the Bundeswehr would be raised permanently to "more than two percent" of the gross domestic product. As he did at the security conference in Munich two weeks ago, he now wanted nothing more to do with this in his government declaration. Instead, he spoke only of wanting to achieve NATO's two percent target on a permanent basis. In view of the planned spending from the special fund (8 billion euros) and the defense budget of almost 50 billion euros, he will not keep his promise this year. Scholz rejected criticism of the arms deliveries to Ukraine. You don't create peace when you shout "never again war" in Berlin and at the same time demand that all arms deliveries to Ukraine be stopped, he said, alluding to recent protests. Last weekend, an initiative led by left-wing politician Sahra Wagenknecht and author Alice Schwarzer held a demonstration in Berlin demanding an immediate end to arms deliveries and the start of peace negotiations with Putin. "With a gun to the temple, it is impossible to negotiate except about one's own submission," Scholz complained to the demonstrators. As expected, he praised the work of his government. Scholz considered it a success for Germany that a large majority in the UN General Assembly the previous week condemned the Russian attack. However, 32 states had again abstained from voting, including China and India. Scholz also chalked up as his success the fact that Beijing had "unequivocally" opposed any threat of nuclear weapons and their use a few months ago. "Do not supply weapons to the aggressor Russia," he said, addressing the government in Beijing directly. More arms deliveries for Ukraine Germany will maintain its military support for Ukraine for as long as necessary, he said. Scholz announced that more equipment would soon be delivered, including anti-tank weapons, howitzers, five Gepard anti-aircraft tanks, an Iris-T air defense system and ammunition. He said progress is also being made on the tank alliance. Poland, Sweden, Norway, Spain, Canada, Portugal, the Netherlands and Denmark have agreed to support Germany in supplying Leopard tanks to Ukraine. Scholz remained vague on the most interesting point of his government statement. He said Germany would help Ukraine achieve a just peace. "That is why we are also talking with Kiev and other partners about future security commitments for Ukraine," he said. But he did not say what he specifically meant by "security commitments" and what that meant for Germany and the Bundeswehr. ---------------- Smoke screens, evasive phrases and vague Bla-bla, spiced up with his usual self-appraisal. Forget the Zeitenwende, he never meant that serious anyway, nor did he ever mean to keep the promise of sticking to the 2% goal. __________________ If you feel nuts, consult an expert.