Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer (CDU) wants to take the big questions of world politics more seriously. The defense minister has made Indo-Pacific one of his main security concerns and has undertaken a codification mission to the suspected Chancellor.
The warship “Bayern” will leave for China in August. This is the first voyage of a bandwagon warship to this region of the world in about 20 years.
The trip should be a determination to open maritime routes and to partner countries Australia, Japan, South Korea and India, which feel increasingly persecuted for claiming power in the Indo-Pacific region.
This should be a signal of solidarity with the United States, which is making targeted voyages with its navy on the waters claimed by Beijing – even though “Bavaria” is considered to be out of the reach of US ships.
Warship “Bavaria”
They are: B / DBA / Mohsen Asanimokatham
The problem with Cramp-Karanbauer is that his geopolitical aspirations go unnoticed. It is difficult to seriously discuss the role of the German military in the remoteness of world politics, as everyone knows, the navy can only deliver this one warship, which must be understood as a sign that, by making the greatest effort – leaving the disastrous operational readiness of the Pandesware to greet. So far, the minister has made little progress in this central responsibility.
Much attention is paid to their difficulties in bringing daily business under control. Cramp-Karanbauer had to justify himself again Monday to the Bundestag’s Security Council to manage matters under the Special Forces Command (KSK). She stands In tasteFor not telling Parliament the whole truth about the details of the illegal ammunition collection.
The group was presented by Greens leader Tobias Lindner Good interview The credibility of the CDU politician has been openly questioned: “If Cramp-Karanbauer had not told the truth and known about the amnesty, his days as defense minister would have been counted. That is very clear. “
Clarity on the withdrawal of US troops from Germany?
In that sense, it is possible Grimp-Karenbauer, the first female minister to welcome a colleague from the new US administration to Germany, had no difficulty on Tuesday: US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, 67, is expected to receive military honors from Israel in Berlin.
Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin is a retired general. From 2013 to 2016 he headed the Federal Command of the United States
Source: AP / Alex Brandon
The former general’s plan includes talks with Cramp-Karanbauer and the president’s foreign and security policy adviser, John Hecker. Austin then travels to Brussels, where he is scheduled to hold a meeting with NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg and London.
Colonel Helmut Friedshev, commander of the Bundeswehr Command in the United States and Canada, told Weld that it was “more than a symbolic gesture” and was the first minister to visit Germany under the new Pentagon leader Joe Biden’s government. Austin’s visit was “important to Germany, especially in the wake of President Biden’s review of the withdrawal of American troops from Germany, as his predecessor had decided”.
It remains to be seen whether Austin really has a baggage on the future of American soldiers in Germany. Since taking office, Biden has recalled about 12,000 of the 35,000 U.S. soldiers ordered by his predecessor Donald Trump. That withdrawal plan met with bipartisan rejection in Congress.
The National Security Accreditation Act 2021 was passed against Trump’s veto. It says the strength of troops in Germany should be 34,500 men – unless the Minister of Defense presents estimates on the consequences of the withdrawal of NATO and families of soldiers. Austin, now stationed as a young soldier in divided Germany, must verify the presence of the U.S. military worldwide.
“It is good to see that the current US administration regards us as allies and friends,” said Friedsheh, commander of the Bundeswear command overseas. Trump “attacked Germany more violently than the real enemies and foes of the United States. Fortunately, those times are over. ”
NATO-Budget, Ukraine, Afghanistan
However, not all disagreements are on the table by any means. Austin should also remind the Germans that they once helped themselves to a two percent NATO target. However, the federal government has not stuck to an agreement to invest two percent of economic output in defense by 2024. The United States spends more than three percent.
Austin and Gromb-Karanbauer made the phone call after the new Pentagon boss took office. Other topics of your personal conversation in Berlin may be the US withdrawal from Afghanistan and the situation in Ukraine. Austin, who has served in the military for 41 years, knows the way around Afghanistan. The former four-star general, formerly known as the US Central Command in Iraq, is in charge of Iraq, Afghanistan, Yemen and Syria.
The United States wants to end its commitment to NATO mission “decisive support.” Afghanistan. Americans are tired of war and want to withdraw from conflict and war zones. Basically, Biden does not think differently here than his predecessor Trump. Both Biden and Austin were once considered “interlocutors”, but that is history. The pressure within Democrats to end the “endless wars” is similar to the pressure within the Republicans.
Unlike the Trump administration, the people of Biden have been consulting with the Allies about planned actions in Afghanistan. Washington continues to reconsider its own Afghanistan policy and has not yet made any final decisions. As the Trump administration agreed with the Taliban last year, it is considered impossible to fully withdraw about 3,500 U.S. troops by May 1.
“It is difficult to meet the deadline of May 1,” Biden said in March: “For tactical reasons alone, it is difficult to withdraw troops.” If you go, you will do it “in a safe and orderly manner”.
But the US has already drastically reduced its presence in Hindu Kush. 100,000 American soldiers were stationed there during peak hours, up from 12,000 a year ago. In addition to the 3,500 Americans, there are currently 7,000 NATO troops in Afghanistan, including 1,300 Germans. Bundestock recently extended their mandate until the end of January 2022. NATO soldiers depend on the security and logistics of the Americans.
As the situation between Russia and Ukraine continues to escalate, Austin and Kramb-Karanbauer have another topic in which someone from Washington should advise on European awareness.
The German Foreign Minister was more reluctant to visit Moscow than his US counterpart Anthony Blingen recently: when the Haiko Mass (SPD) only asked Moscow to declare Russian troops, Blingen demanded an immediate halt. So it is important to listen carefully to how Austin and Cramp-Karanbauer address the topic.
The Americans would do a favor to the Germans to say a few words about the planned voyage of the ship “Bavaria” to the Pacific. However, the Defense Ministry insisted that “involvement in the Indo-Pacific region” was on the agenda of the meeting.
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