Germany (catch all, incl. terrorism)

[Fuchs]

I know that some unrest exists in the English-speaking world on this topic, so I'd like to provide some bachkground. If really necessary, I could add the references for much of this.

I don't want to argue, but to inform as well as possible.


# War on terror in general

Germans don't feel really threatened by terrorists. Our secretary for internal security pushed some law changes to fight terrorism better (much like his predecessor), but that was regarded with a lot of skepticism (as the state becomes probably too powerful) and he didn't do much in the past months anymore. Most of his new anti-terror methods are regarded as ineffective anyway. His reputation among young citizens (about 14-35) seems to be an unparalleled disaster, I know lots of despising jokes and images.

# Anti-terror laws

We still have some legacy laws from the anti-RAF years, and were rather surprised that some politicians deemed it necessary to add additional methods of fighting terrorists at home.

# War on extreme Islam in general

Gates mentioned this, but Germans don't feel like at war with extreme Islam in general. We didn't declare such a war and are not aware of such a war going on against us.

# Terror vs. Germans

Is considered as marginal threat. We seem to care more about smoking in pubs or not, for example.
We had some terror victims in 9/11, some in Tunisia IIRC in 2002, but not much else. AQ sometime declared us as their foe due to our involvement in Afghanistan, so far without significant consequences.

# Spoiled terror attacks

Our executive was generally successful at spoiling some AQ projects, but none of these was grand scale anyway.

# Afghanistan ISAF

Huge disapprovement in the population (consistently more than 50% want to withdraw in polls). Our previous SecDef asserted that Germany is to be defended in Afghanistan, but few seem to buy into this theory. Our casualties are sporadic (and initially in great part the result of terrible equipment...we had some KIA/WIA in a bus!).

# Afghanistan OEF

Limited to 100 special forces, this mission is even mroe rejected than ISAF. It's not being much in the focus, though. Few news. Most don't feel like Germany is involved in a combat mission in Afghanistan.
That's probably the planned result of public relations, as up to 4/5th of the population reject the idea of Bundeswehr combat mission in Afghanistan.

The overall opinion on the relevance of the Afghanistan civil war for our national security seems to be very low.

# Other missions (like patrols in front of Lebanon, Somalia)

Mostly ignored, few news, imho not considered as vital most of the time.
One apparently common rumor is that especially the Schröder government used UN expeditions with German participation to buy goodwill for a permanent German UNSC seat. This plan (the plan existed, whether the method description si accurate is debatable) seems to have been cancelled as unrealistic.

# Pro-Americanism, Anti-Americanism, Contra-Americanism

Hatred for the USA is really rare, but its foreign policy is almost universally despised. Even internet forums on weapons which are full of weapon freaks and soldiers tend to be very critical about military actions.

# Pro/Anti War

War is generally considered as a very bad idea.
This needs to be seen in context. Historically, it turned out to be a very bad idea since four generations.
The world pushed us to become peaceful, we did on oru 2nd attempt.
The recent push for a more martial stance finds little understanding.
We cannot easily undo two generations worth of anti-war indoctrination, institutional changes and the like.

# Economic / political power

Political power is not considered as very desirable. We care much more about our economy.

# NATO

Is considered as the original collective defense treaty that it was. It's extremely rare that a German believes in NATO as a club for collective expeditions.
We're aware that article 5 was declared active in 2001, but seriously - nobody seemed to have thought about sending troops to very distant places.
It was seen as a revive for NATO and a symbolic act of solidarity.

# Iraq

~ "We told you not to do it, but you didn't listen."
Germans usually don't see a connection between AQ and Iraq.

# Terror and military operations

The reasoning link between terrorism and military operations to prevent/retaliate terrorism is generally being considered as not very solid.

# Lobbyism

No real pro-war lobbyism seems to be known in public.
Our pro-Israel lobby is nto very powerful and keeps a low profile. It was weakened because prominent speakers died or had a horrible scandal (cocaine+ forced prostitutes+photo+assertion superior morality in public discussions) in the past years.
Pro-America lobbyism is mediocre at best, anti-America lobbyism is probably not really organized as such (at least not in credible institutions).
Our news media seems to be pro-America most of the time to others and overly critical of Israel/America to others.
Criticizing Israel is almost politically incorrect, but happens.

# Politicians and Israel/USA

Generally interested in strong friendships, but apparently still critical of their actions/non-cooperative on some issues.

# Ability to wage war

Seriously, give us a good reason and we'd fight fiercely. We jsut don't seem to be really motivated to wage war at the time.

# Political system

Every military operation outside of NATO (except visits, but including a single OECD or UN observer in a crisis country) requires approval of the parliament (~congress).
Our ruling coalition is composed of the two largest parties and can change the constitution on its own, but is almost at a political stalemate. One ruling party is rather anti-war (social democrats), although its former chancellor participated in the 1999 Kosovo air war (even the supposedly pacifist greens agreed then).
More common is in our history a coalition of one large and one small (liberal or green) party, but the rise of a fifth (left) party coplicated matters. A majority without participation of green or social democrats seems to be impossible in the next 10 years.

# Average German and particular German

We're heterogenous adn pluralistic, of course. You'll easily be able to find Germans who disagree on most if not all of this. I'm talking about poll results, policy, statements, personal perceptions. I'm talking about majorities/averages.

# Schröder government

Schröder is quite despised today for his marginal ethics and was quite inconsequential on the Iraq issue. Don't be confused by this. He's irrelevant right now.

# Right wing

The only relevant right wing is the CSU, which exists only in Bavaria and might lose power there soon. The outer right wing (neonazis) is quite irrelevant and utterly incompetent. We don't have an effective nationalism/patriotism political force.

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My own opinions inadvertedly influenced these descriptions, but you can imho consider it as 70-90% accurate description.