The Feb. 16-18 Munich Security Council event will have many proposals on its agenda calling for major changes in the NATO posture, including a thorough rethinking of Germany. Following announcements at the end of last week by Michael Roth (SPD), chairman of the Bundestag’s foreign relations committee, that Germany will have to spend much more than the planned extra €100 billion to upgrade its defense, CDU former member of the German general staff and Bundestag deputy Roderich Kiesewetter has shown himself open to a significant increase in the €100 billion special fund for the Bundeswehr. “I would not rule out an increase in the special fund for the Bundeswehr,” he told the Munich-based daily Süddeutsche Zeitung. “It is quite clear that we need €300 billion rather than €100 billion to make the Bundeswehr fit for war.”
Also, the SPD’s lead candidate for the European Parliament elections, Katarina Barley, even doubts that Europe can focus on conventional arms alone. Barley told the Tagesspiegel, when asked whether the EU needs its own nuclear bombs: “On the way to a European army, this could also become an issue.”
