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LookThisOneGuy t1_j4mcot3 wrote

Reply to comment by BanthasWereElephants in German defense minister announces resignation by misana123

>The NATO treaty documents require a 2.0% GPD expenditure.

I guess you can just make wild claims. Or you could link the official NATO funding documents:

Official NATO funding calls it 'The 2% defence investment guideline' to be met in 10 years (decided 2014, so until 2024) and NATO members have agreed to raise their military funding each year if they aren't already at 2%.

Also just in case this wasn't alread known: German contribution to direct NATO funding is at 16.3444% of NATO total budget. Exactly the same value as US funding and way ahead of the UK at 11.2823%.

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donbernie t1_j4mqyp4 wrote

Not even "to be met in 10 years", but "aim to move towards within the decade".

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BanthasWereElephants t1_j4mfxmz wrote

The €300m internal-NATO budget is completely irrelevant and distinct to the military spending and capabilities requirements of each member state itself. I’m sure you read the exact NATO information page to find that factoid.

The point remains clear, Germany has postured itself to take the mantle of the de facto EU power broker. Yet it’s willing to let its defense ministry wither away while unwilling to let more vocal members, like France or Poland, lead an more efficient and streamlined response to the largest threat to European security in half a century.

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LookThisOneGuy t1_j4mhr83 wrote

  1. Germany has the highest military spending out of all EU countries

  2. Please provide at least one example of Germany 'not letting' France lead the EU in military matters

  3. Yes I did read the NATO treaty documents. Did you?

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BanthasWereElephants t1_j4mqptw wrote

This entire war? The tank debacle being the last step. https://www.politico.eu/article/france-and-poland-push-germany-to-send-leopard-tanks-to-ukraine/amp/

It goes back to at least February 2022. Germany actively stopped military equipment. It’s been forced to abandon its reticence every step of the way. Back in February: https://www.cnbc.com/amp/2022/02/07/germany-forced-to-defend-itself-over-ukraine-crisis.html

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LookThisOneGuy t1_j4mrtuz wrote

I feel like you confuse 'Germany not leading' with 'Germany not letting France lead'. Which is aboslutely not the case.

The first article: France leading would be France sending tanks and then Germany following. How is Germany 'not letting' France do that? Germany has shown very well that they will let France lead. After France decided to send their AMX-10, Germany followed less than 24h later.

Same with Poland. If they want to 'lead' then maybe they shouldn't push Germany to send Leopard 2s first, hide behind that they would only send Leoaprd 2s in a coalition. Just send the export request already and Germany can approve it like Habeck has already said.

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