Scholz.

This is coolbert:

"...the condition of our Bundeswehr and civilian defense structures, but also our excessive dependence on Russian energy suggest that we felt a false sense of security after the end of the Cold War. Politics, business and large parts of our society were only too happy to draw far-reaching consequences from the dictum of a former German defense minister, according to which Germany was only surrounded by friends. That was a mistake." - Chancellor Olaf Scholz. German Social Democratic Party [SDP].

Mistakes were made. Now for the remedy.

Some observations of Commander Salamander the German conundrum vis-a-vis the Ukraine Conflict.

"SDP Becomes the Salamander Democratic Party?"

July 19, 2022

"Well before Trump was even a Republican, here and other places in the natsec [national security] arena warned Germany ... hell ... begged Germany to step up."

"She [Germany] needed to take her place on the stage as a responsible partner in the security of Europe - a full partner in the West. We tried to tell her [Germany] she needed to spend her fair share, to make the alliance stronger ... but she [Germany] always seemed to want to do just the bare minimum ... and then less."

Read the entire Salamander blog entry. Highly recommended without qualification or reservation.

And of course the question can be asked where do we go from here. Ability of the Bundeswehr at this moment to conduct sustained and effective conventional military operations I fear greatly limited. Going to take some time to bring the German military up to par. As for the short term got to find a solution or a mitigation for the natural gas crisis and before winter.

coolbert.