Coming from a German :Germany has spent decades free-riding on American security assurances and interventions while reducing military spend to such a degree that its own defence capabilities are barely existing on paper and certainly not sufficient in real life.This while singularly focusing on exporting as much as possible (even arms) abroad. Any demand for actual military support (Kosovo, Iraq, Afghanistan, Yemen, piracy) follows the standard German playbook : 1. Hemm and haw / delay as much as possible 2. Wait for the US to address it (with some UK / French assistance) 3. Get the checkbook out and pay for humanitarian aid / defense "training" / reconstruction 4. Continue the charade that Germany has equally contributed but in different waysGermany should have a military that is commensurate with it's economic standing, if only you contribute in the same way that other western countries do to joint military security goals. But only hundreds of addl billions will get it up to par, so it's easier to continue to free-ride again in the future

Coming from a German :Germany has spent decades free-riding on American security assurances and interventions while reducing military spend to such a degree that its own defence capabilities are barely existing on paper and certainly not sufficient in real life.This while singularly focusing on exporting as much as possible (even arms) abroad. Any demand for actual military support (Kosovo, Iraq, Afghanistan, Yemen, piracy) follows the standard German playbook : 1. Hemm and haw / delay as much as possible 2. Wait for the US to address it (with some UK / French assistance) 3. Get the checkbook out and pay for humanitarian aid / defense "training" / reconstruction 4. Continue the charade that Germany has equally contributed but in different waysGermany should have a military that is commensurate with it's economic standing, if only you contribute in the same way that other western countries do to joint military security goals. But only hundreds of addl billions will get it up to par, so it's easier to continue to free-ride again in the future

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