2023-12-11 20:55:54
MONDE – In its current state, the Bundeswehr is not able to defend its country or its NATO allies, warns the chief of staff of the German army, General Carsten Breuer.
“Today we see a Bundeswehr that is not yet sufficiently equipped for this“, Breuer said. au Frankfurter Allgemeine Sunday newspaper. The way the German army operates does not allow for rapid and targeted decision-making.
For years, the Bundeswehr has focused on the international management of geopolitical crises (Balkans, Afghanistan or Mali), according to Breuer: “This is backfiring now that the defense of allied countries and territory is once again the focus”.
In view of Vladimir Putin’s massive rearmament of the Russian army, not only the Bundeswehr, but the whole of society must mobilize to be ready to defend itself, Breuer warns: “We have to get used to the idea that we may have to fight a defensive war and that we will no longer have the choice to participate in distant missions.”
Importance of drones
It is not only the officers and soldiers, but “society as a whole which must recognize the need for an even more substantial deterrent force”according to Inspector General Carsten Breuer, in office since mid-March.
To be able to defend itself, the army must also prepare for “Technological innovations”, continues Breuer, for example regarding the use of drones: “We see the ever-increasing importance of the use of drones in all areas, from reconnaissance to action on the ground. We learn from Ukraine that air superiority plays a major role in defense strategy.”
In the event of a second term for former US President Donald Trump and knowing his critical attitude towards NATO, Breuer believes that “the time when we could stand back and rely mainly on American military support is over. We Europeans must be clear about how we cooperate to defend ourselves”.
He wishes for greater awareness of the fact that the ideal world that some perhaps want to believe in no longer exists. “I want harmony for Germany, but we must remain aware of what could destroy it”.
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