Archive: Reports & Technical Papers

"United Kingdom and Gibraltar European Union membership referendum could jeopardize 100,000 jobs in Germany," was one of the headlines of the daily press in recent months. While the economic consequences of a possible withdrawal of Britain from the EU are widely discussed, the consequences for security in Europe are hardly noticed. In contrast, time and again - most recently in connection with the termination of the INF Treaty - [...]

But we must not fool ourselves: has been banned in Europe, the INF Treaty, the nuclear medium-range missiles, will not return. Politicians need to be prepared that they must close again the vulnerability that arises there. Several aspects are interesting: Nuclear medium-range missiles with a range of 500 km are weapons in Europe almost all [...]

Ambassador Wolfgang Ischinger, Chairman of the Munich Security Conference, returned to the beginnings of this event. The first of these conferences convened under the name Wehrkundetagung 1,963th She was then lifted out of the baptism of the publisher Ewald von Kleist and US Senator Edward Teller. The two friendly men met again at carnival time in Munich. Plate […]

At the opening of the Munich Security Conference Wolfgang Ischinger put a strong signal: He joined the EU hooded sweatshirt on stage - but lacked the Europe Signet 12th star. Thus, the chairman of the Munich Security Conference referred to the core theme of the first day: the United Kingdom and Gibraltar European Union membership referendum. However, the statements and discussions brought little answers to urgent questions that [...]

Actually it is about a matter of course: cooperative and mutually profitable action at the intergovernmental level. But the Munich Security Conference in 2019 showed that this alleged matter of course no longer exists - and must be laboriously fought for them. National interest allegations, great power rivalries, geostrategy and rapid technological developments are leading to growing security risks. With the termination of the INF treaty by the US [...]

One of the pieces of the international order, which was considered at this year's Munich Security Conference with particular concern was the arms control policy. Specific reason for this was the termination of the INF Treaty. The impending collapse of this central support pillar of European security architecture and arms control themed a number of key speakers at this year's conference. Detail the consequences were discussed [...]

That the anti-European rhetoric of US President Donald Trump of politicians in Europe is viewed with great incomprehension and disapproval, has spread to Washington. So it was a clear statement of the Euro-Atlantic cooperation that the delegation of the US Congress to the Munich Security Conference was as big as ever. This is therefore particularly noteworthy [...]

The Western Balkan countries are becoming increasingly foreign and security policy relevance. Two discussions of the main program of this year's Munich Security Conference were then dedicated to the Greco-Macedonian and the Serbian-Kosovo relations. In his welcoming speech raised Wolfgang Ischinger, the two Prime Ministers of Greece, Alexis Tsipras, and Nordmazedoniens, Zoran Zaev, as examples of successful diplomacy out: "We celebrate ... the achievement of [...]

The Middle East region is for decades the focus of the Munich Security Conference. The list of conflicts remains constant in length. The tensions between the actors are deep and stuck. have dedicated themselves to many speakers on the first two days of the conference of the region, the third day was reserved exclusively for the Middle East. In the center stood [...]

Interview with the Head of Policy in the German Ministry of Defense, Dr. Géza Andreas von Geyr ES & T: Lord of Geyr, the Munich Security Conference has yet drawn a very rigid view of international security policy, with harsh statements and little room for maneuver. Currently operates security policy nothing? From Geyr: Well, I agree with you: There were a number of submissions in [...]

Considerable discomfort might have been prepared for the Defense Department, the annual report of the Commissioner of the Bundestag, the Hans-Peter Bartels (SPD) presented on 29 January. For in the meantime already the 60th annual report of a military officer standing this time the "structural aspects of the current Bundeswehr problems" in the foreground after the financial situation has improved. Bartels noted once again the lack of management in materials [...]

France and Britain are planning to expand their influence in the Indo-Pacific. But the resilience of their strategic concepts is questionable. For Germany, they pose two problems. French aircraft carrier "Charles de Gaulle" is currently being prepared final to break in spring in the Indo-Pacific. The UK plans to send its new carrier "Queen Elizabeth" maiden voyage in 2021 to Asia. Paris and London want [...]

The new agreement "about the Franco-German cooperation and integration", which was signed on 22 January in the Coronation Hall of Aachen Town Hall inaugurated by German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron - where 1,200 years ago the palace of Charlemagne was - would have deserved a better start. On Day 56 years after [...]

China's global economic and military rise is progressing apace. The country with over 1.3 billion people (nearly one-fifth of mankind) has reached the ascent to the second largest economy after the US (320 million inhabitants). According to all forecasts, it will overtake the US by 2032 as the strongest economy in the world. Militarily, China is the second largest [...]

The defense technology and defense industry in Europe is, like most other areas of the manufacturing and processing industry, dependent on a secured and envisaged long-term supply of mineral and metal commodities. Not only the supply of energy resources - oil and gas - raises questions about its availability, as most critical classified commodities - here particularly metal raw materials - [...]

On Sunday, the IDEX 2019, one of the biggest arms fairs in the world begins in Abu Dhabi. To their importance for German industry IT & T editor Dorothee Frank in the notification letter wrote Army of the Supporting Deutsches Heer (FKH). We document this post courtesy of FKH. From 17 to 21 February 2019 will take place in Abu Dhabi [...]

Interview with Dr. Tobias Lindner MP, spokesman for security policy and, among other things chairman of the parliamentary group Alliance 90 / The Greens in the Defense Committee. ES & T: Mr. Lindner, what in your view are currently the biggest security challenges? Lindner: There are - quite specifically - an increasing number of construction sites. In Europe, we need to east, look to Russia. [...]

A committee of inquiry to "consultant affair" in the Defense Department remained defense minister Ursula von der Leyen (CDU) for the time being spared on 16 January. The coalition parties and the AFD made the request of the political groups FDP, the Left and Alliance 90 / The Greens on the constitution of the Defense Committee as a committee of inquiry pursuant to Art. 45a para of the Basic Law for consideration to the Standing Orders Committee. 2nd For [...]

With the abrupt, however, long been looming announcement to withdraw its troops from Syria, brought US President Donald Trump in the world a dubious Christmas gift that caused a criticism and lack of understanding. Meanwhile, the first units of the 2,000-strong contingent should have begun with the withdrawal. With this announcement, the Western world attracts fact of [...]

After a telephone conversation with his Turkish counterpart Recep TayyipErdoğan US President Donald J. Trump tweeted on December 14 that he would pull the 2,000-strong US troops from Syria "soon". It is unnecessary that the US aufspielten as "policeman of the Middle East". The US commitment would only cost precious human lives and many billions of dollars, said [...]

The American President Donald Trump operates more than before the withdrawal of US forces from Syria and Afghanistan without having a sound succession strategy for the enforcement of Western stability interests. This applies to the Europeans right that must watch helplessly as the American partner withdraws from arrangements that are vital for their safety. The American withdrawal from the [...]