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Why Are The Germans Ruluctant To Send Tanks To Ukraine?
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We have seen generations across Europe afraid of Germany becoming involved in military activity, to some extent you can understand the e Germans being wary of going ok then, this is us not being involved...
I would think a significant number of Germans are concerned as well, not sure if there is a difference with the rest of Europe but I wonder if they are more closely tied into deals with Russia than say France or the UK especially in terms of fuel and food staples.
I would think a significant number of Germans are concerned as well, not sure if there is a difference with the rest of Europe but I wonder if they are more closely tied into deals with Russia than say France or the UK especially in terms of fuel and food staples.
// that's just an empty sound bite. //
Except no one has said it. It is the BBC’s analysis.
Germany tends to avoid this kind of thing. They did not participate in the Multi-National Force in Iraq, and did not belong to The Coalition of the Willing.
No doubt you will instead insist it is because Germans are cowards, or some other jingoistic clap trap.
Except no one has said it. It is the BBC’s analysis.
Germany tends to avoid this kind of thing. They did not participate in the Multi-National Force in Iraq, and did not belong to The Coalition of the Willing.
No doubt you will instead insist it is because Germans are cowards, or some other jingoistic clap trap.
Fundamentally it comes down to Germany’s recent history. Aside from the wholly misplace guilt complex with regard to Russia and WWII, Germans are paranoid about seeming to exploit their position as Europe’s most powerful nation. This is what I always say when people try to claim that the EU is Germany’s proxy empire.
Added to which is the fact that Scholz is, as Khandro says, useless :-)
The energy bird has flown and the “fear of escalation” thing is a nonsense the Kremlin tries to exploit at every turn. Hence the bloodcurdling stuff in todays Russian media.
Germany’s new defence minister has just stated that no decision on Leopard tanks had been made but “But he hinted that the decision may be made in the coming days or weeks and Germsn MoD is preparing by starting to inquire into potentially available numbers of tanks in Germany”
I mean, have they lost their inventory?!!
Added to which is the fact that Scholz is, as Khandro says, useless :-)
The energy bird has flown and the “fear of escalation” thing is a nonsense the Kremlin tries to exploit at every turn. Hence the bloodcurdling stuff in todays Russian media.
Germany’s new defence minister has just stated that no decision on Leopard tanks had been made but “But he hinted that the decision may be made in the coming days or weeks and Germsn MoD is preparing by starting to inquire into potentially available numbers of tanks in Germany”
I mean, have they lost their inventory?!!
There seems to be some German backtracking going on:
German cabinet now saying they never made supply of US Abram tanks a prerequisite for their permitting their own Leopards to be sent. And they are also saying Poland now doesn’t need their permission
What’s the German for: “You don’t know what you’re doing …”
On a positive note this is the “Ramstein” group after all which meets in … Ramstein and Germany is after all a major contributor to Ukraine’s war effort.
Even with our Leopards for now though, a formidable build up of heavy armour is being assembled: Bradley’s, Swedish Archers, CV90s etc etc
German cabinet now saying they never made supply of US Abram tanks a prerequisite for their permitting their own Leopards to be sent. And they are also saying Poland now doesn’t need their permission
What’s the German for: “You don’t know what you’re doing …”
On a positive note this is the “Ramstein” group after all which meets in … Ramstein and Germany is after all a major contributor to Ukraine’s war effort.
Even with our Leopards for now though, a formidable build up of heavy armour is being assembled: Bradley’s, Swedish Archers, CV90s etc etc
'One example: The commander of the 10th Tank Division reported to his superiors that during an exercise with 18 Puma infantry fighting vehicles, all 18 of them broke down.'
From 'An Examination of the Truly Dire State of Germany's Military'
https:/
From 'An Examination of the Truly Dire State of Germany's Military'
https:/
The big concern is the secretive armour - western tanks are bigger, better protected and have more powerful guns than anything Russia has. So they can get a lot closer to the enemy.
I disagree with the observation that there’s a “stalemate” just now. There isn’t: it’s winter - but not a particularly freezing one and the ground conditions are not conducive to movement of vehicles. Ukraine is destined to prevail in this but what Russia has is potentially thousands of bodies they can almost literally throw at this and with the next mass mobilisation could cause an escalation in terms of dumb blitzkrieg that would up the casualty rate significantly on both sides and prolong the inevitable.
Hence the general sense of urgency to act sooner rather than later
I disagree with the observation that there’s a “stalemate” just now. There isn’t: it’s winter - but not a particularly freezing one and the ground conditions are not conducive to movement of vehicles. Ukraine is destined to prevail in this but what Russia has is potentially thousands of bodies they can almost literally throw at this and with the next mass mobilisation could cause an escalation in terms of dumb blitzkrieg that would up the casualty rate significantly on both sides and prolong the inevitable.
Hence the general sense of urgency to act sooner rather than later
"We’re tired of fighting Putin with rubbish kit". This recent headline in The Times was an eloquent expression of the feelings of a Ukrainian tank sergeant, part of the 24th Mechanised Brigade fighting in Bakhmut in the country's east. “Spider” Bogdan, whose Soviet-era T-62 had ground to a halt, dreams of a more modern tank: "“Would we like to have a Challenger instead? What do you think? It would be a gift from the heavens.”
Bogdan's T-62 had apparently seen action in Afghanistan 40 years ago and – like so much of the military hardware that Ukraine has depended on in fighting against the Russians in the Donbas since 2014 – is falling apart. '
The message is simple, send the tanks!
// I have no doubt the Leopards are coming //
As I understand it, the Ukrainians are planning an offensive in early spring.
Whatever the time required to train a Leopard Tank Driver (does 12 weeks sound reasonable?) to combat proficiency, with Germany dithering, the window of opportunity is getting smaller by the day.
Forgive me for having my doubts.
As I understand it, the Ukrainians are planning an offensive in early spring.
Whatever the time required to train a Leopard Tank Driver (does 12 weeks sound reasonable?) to combat proficiency, with Germany dithering, the window of opportunity is getting smaller by the day.
Forgive me for having my doubts.
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