Roland Hartwig
Withdrawal of U.S. Soldiers
German Bundestag,
February 13, 2020, Plenarprotokoll 19/148, pp. 18335-18336
[Roland Hartwig is an Alternative für
Deutschland Bundestag member from the western German state of
Nordrhein-Westfalen. He is a lawyer.]
Frau President. Ladies and gentlemen.
The motion of the Linke for the withdrawal of
over 35,000 U.S. soldiers from Germany is, in one regard, remarkable. While you
always wish in one respect to recover as many people as possible –
Alexander
S. Neu (Linke): As tourists!
– this time it is in reverse. Thence, the
direction at least is alright. Only the timing is poorly chosen.
Let us summarize for a moment. To begin with,
Germany for decades cut away at its own defense capability and ultimately
out-sourced it to other NATO states. To this day, Germany has not made the
promised contribution of the sum of 2% of BIP [gross domestic product] for this
defense umbrella to be be put up by third parties and now the Linke wish to
expel the U.S. soldiers still stationed here in a night-and-fog [Nacht-und-Nebel] action.
Alexander S. Neu
(Linke): In the daytime, gladly!
And then? The AfD also wants no foreign
troops on German soil on a long-term basis.Yet we must for once declare how we
want in the future to defend our country from military aggression.
Germany’s defense capability is not a duty
that can be completely out-sourced to third parties. When military decisions
which are important to us are considered in Brussels, Washington or Paris, but
not any longer in Berlin, then we run the great risk that German interests will
therein no longer play a role. We must therefore take the initiative to
re-build our own army.
The beginning of this has been made, albeit
somewhat half-heartedly. In that regard, I address the present Defense
Minister, Frau Kramp-Karrenbauer. She has in recent days publicly acknowledged
that she is not suitable as a candidate for chancellor, nor for CDU party chairman.
It would have nice had this acknowledgement process not stopped at the Defense
Ministry.
To be able to meet the further increasing
military requirements, and until the reconstruction of our own defense
capability, we will in addition presumably require allies.
Alexander S. Neu
(Linke): That is, ja, real
patriotism.
Therefore, NATO membership for the
foreseeable future is in the German interest. NATO certainly has not suffered a
brain death as was prematurely diagnosed in Paris. It is, however, severely in
need of reform. Subject to the overwhelming influence of the Americans, it is
still inclined to fixate on the classic assessment of Russia as an enemy and
thereby stands in the way of a rapprochement between Russia and western Europe.
The world also requires a new security architecture due to China’s military aspirations. It is not clear to me
whether NATO in its present form will be sitting at the table in five or ten
years. An alternative security and defense concept should thus, first, put the
German Bundeswehr on its feet, second, accord to German security interests in
NATO an essentially greater significance and, third, distinctly strengthen the
European pillar in the transatlantic alliance.
Alexander S. Neu (Linke):
Everything the CDU wants!
I reiterate: We also want the withdrawal of
all foreign troops from Germany. Yet, in these days, we first must be prepared.
Subsequent to the collapse of our defense capability, that is a long way’s
away. For that, we require much time and energy and, before all, another
Federal government.
Many thanks.
[Translated
by Todd Martin]
