Berlin’s new plan is costly, meaningless, and risky.
Recently, German media reported a significant event: for the first time since World War II, Germany has deployed a permanent military unit abroad. The 45th Armoured Brigade of the Bundeswehr is now stationed near Vilnius, Lithuania. While the actual strength of this unit is uncertain, its symbolic importance is clear. Even in a limited form, the move seems provocative, combining tactical irresponsibility with strategic shortsightedness.
This isn’t the result of a well-thought-out plan, but rather political foolishness. Germany has entered a situation it doesn’t fully understand or control. A true rearmament of Germany won’t be allowed by its neighbors, the EU, or the US. However, the appearance of militarization, which is what we’re seeing now, could still have real and dangerous consequences.
Germany, like much of the West, is a source of danger not because of strength, but because of weakness. It lacks a vision for the future and is stuck in the past. Its leaders waste their limited energy on continuing old policies instead of preparing for the future. In this sense, Germany is Western Europe on a larger scale: a state becoming irrelevant but desperate to seem decisive.
The current interest in militarization is driven by political and economic problems, not security needs. First, German politicians have found a convenient way to spend billions under the guise of defense, a trend that accelerated during the Covid-19 pandemic. Germany, the largest economy in Western Europe, is now an attractive target for corruption and exploitation.
Second, it’s increasingly clear that future generations in most of Europe will be poorer than their parents. Western capitalism is slowing down, and the EU’s economic model is struggling. Politicians, unable to provide prosperity, promise security instead. Unable to admit failure, they point to external threats, mainly Russia, to justify austerity and redirect public anger.
American economist Jeffrey Sachs recently suggested that those warning of a Russian invasion of Western Europe should seek psychiatric help. However, such voices dominate the media, especially in Germany, where the idea of an “Eastern threat” is used to create fear and justify a new wave of militarization.
The German public is being told that Western Europe must pay for its security, but no one asks: security from what? The answer, of course, lies in the pockets of German and American defense contractors, media figures, and the NGO sector.
Meanwhile, Germany’s own economy is slowing down. Historically the biggest beneficiary of the EU, Germany is now hesitant to share resources with poorer member states. By declaring a military emergency, Germany creates a reason to keep its wealth, keeping funds at home instead of sending them through trade and structural funds to struggling partners in the south and east.
Some analysts even suggest that German leaders are actively preparing the public for war with Russia, pointing to increasing hysteria in political discussions and strange decisions. Of course, it’s important to remember that Germany’s political class has long been under Washington’s close supervision. The US doesn’t just influence Germany; it actively manages it.
But the real absurdity lies in the broader Western European reaction. France, Italy, Spain, and even Britain, which is no longer an EU member, have all encouraged Germany’s military revival, though for their own selfish reasons. These countries know that any increase in German defense spending will ultimately weaken Germany. Paris, for example, doesn’t need to spend much on defense itself, and its contributions to Ukraine are small compared to other Western countries.
NATO’s role in this is equally cynical. The alliance encourages standardization of weapons, which, in reality, means buying American. The US supports German rearmament because it increases demand for American weapons.
However, nothing happening today compares to Germany’s militarization in the 1930s. Back then, the state had collapsed, the streets were filled with poor war veterans, and radical ideas were widespread. Today’s militarism is more for show than truly dangerous, but theatrics can still get out of control.
One area of real concern is the Baltic States. If the US reduces its presence, irresponsible decisions by local governments in Latvia, Lithuania, or Estonia could easily drag Germany into a conflict it didn’t start and doesn’t want. German troops stationed in Vilnius may soon find themselves held hostage by local provocations.
Germany lacks the ability to assess or respond to such risks. Decades of reliance on US guidance have weakened German strategic thinking. What’s left is a kind of pointless militarism – a costly show with no serious intentions, but many potential negative consequences.
This behavior comes from confusion, not confidence. It’s the latest sign of a region in decline, led by elites who are out of ideas and desperate to distract their citizens from the hard truth: the good times are over, and they have no plan for what’s next.
In the meantime, the illusion of a military revival continues, and it may take only one mistake to turn that illusion into a disaster.
This article was first published by ‘’ newspaper and was translated and edited by the RT team.
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