From my Writing Room
Copyright © 2024 by Uwe Bahr

On the second anniversary of the war in Ukraine, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz chooses strong words. And he is obviously forgetting the successful policies of his own Social Democratic Party not too long ago.

Not without a small pinch of uncertainty, Scholz told his fellow citizens in all seriousness yesterday: “A return to the policy of deterrence was necessary. Words such as ‘deterrence’ and ‘defense readiness’ are unfamiliar words for some [people] coming from a German Chancellor. However, they stand for an important task: Together with our allies, we must be so strong that no one dares to attack us. This is how we ensure our security. And this is how we defend peace in Europe.”

He is thus contradicting the spirit of all reason and history, from which the Germans in particular should have learned their lessons. For it is not difficult to see that his statements will only lead to an endless spiral of rearmament and further deaths, including the mutual waste of resources affecting generations to come – for the other side will of course respond with the same.

Recent history teaches a different path, which was successful and ultimately led to the – temporary – end of the division of Europe, the Cold War. The West German policy of détente in the 1960s/70s, often to the annoyance of the Americans at the time, led to de-escalation in small steps, although wars were also the order of the day back then. The Soviets subjugated the entire Eastern Bloc, and a Leonid Brezhnev as the leader of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, in World War II allied with the USA, was anything but an easy negotiating partner – certainly worse than a Putin in the first decade of our century. But at least the channels of communication between the two power blocs always remained open, even during the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962.

The certainty has long since solidified that an economically and socially staggering Germany today no longer pursues an independent foreign policy, but has made itself the vassal of interests that cannot be German interests.

Instead of submitting unconditionally, the Europeans, led by France and Germany, should form their own protective alliance, which represents the interests of Europe and not those of the USA. France has nuclear weapons, France and Germany together have more people than Russia, a higher economic power than Russia and a higher military budget than Russia. If a deterrent were needed, the potential for it would be in European hands and not in the hands of the USA, which does not want to grant a fair partnership based on reciprocity.

The reaction of the USA would remain to be seen if they no longer had their hands in the pie everywhere in order to expand their influence and their quest for endless profit.

For the USA is not a protective power, but an aggressive world power that is exclusively pursuing its own expansionist interests. It has proven this fact with its senseless wars, interventions and bombings throughout its history.

Such a country cannot lead a defense alliance.