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so are you going to tak over from the Brits in sucking up o the US ? hoe not :;
Did we ever? Remember their whining about Iraq?so are you going to tak over from the Brits in sucking up o the US ? hoe not :;
That's close. Germany could have become militarily strong enough (if not for it's WW2 disastrous experience) but nowhere close to being the "strongest military power on the planet". They simply never had enough human & natural resources to do so. Especially now, most countries in EU, especially Germany, are demographically challenged & situation is only going to worsen, along with accelerating influx of Turks & East Europeans to compensate for declining workforce.If Germany was not limited like Japan post war, it would be one of the strongest military power on the planet. Nothing stops it from being one.
I said one off the strongest.That's close. Germany could have become militarily strong enough (if not for it's WW2 disastrous experience) but nowhere close to being the "strongest military power on the planet". They simply never had enough human & natural resources to do so. Especially now, most countries in EU, especially Germany, are demographically challenged & situation is only going to worsen, along with accelerating influx of Turks & East Europeans to compensate for declining workforce.
Yeah, I read it but since "one of the strongest" is also a relative term, so I chose to comment on it.I said one off the strongest.
Even today its technically a very powerful military minus the nukes which if can easily make should it chose to.
Industrially we all know it needs no introduction
Germany does build good SSKs, but that is a far cry from nuclear and they are heavily reliant on other countries for subsystems. Really they only have full competency in land forces.Well, I do not think it is just about MIC, because they still have decent ship building & excellent submarine building capabilities. Aviation & AeroSpace is definitely something where they lag behind France. I would say, it has something to do with soft power, as well. Something, the Germans could never comprehend or acquire in ample measure. & then squandered it all away (whatever little soft power they had) by their actions between 1933-1945.
Soft power like what UK had in pre-1945 era, US has today (1945-till date & counting) & France, too has in ample measures by their cultural activism on all fronts, counts & is a vital ingredient of comprehensive national power.
Actually, Germany has been issuing plenty of IOUs over the past years, as part of keeping the EuroZone from complete insolvency.They also don't like to loan or donate money, so soft power is lacking.
The Eurozone is not the area they have to worry about exhibiting influence, France and Germany rule that undisputed. We are talking about soft power as a foreign policy tool, not saving your own arse.Actually, Germany has been issuing plenty of IOUs over the past years, as part of keeping the EuroZone from complete insolvency.
IOUs generate goodwill, just like giving easy loans, so I do see it as one way to exerting soft power. Germany does not need to save its posterior, given that it is Germany who is issuing IOUs.The Eurozone is not the area they have to worry about exhibiting influence, France and Germany rule that undisputed. We are talking about soft power as a foreign policy tool, not saving your own arse.
If the Euro crashes, so will Germany = saving their arse. A global power uses their soft power in the developing world, that is where growth comes from.IOUs generate goodwill, just like giving easy loans, so I do see it as one way to exerting soft power. Germany does not need to save its posterior, given that it is Germany who is issuing IOUs.
You have a point.If the Euro crashes, so will Germany = saving their arse. A global power uses their soft power in the developing world, that is where growth comes from.