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While the coalition is discussing the purchase of F-18 aircraft that can be equipped with nuclear weapons, the leader of the SPD’s parliamentary group, Mützenich, is calling for the withdrawal of US nuclear weapons from Germany. With this he meets headwinds, also from his own ranks.
A dispute has arisen in the SPD over Germany’s future involvement in NATO’s nuclear deterrence, which threatens to spread to the grand coalition. SPD faction leader Rolf Mützenich had called for an end to the parking of all US nuclear weapons in Germany. “Nuclear weapons on German territory do not increase our security, on the contrary,” he told the “Tagesspiegel.” Mützenich justified his advance with the unpredictability of the President of the United States, Donald Trump. “The Trump administration has announced that nuclear weapons are no longer a deterrent, but weapons that can be used to wage war.” The risk of escalation has become unmanageable.
Mützenich received the support of SPD President Norbert Walter-Borjans. “I take a clear position against parking, power and especially against the use of nuclear weapons,” said the leader of the “Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung” (FAS) party. He also spoke of an “inhumane arms branch” in relation to an “unpredictable American president.”
New jets for “nuclear participation”
Such a move would end the agreement on so-called nuclear participation in NATO, under which Germany would transport American atomic bombs to their destinations in case of war. The Department of Defense is planning to buy billions of new combat aircraft that are said to have this capability. Minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer is monitoring US F-18 machines. USA For this purpose: discussions are taking place within the Grand Coalition about its acquisition.
Union: SPD is naive
The Union reacted with a lack of understanding: “The naivety of parts of the SPD leadership is dangerous to the security of Germany,” said defense spokesman for the Union faction Henning Otte.
Union parliamentary deputy Johann Wadephul asked Foreign Minister Heiko Maas to contradict Mützenich. “For the CDU / CSU parliamentary group, continued nuclear engagement is out of the question,” Wadephul said. “It is stipulated in the coalition agreement for good reason. It is not negotiable.” Nuclear deterrence is essential for the security of Europe.
Wind against the ranks of the SPD and the opposition
SPD defense politicians Fritz Felgentreu and Karl-Heinz Brunner also oppose the initiative by colleagues in his party. “If Germany withdraws from the deterrence of nuclear participation, we will lose influence over NATO’s nuclear strategy,” said FAS Felgentreu. Brunner told the newspaper that “he was not an ardent supporter of nuclear participation,” but that it was “significantly better than not participating” because he gave Germany “real voice.” The final decision on the use of US nuclear weapons on German soil was “always with the chancellor.”
Criticism of Mützenich’s request also came from the opposition. “The demand by SPD faction leader Mützenich is the wrong signal at the wrong time,” said FDP faction defense policy spokeswoman Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann. The ongoing dispute in the grand coalition on foreign and security policy damages Germany’s reputation in the world. “It is naive to believe that Germany would have the same impact on NATO’s nuclear strategy after the withdrawal of nuclear weapons from the United States,” the politician warned. At a time when the transatlantic alliance is under pressure, Germany must shoulder its responsibilities in the alliance and make a timely decision on the tornado’s successor.
