Germany to start building up army again
 

Just read it in the newspaper. This could be the start of the worst case scenario - a new cold war, this time between the EU (and maybe Russia) and the US (and maybe the UK).

The UK is in the EU!

666- post of the beast! :-o

Now France will have to increase theirs. ;-)

PW, does the newspaper carry the numbers for the increase in defense spending?

Yes, so is Spain. So?
That does not say anything about future relations and alliances.

No numbers, just plans in the making.

So you think the UK would leave the EU and become part of some new "cold war" with the US?

I can see it coming.

The good old superpowers from the 18th and 19th centuries. Germany, France, UK, Russia

And don't forget China
China GDP purchase power parity $6 trillion
GDP growth 8%
est.2002

(in comparison USA $10.082 trillion
GDP growth 0.3%)

No brainer to calculate when China has caught up

I think that possibility exists, although they might just as well choose the other side. Note that I'm not talking about "starting a cold war", but about "a cold war starting". There is a big difference - no clear initiatives needed, just worsening international relations which lead to hostility and eventually maybe even more.
Also, this would take quite a few years. I am in no way saying that in 5 years France and Germany will invade the US or something silly like that.

Not gonna happen.

Yep. It's no fun surrendering to Germany unless you can do it on a mass scale. Go big or go home. Or go big then surrender and go home.

Beware of Germany, aint no Irak

2250 ???:Graucho

there's one thing that starts and prevents wars - money. The economies of the west are far too interdependent and a "cold war" between US and EU would do severe damage to the economies of all countries concerned. That would be enough to prevent relations freezing over too much. Anyway i think the rift between france/germany and US/UK has been overstaded. 6 months down the road and they'll all be the best of friends. (group hug)

I have no clue where you get your news but it can be only written on restroom doors.

Germany has decreased their army size for years and still continues to do so. Germany is a Nato ally and last time I checked we are honoring all Nato aggreements. Just because a country is not cheering about a war hardly any country wants will make them an enemy.

What a bullshit! How could you even think of a coldwar between Europe and USA.... idiot

andi: Agreed... somebody in my family has been with the German army for 12 years now and he says the same.

It's funny you say that. If the US Govt were to think that Germany was trying to pose a threat they'd simply raise the tarrifs on german imports and put all german companies out of business. In this day and age almost all countries depend on the US.

It is not only the EU or Russia or China that want to invade us... Jamaica is planning to invade the US ... :Graucho :rasta

A Cold War? Come on. You think nations are going to get pissed off enough to commit economic suicide?

"and the US (and maybe the UK)."

... pardon me, the UK will be gone in a couple of weeks, with all the bristish soldiers in iraq, germany and france have developed secret attacking plans ... and this time we will take that fucking island !!!

Just heard on CNN

France has surrendered

yeah right! i believe the last time we british were invaded was 1066. and i can't see it happening in the next 1000 years either :ak47:

btw: punkword, what´s the name of that newspaper you´ve been reading?

canada is secretly mounting our forces to CONCOR the US since all their forces are in the middle east. We're just gona walk in and TAKE OVER.

"i believe the last time we british were invaded was 1066."

... yes, I remember that, I was a young lad of 12 and came in my pants for the very first time.

... just heared on the news, british military minister orders soldiers back to defend homeland !!!

ahahah... try it, asshole :Graucho

the NRA's got our backs!

... after taking england we will join forces with canada ... hmmm french canadians !!!

... and then we will all fight iRan, I heared they have weapons of mass destructions ...

oh you're french, that explains your bitterness

"oh you're french, that explains your bitterness"

... am I dating a woman that doesn´t wash ???

What are we going to use for weapons? Are we going to pour maple syrup on the Americans or bring some of our beavers to destroy their land:1orglaugh

Dude, not yet, I want my wife to get stationed in Germany first so we can run amuk in Europe...

andi_germany & Validus: Schroder said in an interview in Die Zeit last thursday that Germany should be able to fend for itself (that is, no military dependance of America) and that investments in the army would have to be talked about.
Fischer has been in favor of "strengthening Europe's military capacity" for a while now - at least, that's what he says in interviews.
The CDU is very enthusiastic about the idea, which isn't a surprise since they were in favor of strengthening the military already. Their only reservation is that it shouldn't become an arms race with the US.

Now, for all those talking about how the economy wouldn't allow something like this:
Note, again, that I'm not talking about the short term (e.g. <10 years). Also note, again, that I'm not talking about hostile initiatives but rather about worsening international relations.
Now, obviously, if these worsen, the economical ties will diminish as well over the course of the decades to come. The EU in itself can be seen as a good example of this, since it promotes keeping business within the EU and out of the US as much as possible - fairly unsuccesfully until now, but if you think in decades instead of in weeks changes are significant.
In the long run this could very well lead to relatively weak economic ties between the US and the EU.

don't try it . . . our Boy Scouts troops are ready for you

There is a huge US military presence in Germany,

I wouldn't doubt that UN would fail and all the US troops will be out of europe,

WOOHOO

About time.
The germans haven't started a war in so long, I was beginning to think it would skip our generation.

Your right what would be a generation with out a war that france would surrender.