Germany ‘Can’t Explain’ Use of Broomsticks Instd of Guns in NATO Exercise

[MastanKhan]

World
A German Bundeswehr armed forces soldier looks out from a Boxer armoured personnel carrier at camp Marmal near Mazar-e-Sharif, northern Afghanistan December 17, 2012. Fabrizio Bensch/ REUTERS
Filed Under: World, NATO, Germany, Norway
The German Ministry of Defence says it “can’t explain” why its soldiers reportedly used broomsticks in place of machine guns during a NATO military exercise on Tuesday.
German media reported yesterday that soldiers painted broomsticks black to simulate gun barrels on Boxer armoured vehicles during an excercise in September.
A spokesperson from the German Ministry of Defence told Newsweek today: “I cannot confirm it but this was told to an inspector of the German army by a soldier when he visited the unit in January. The inspector hasn’t seen it, but the soldiers told him.”
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He added: “This Boxer was a mobile headquarters so it was an HQ vehicle where a weapon is neither foreseen nor necessary. A mobile HQ will always be secured by security forces around it. Why the soldiers then should have mounted a broomstick we can't explain that.”
The exercise took place in Norway and was carried out by NATO’s Rapid Response Force (NRF), a high readiness multinational force which is supposed to be capable of deployment at short notice.
The battalion reportedly involved in the broomstick incident was the Panzergrenadierbataillon 371 - which is training as part of an even more high ready “Spearhead” force for the NRF, formed in response to the war in Ukraine.
There were also reports that 41% of the battalion’s soldiers didn’t have the pistols they would need for a rapid deployment, with other equipment shortages including MG3 machine guns and night vision goggles.
The spokesperson explained the German army has been operating a “dynamic availability management system” whereby the army would need just 75% of equipment for missions abroad, with equipment delivered to the right people at the right time. The battalion will now be fully equipped within a couple of days.
“There is absolutely no doubt that the German army can fulfil the task of a NATO Response Force Unit”, he says.
“The soldiers made clear they want to have a weapon on the mobile HQ. Now we are thinking about fulfilling that wish, although it is not necessary.”

 

[About.to.be.banned]

 

[TankMan]

Germany be like:

 

[Stephen Cohen]

How times change

 

[AMDR]

How times change

In 1932 germany was a broken country. In 1938 it was the most powerful country in Europe by far.

Believe me if the Germans wanted wanted to go back to their old ways, they could. But why do that when they have their "fourth reich" AKA the EU.

 

[flamer84]

In 1932 germany was a broken country. In 1938 it was the most powerful country in Europe by far.

Believe me if the Germans wanted wanted to go back to their old ways, they could. But why do that when they have their "fourth reich" AKA the EU.

Which is falling apart.They're going to need that army to put people back in line or they'll find an economic way out of it.The latter seems more and more improbable.The first one one seems far away to.

 

[Donatello]

Which is falling apart.They're going to need that army to put people back in line or they'll find an economic way out of it.The latter seems more and more improbable.The first one one seems far away to.

They are doing much better than any other large economy in Europe. Regardless of their military ambitions or procurement, Germany is one nation that can build anything, because they have more than 150 years of Industrial might backing them. If they wanted to build a Nuclear Ballistic Missile Submarine, SSBN, they can do it, and rest assured it would be better than any Russian, Chinese or Indian sub put to sea ever. The question is, do they need to? A solid EU helps their exports and that is all that matters.

 

[PlanetWarrior]

They are doing much better than any other large economy in Europe. Regardless of their military ambitions or procurement, Germany is one nation that can build anything, because they have more than 150 years of Industrial might backing them. If they wanted to build a Nuclear Ballistic Missile Submarine, SSBN, they can do it, and rest assured it would be better than any Russian, Chinese or Indian sub put to sea ever. The question is, do they need to? A solid EU helps their exports and that is all that matters.

Great analysis Don. Couldn't have said it better myself

 

[SipahSalar]

Argh, i was just going to post it.

Meet the German Broom machine.

To make matters worse they are part of the Europes so-called Rapid Deployment Force. Do they think they are going to scare Putin with broomsticks?

 

[flamer84]

They are doing much better than any other large economy in Europe. Regardless of their military ambitions or procurement, Germany is one nation that can build anything, because they have more than 150 years of Industrial might backing them. If they wanted to build a Nuclear Ballistic Missile Submarine, SSBN, they can do it, and rest assured it would be better than any Russian, Chinese or Indian sub put to sea ever. The question is, do they need to? A solid EU helps their exports and that is all that matters.

They are doing much better also because they've modeled the EU economic zone to the German strong export orientated economy and a strong euro.In this process they've flatenned Southern and Eastern European economies.This can't go on any longer because the latter countries can't go on like this.Either Germany implements reforms within the EU or it all falls apart.And ,they don't have the military to stop it all from falling apart so they better act quickly and decisevely in managing the needs of Southern Europe (especially).

 

[sEoulman556]

@TankMan
That picture is awesome lol

 

[Donatello]

They are doing much better also because they've modeled the EU economic zone to the German strong export orientated economy and a strong euro.In this process they've flatenned Southern and Eastern European economies.This can't go on any longer because the latter countries can't go on like this.Either Germany implements reforms within the EU or it all falls apart.And ,they don't have the military to stop it all from falling apart so they better act quickly and decisevely in managing the needs of Southern Europe (especially).

EU in it's current form of 28 nations is not sustainable, but for Germany that doesn't matter because they can revert to a smaller one. I mean, seriously, what were they thinking when they added nations like Poland, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Portugal, Greece, Cyprus, Romania, Lithania, Estonia etc? They were no where in terms of development and economics as the France, Germany, Italy, Britain, Sweden, Denmark, Netherlands?

So the 'better developed' ones can have their on EU, more like a 12 state one rather than a 28 state one. UK had to open up their borders, and wallah, you got Romanians and Polish rushing there.

 

[Iggy]

The way Europeans cry about every guy hanged in Asia and Africa, they now need only proper training on how to surrender before even a bullet is fired.. I mean their care of humanity will lead them to surrender in fear of hunan loss..

 

[flamer84]

EU in it's current form of 28 nations is not sustainable, but for Germany that doesn't matter because they can revert to a smaller one. I mean, seriously, what were they thinking when they added nations like Poland, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Portugal, Greece, Cyprus, Romania, Lithania, Estonia etc? They were no where in terms of development and economics as the France, Germany, Italy, Britain, Sweden, Denmark, Netherlands?

So the 'better developed' ones can have their on EU, more like a 12 state one rather than a 28 state one. UK had to open up their borders, and wallah, you got Romanians and Polish rushing there.

It is not about being more or less developed.Big,developed economies like Italy,Spain,were more affected than Romania or Poland by Germany's economic hegemony.France only stayed afloat because it kept its borrowing deficit unlike the others and contrary to all EU regulations.It would be,from an economic point of view more viable to cut Italy loose than say...Romania.Romania is what you call,fiscally disciplined,has a very small budget deficit ,it basically lives on what it produces,not on debt or aid.You could check,before making baseless claims,that on the international bonds market Romania can borrow money at lower rates than Italy,Spain.Simply put,altough smaller,Romanian economy lives within its means and has fewer risks.

Anyway,the discussion is still meaningless because the German economy needs all the current countries to stay in the Union and letting even one loose means the fall of the domino with consequences for their economy.

 

[Donatello]

It is not about being more or less developed.Big,developed economies like Italy,Spain,were more affected than Romania or Poland by Germany's economic hegemony.France only stayed afloat because it kept its borrowing deficit unlike the others and contrary to all EU regulations.It would be,from an economic point of view more viable to cut Italy loose than say...Romania.Romania is what you call,fiscally disciplined,has a very small budget deficit ,it basically lives on what it produces,not on debt or aid.You could check,before making baseless claims,that on the international bonds market Romania can borrow money at lower rates than Italy,Spain.Simply put,altough smaller,Romanian economy lives within its means and has fewer risks.

Anyway,the discussion is still meaningless because the German economy needs all the current countries to stay in the Union and letting even one loose means the fall of the domino with consequences for their economy.

The removal of smaller, less developed nations means Germany loses on a smaller market, but then they would save cash by not needing to continuously bailing them out. While the EU seems like a great plan, no borders, economic integration, Human rights etc, you need to realize that politics still very much nationalist rather than European, and with Europe having such a massive historical significance, there is no way you will have consensus. So let EU work just like a coherent economy, but those who cannot contribute in share to their consumption, need to be dealt with. In the next 10 years or 20, as the trade increases with a rising Asia and Africa, the relevance of countries like Greece to Germany will simply go down. They can still retain FTAs regardless of EU. Are you telling me that nations cannot have trade agreements and tax concessions just because they are not in a EU like union?

And as you suggested, yes it is true that Romania can borrow money cheaply, why is it not doing so? Why are Romanians flocking to other nations? Romania needs to borrow that money and put it to good use.