BERLIN
Germany’s main opposition Left Party has criticized plans of German government towards a new assertive defense and foreign policy and warned over new confrontations in the region.
The senior Left Party lawmaker Alexander Neu told The Anadolu Agency on Thursday that plans for a new strategy for German armed forces involves great risks.
"A further militarization of German foreign and defense policy would be counterproductive. It is the last thing the world needs. I am very worried about this politics of confrontation pursued by Germany, NATO, EU and in particular by the U.S.," Neu said.
Defense Minister Ursula von der Leyen announced Tuesday that from 2016 onwards the German armed forces, or Bundeswehr, will act under a new strategy, which would have 'no taboos,' marking a formal end to the limits imposed on German armed forces since the end of World War II.
She argued that the recent conflicts in Syria and Ukraine have shown the need to change the current strategic guidelines of the Bundeswehr, and said Germany would take more responsibility for international "peace and stability."
‘Can set Europe on fire’
German opposition lawmaker Neu warned against increased militarization of German foreign policy and argued that such a policy would not address the recent security challenges, neither in Syria, nor in Ukraine. He particularly warned about the escalation of tensions in eastern Ukraine.
"We are on the brink of a new big war in Europe. If the U.S. seeks to deliver weapons to Ukraine, I am sure Russia will act. And this can set Europe on fire," he said.
Neu also argued that military-focused strategy in security and foreign policy would not successfully end the conflict in Syria, nor would it eliminate the threat by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, or ISIL.
"ISIL and al-Qaeda are also the products of the West, especially of the U.S. They were promoted, and now they are being fought because they are out of control. It is always difficult to fight these kinds of structures with armed forces once they become independent,” he said.
‘Germany plays a double game’
The Left Party lawmaker said that the German government, with the adoption of a new ambitious strategy for its armed forces, was seeking to become one of the big players who organize the world order.
"Germany is playing a double game here. On the one hand, Germany is very close to the U.S., on the other hand it is a competitor with the U.S. We are seeing both cooperation and competition, depending on the situation. Germany wants to become a big player in Europe and for this it needs the support of the U.S. But at the same time Germany also seeks to be able to act independently from the U.S. in many areas," Neu said.
According to the German opposition lawmaker, one of the goals of the recent move of the government for drawing a new defense strategy for German armed forces is to significantly increase the defense budget, from the existing €35 billion ($39.8 billion) to €55 billion ($62.5 billion) in a couple of years. Neu argued that recent conflicts such as the one in Ukraine are being exploited for that purpose.
Neu said that despite the ambitious plans of the government to establish a more active foreign policy backed by military means a rapid and radical change is not possible as public opinion would be against it.
"We won't see a rapid, radical change. Because we have a pacifist society. And the government has difficulties in explaining to people why our military has to be sent to somewhere in the world. People in Germany are not really eager to see German soldiers somewhere in the world," he said.
Neu said the government would continue a powerful public relations campaign to convince public opinion to accept a stronger military role in international conflicts, parallel to the work on a new defense strategy for the armed forces.
The opposition will continue to propose alternatives to this policy, Neu added.
