Germany Aims to Build Europe’s Most Powerful Army, Says Chancellor Merz

[candide]

4 minutes ago, Cameroni said:

 

It's a complete ostrich head in the sand tactic by Merz, they are just ruling out nuclear weapons.

 

Germany of course has renounced nuclear weapons Japan style, but even if that is reversed, the small amounts of Uranium in the former East Germany would probably not suffice. Despite having ample technical expertise to build nuclear weapons Germany would still need outside support to build a nuclear arsenal. 

 

How do the UK and France do it, where do they get their uranium?

Australia, I guess.

 

My comment was not only targeting Germany, but all related countries, including the U.S. 

If the U.S withdraws its nuclear protection of Europe (it's currently only a scenario), the only practical solution is nuclear proliferation. That would also mean the de-facto end of the treaty, and nuclear proliferation in other regions.

[Cameroni]

1 minute ago, candide said:

Australia, I guess.

 

My comment was not only targeting Germany, but all related countries, including the U.S. 

If the U.S withdraws its nuclear protection of Europe (it's currently only a scenario), the only practical solution is nuclear proliferation. That would also mean the de-facto end of the treaty, and nuclear proliferation in other regions.

 

I see the UK got US uranium, France from Madagascar and their nuclear power residue.

 

Merz selling a strong army to the people of Germany as sufficient protection is a joke surely. How would Germany prevail against nuclear power being nuclear naked herself?

[candide]

1 minute ago, Bannoi said:

Unfortunately and reluctantly I have to agree with you France and the UK could share the technology with other European countries without extending its nuclear protection but at what cost.

 

Nuclear weapons are probably the greatest curse threatening mankind today if they are ever used in earnest nowhere in the world will be safe.

 

What I fear the most is if some terrorist organisation manages to get its hands on one.

 

 

It's unlikely that some terrorist organisation gets its hand on one, as they are well protected.

 

However, it's not impossible to make a dirty bomb.

[Bannoi]

21 minutes ago, Cameroni said:

How do the UK and France do it, where do they get their uranium?

The UK mainly from Australia and Canada

[BLMFem]

Not hard to find out. From ChatGPT:

 

 

[Cameroni]

Thanks guys, so a bit of domestic and various other nations like US, Canada, and Australia.

 

Just like them, Germany would have to source uranium from third parties. I don't think East Germany has enough either.

[BerndD]

3 hours ago, JonnyF said:

May as well.

 

They will have a lot of manufacturing capacity available now that nobody is buying German products.

 

German arms exports reached a new high of 13 billion euros in 2024.

[Chomper Higgot]

1 hour ago, Cameroni said:

 

I see the UK got US uranium, France from Madagascar and their nuclear power residue.

 

Merz selling a strong army to the people of Germany as sufficient protection is a joke surely. How would Germany prevail against nuclear power being nuclear naked herself?

And yet on the news every night is a non nuclear war with Russia that has slaughtered hundreds of thousands of Russian troops while obliterating vast amounts of Russian military hardware.

 

 

[Yellowtail]

Electric tanks? 

[johng]

1 minute ago, Yellowtail said:

Electric tanks? 

Ha ha  yes    isn't one of the US tanks propelled by electric motors electric 

but the electric comes from a jet engine..?

I wonder where Germany is gong to get the energy to make these new armaments in the first pace   seeing as they shut all their nuclear plants and have no Russian gas.?

[Yellowtail]

20 minutes ago, johng said:

Ha ha  yes    isn't one of the US tanks propelled by electric motors electric 

but the electric comes from a jet engine..?

I wonder where Germany is gong to get the energy to make these new armaments in the first pace   seeing as they shut all their nuclear plants and have no Russian gas.?

Windmills on the roof, and a solar powered fan to make the wind. 

[bendejo]

22 hours ago, Social Media said:

Germany’s Chancellor Friedrich Merz

 

Hey, is this the same Fred Merz from "I Love Lucy"?

"Freeeeeddddddd, you got some explaining to do  . . . "

 

[newbee2022]

15 hours ago, Cameroni said:

 

It's a complete ostrich head in the sand tactic by Merz, they are just ruling out nuclear weapons.

 

Germany of course has renounced nuclear weapons Japan style, but even if that is reversed, the small amounts of Uranium in the former East Germany would probably not suffice. Despite having ample technical expertise to build nuclear weapons Germany would still need outside support to build a nuclear arsenal. 

 

How do the UK and France do it, where do they get their uranium?

They got their (ex) colonies

[impulse]

17 hours ago, candide said:

That's a key issue. If the US withdraws its nuclear protection, the only solution is nuclear proliferation, I.e. countries such as Poland or Germany having their own nukes. The idea of another European country, such as France, extending its nuclear protection to other countries is meaningless.

 

They are all avoiding to face this critical issue.

 

Why would the US withdraw its protection if the Euros are contributing their fair (and agreed) share?  And it's about time.

 

 Winning bigly.

 

[Cameroni]

20 hours ago, Chomper Higgot said:

And yet on the news every night is a non nuclear war with Russia that has slaughtered hundreds of thousands of Russian troops while obliterating vast amounts of Russian military hardware.

 

 

 

Yes, but Ukraine is losing. She can't win. Why do you think she's negotiating for peace now?

 

Even if Ukraine had been winning, some nuclear strikes and game over for Ukraine.

 

So unless Germany gets nuclear weapons it is not really protected.

[JonnyF]

Germany is done.

 

Prop up the EU for a few more years then they have no use for you.

[candide]

6 hours ago, impulse said:

 

Why would the US withdraw its protection if the Euros are contributing their fair (and agreed) share?  And it's about time.

 

 Winning bigly.

 

It's a scenario which has been considered in Europe.

 

https://carnegieendowment.org/emissary/2025/04/can-europe-build-its-own-nuclear-umbrella?lang=en

[NoDisplayName]

On 5/17/2025 at 4:03 AM, Social Media said:

Germany Aims to Build Europe’s Most Powerful Army, Says Chancellor

 

That's always turned out well.

[MicroB]

On 5/17/2025 at 12:17 PM, johng said:

Ha ha  yes    isn't one of the US tanks propelled by electric motors electric 

but the electric comes from a jet engine..?

I wonder where Germany is gong to get the energy to make these new armaments in the first pace   seeing as they shut all their nuclear plants and have no Russian gas.?

 

Ukraine, as per the recent US-Ukraine minerals deal which included large shale gas reserves.

 

The M1E3 has a hybrid drive; increased range, power, and stealth mode. Somewhat similar to Porsche's proposal for the Tiger tank in WW2. Challenger 3 is likely to adopt a hybrid drive as well, but not gas turbine.

 

https://acmeportable.de/government-and-military?gad_source=5&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIrtP_rf2sjQMVC0T2CB3dMwT5EAEYASAAEgLYgfD_BwE

[MicroB]

On 5/17/2025 at 12:12 PM, Yellowtail said:

Electric tanks? 

 

 

Yes. The M1E3 is a hybrid, with electric drive. Challenger 3 will adopt a diesel hybrid drive. Porsche proposed electric drive for the Tiger tank. America's first tank was electric.

[hotsun]

On 5/17/2025 at 8:50 AM, FlorC said:

An army to fight the enemy already within their borders ?

Or for the imaginairy Russians invasion ?

I was thinking this exactly. And of course you got downvoted 

[Caldera]

I applaud Germany's dedication to keeping Europe safe from the Russian threat. Facing a German firing squad would be a fitting end for Putin, who spent quite some quality time in Germany in different times lol