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No cuts to Germany's welfare despite defence spending hikes - Merkel

 

German Chancellor Angela Merkel, top candidate of the Christian Democratic Union Party (CDU), attends an election rally for the upcoming federal elections in Gelnhausen, near Frankfurt, Germany August 14, 2017. REUTERS/Ralph Orlowski

 

(Reuters) - Germany's planned defence spending hikes will not trigger welfare cuts, Chancellor Angela Merkel said, rebutting criticism from her Social Democrat (SPD) rivals that she was caving in to U.S. demands for a bigger military budget.

 

The SPD is campaigning on a platform of social justice and has rejected demands from U.S. President Donald Trump that Germany meet NATO's spending target of 2 percent of national output on defence.

 

Merkel said that while it was necessary to increase defence spending, "that will not lead to any social expenditure being cut ... It won't come at the cost of anything we pay for today."

 

She was contradicting her party ally Jens Spahn, a state secretary in the finance ministry, who previously said slower increases in social spending could help finance the expanded military outlays her party advocates.

 

The SPD, trailing Merkel's conservatives by some 15 percentage points in polls ahead of elections next month, says Germany would have to nearly double current defence spending from 37 billion euros (33.63 billion pounds) to meet the NATO target.

 

Merkel has repeatedly said that perceived U.S. isolationism uner Trump and the threat posed by a resurgent Russia and by instability in Africa and the Middle East mean Germany and Europe must play a more active role in regional security.

 

Defence spending has risen under her coalition, in which the SPD is junior partner, but still falls short of the NATO target.

 

"Germany cannot submit to Mr. Trump's crazy demand to double our defence budget," said Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel, an SPD member. "It surprises me that on defence spending we name very concrete figures but not on education for example."

 

(Reporting by Andreas Rinke and Reuters TV; writing by Joseph Nasr; editing by Mark Heinrich)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2017-08-15

[Rancid]

Yeah, we all need to spend more on defense spending, like the MIC isn't gouging the tax payer enough already. Just as well they have the media to constantly keep telling us we are in danger and presenting new countries to fear. Sadly too few have woken up to the con...

[Lipboy]

What Con? USA under Trump has told Germany (and others) to contribute their fair share towards NATO costs. Still the best insurance policy for the "free World". 

[KBsinter]

Richest nation, gets its Protection on the cheap thats the way to do things in EUROPE..............

[Grouse]

Germany's GDP is about 3.5 trillion USD

 

2% military spend would be 70 billion USD

 

A main battle tank costs about 5 million USD

 

So Germany could purchase 14,000 tanks per annum?

 

Look, I like Germany, but 14,000 new tanks every year? They already built 3,500!

 

Is this wise?

 

The USA has about 9,000 main battle tanks.

 

The UK has 170 frontline tanks ?

 

At this rate, the Germans are more likely to make friends with the Russians than fight them.

 

http://battletracker.com/forum/other/military-forum/97993-german-leopard-2-a6-vs-american-m1-a2-abrams/

Edited August 15, 2017 by Grouse

[Scott]

A post has been removed.   The name of the Chancellor is Merkel.  

[Saradoc1972]

On 8/15/2017 at 6:16 PM, Grouse said:

Germany's GDP is about 3.5 trillion USD

 

2% military spend would be 70 billion USD

 

A main battle tank costs about 5 million USD

 

So Germany could purchase 14,000 tanks per annum?

 

Look, I like Germany, but 14,000 new tanks every year? They already built 3,500!

 

Is this wise?

 

The USA has about 9,000 main battle tanks.

 

The UK has 170 frontline tanks ?

 

At this rate, the Germans are more likely to make friends with the Russians than fight them.

 

http://battletracker.com/forum/other/military-forum/97993-german-leopard-2-a6-vs-american-m1-a2-abrams/

Bit like that. Joke around here half a year ago when Trump brought the matter up was: "And where are we supposed to park that new carrier of ours?"

 

Truth be told, we could bring up the number of recruits a little and our helis aren't really up to scratch, and if they don't like out G36 rifle (for which there is no reason unless you take it to the desert and keep blasting away on full auto, for which it was not built), get a couple hundred thousand new ones. Should declare revamping the armament of the police as military spending, they're running round with Heckler&Kochs from the late 50ies. Not that they use them overly.