Germany to Expand Military for First Time Since Cold War's End
Source: Bloomberg
Germany plans to expand its military for the first time since the end of the Cold War as the country claims a more ambitious role in global affairs and responds to new threats with cyber-defense and aerial surveillance technology.
The Defense Ministry will scrap the militarys upper limit of 185,000 military personnel, adding 14,400 soldiers as well as 4,400 civilian employees over the next seven years, a senior defense official told reporters in Berlin on Tuesday.
Rarely has the German military faced higher demands than in the last few months, Defense Minister Ursula von der Leyen said. We need to get away from a shrinking trend and toward a level of breathing space when it comes to personnel.
Terrorism in European capitals and a refugee crisis spurred by conflicts in North Africa and the Middle East are creating pressure on Chancellor Angela Merkels government to lessen post-World War II military restraint and take a more active role in stemming turmoil.
Read more: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-05-10/germany-to-expand-military-for-first-time-since-cold-war-s-end
EX500rider
(10,529 posts)http://strategypage.com/htmw/htmurph/articles/20160510.aspx