As Germany pauses to recognise sixty years since its ascension into the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation, the country’s ministry of defence is pledging to take on a more active role.
Acknowledging that security requires investment, although Germany insofar as being a reliable dues-paying member, protecting national interests could never be called a moocher, Germany will raise its pooled contribution to a billion euro annually, a round two percent of its gross-national output. It’s nothing to slouch at—the sum—of course, and it’s a matter of debate whether NATO remains divisive in a constructive way, but it does seem like a small ransom to bolster native industry, relatively. German maintains a separate, standing peace with the Bundeswehr as do most other coalition members, but such a budgeted outlay (notwithstanding collateral, hidden costs) makes me think of Doctor Evil from Austin Powers initially under-bidding his demands, embarrassingly, and only later to set a price more commiserate with the world after learning of the exponential inflation that had transpired. I suppose that such a commitment, no matter how it’s parsed, would play the same to the German public.
