Thread by @bctallis

A quick follow up on dangers of German exceptionalism & 🇩🇪's insular political culture arising
from yesterday's thread on #Germany's approach to #Ukraine (& some great responses to it) in the context of #Emma #offenerbrief (open letter to Olaf Scholz)

https://twitter.com/bctallis/status/1519995506591682561?s=20&t=oSuHTxUMoZujqFivFOuErw

1. Many ppl claim '#Germans have been told for 70 years that nothing but diplomacy & non-military solutions are acceptable' They're wrong but prove the 🇩🇪insularity point.
This was the message INSIDE #Germany for (some) understandable reasons. But OUTSIDE it was very different:

#Germany has been warned by allies (in #CEE, #US, #UK) for years about #Russia
& about Cheap-riding in #NATO.

But, as (e.g.) this piece shows,🇩🇪ignored those warnings & went its own way on defence, on🇷🇺& ended up trampling #CEE & #Ukraine's agency
warontherocks.com/2015/07/are-ge…

🇩🇪got stuck in its own, introverted debate (often viewed here as superior). This led to a sonderweg (unique path) that saw it trample over #CEE views, shortchange its allies & let down🇺🇦.
#Germany needn't always agree but listening more to friends & allies will only help.

2. The fear of Nuclear War that is often wheeled out as an excuse for #Germany's hesitant approach is
- hypocritical (as 🇩🇪 expects to be defended by e.g. 🇺🇸🇬🇧regardless of danger of nuclear war)
- & assumes that Germans are the only ones who fear atomic annihilation

This is obviously not true. Ppl in e.g. #Czechia, #Slovakia & #Poland, #UK, #Netherlands & elsewhere also grew up in the shadow of Cold War Mutually Assured Destruction - & don't want their futures' destroyed now. BUT take a very different approach to🇺🇦.

They do so b/c they see that
- weakness only encourages a bullying dictator like #Putin & only credible deterrence will make (nuclear) conflict less not more likely.
- defending #Ukraine is vital to all of our futures.
This is no time for hypocritical🇩🇪 exceptionalism
So ...

Its been great to see influential voices in #Germany making these points - here @berndulrich on nuclear hypocrisy (in my translation to English - click through for original)

https://twitter.com/bctallis/status/1520352253391081472?s=20&t=DKEVwOtgjDRKYQmfchxI_w

And here @SaraNanni on the poverty of the parts of #germany's peace movement that would selfishly sell #Ukraine down the river for their own comfort
(again my translation to English - click through for original)

https://twitter.com/bctallis/status/1520330308100542464?s=20&t=ygB1XmaB6iEK_zvHdn_JyA

And here's @MiRo_SPD on how #Germany's policy trampled on #CEE
(again my translation to English - click through for original) - & follow the comments for some additional important points on other🇩🇪 imperatives (incl Economic) also playing a role.

https://twitter.com/bctallis/status/1511812904865128456?s=20&t=WsgqUKpscUyd2QlNS_RdSw

It's great to see these voices - & those of e.g. @RKiesewetter @n_roettgen @MAStrackZi @ToniHofreiter & others getting more traction - & echoed by e.g. @ABaerbock ahead of other government ministers. Let us support & amplify all those mentioned here
politico.eu/article/german…

Overall, there's such frustration with #Germany BECAUSE we know what a terrific ally it could be- b/c of what it COULD do & the difference that would make. Understanding outside views & taking them into 🇩🇪 debate can prevent future exceptionalism & help fulfil 🇩🇪's potential.
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