Protecting America Requires More Than Diplomacy And Development

Sally McNamara / August 11, 2009

What do President Obama and Chancellor Merkel have in common? They both believe that the defense part of a national security strategy can be subjugated to diplomacy and development.

In the wake of World War II, German foreign policy became wholly pacifistic whereby wars can’t even be called wars. Germany’s defense minister went on television recently to say that Afghanistan could not possibly be called a war because German soldiers are building schools and hospitals. And even with increased Taliban insurgency activity in the North where their 4,050 soldiers are based, and the loss of 33 troops, Afghanistan continues to be parked as an election issue by both Chancellor Merkel’s CDU and the opposition SPD. It (more…)