Merkel’s Union Willing to Commit Military for Domestic Security

Originally appeared at DWN, translated by John T. Sumner exclusively for SouthFront; Edited by Yoana

Apparently, the federal government plans an extensive deployment of the Bundeswehr inside Germany, stating that this is the only way to ensure Germany’s safety.
There are already speculations, claiming that Russia has begun building a secret army inside of Germany.

The Union intends to develop the foundations for a future domestic deployment of the Bundeswehr outside the scope of the major emergencies. At a closed meeting in Berlin on Monday the CDU / CSU parliamentary group will advise a corresponding plan, the newspaper “Bild” (Monday) reports.

“We have to confront the all-new challenges on the interior as well”, the defense spokesman of the Union, Henning Otte, told the paper. “The domestic deployment of the Bundeswehr may no longer be a taboo.”

Thus far, soldiers may be deployed on the interior only in case of disaster. However, Otte considers this wrong. “The rules of the early years of the Federal Republic have become obsolete,” he said. The distribution of tasks between Bundeswehr, federal police, police and intelligence services may have to be re-tuned in order to safeguard the security of the country.

The Russian President Vladimir Putin had recently announced a similar restructuring [SF editor: Author means Russia’s National Guard. You can learn more about it in our exclusive: Russia Defense Report: Countermeasures of Hybrid War].

Details on the new regulations concerning security architecture and rules of engagement should be acquired by a commission. “This approach has to be topic at the 2017 coalition negotiations” demanded Otte. “No longer can we afford the coexistence of structures.” He believes that the safety of the public has to be priority.

Accordingly, the “Bild”-newspaper has launched a new threat scenario. The paper writes: “The nightmare of every government: Camouflaged elite combat troops of other nations as a sleeper in its own country. Saboteurs, provocateurs, terrorists who are only waiting for the operation order. Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin (63) has built up a covert battle group in Germany and other countries of the West! ”

It continued: “In the West Kremlin leader and ex-intelligence chief Putin has direct access to an elite fighter network.” Thus, “martial arts schools where the Russian martial arts technique Systema is trained “, should be the alleged foundation of that secret army. “Systema” would be the “duel-, knife-fight and killing drill of Soviet and Russian special forces and intelligence.”

According to “Bild” newspaper this secret operation includes the “Reichsbürger”-movement, Pegida & Co.”, the “support of right- and left-wing populists, such as the Querfront-movement, and the use of “targeted disinformation campaigns among Russia-Germans.”

Claims, arising from the Union for a deployment of Bundeswehr on the interior have already occurred in the past. In connection with terrorist threats Federal Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble promoted it last year. Then Interior Minister Thomas de Maizière (both CDU) had rejected it with the justification that internal security could be well assured by the police.