Since World War II Germany has pledged not to use nuclear weapons.
Germans are beginning to wonder if they’ll ever need nuclear weapons despite their continued rejection of nuclear energy.
The Wall Street Journal has reported that German officials have been discussing a backup nuclear plan with their British counterparts.
In a recent article published in German media, German finance minister Christian Lindner voiced his concerns.
What conditions will Paris and London be willing to accept to maintain and expand their strategic capabilities? How far will we go? Lindner’s question.
Water vapor rises from the cooling tower of the nuclear power plant of Neckarwestheim II in Neckarwestheim, Germany, Aug. 22, 2022. Germany shut down this nuclear power plant and two others in April 2023 as part of an energy transition agreed upon by successive governments.
Since the end of World War II, Germany has been pacifist. The country has also pledged to abstain from nuclear weapons and, more recently, nuclear energy.
Germany began shutting down its last three nuclear reactors in April of last year as part of a drive to “clean” energy. Germany is currently powered by coal and gas without the plants.
Steffi Lemke was the German Environment Minister at that time. She said, “Nuclear power provided electricity for three generations. Its legacy, however, is hazardous for the next 30,000 generations. ”
Germany began shutting down its last three reactors at its Vogtle nuclear power plant (Georgia), as part of its push for “clean” energy in April last year. Germany is currently powered by coal and gas without the plants.
Trump is largely responsible for Germany’s concern that the U.S. may cease to be a nuclear deterrent. Trump was hostile to NATO when he served as president and continues that rhetoric in the campaign.
Trump said earlier this month he would let Russia “do whatever the hell it wants” to NATO members who do not meet funding commitments.
Donald Trump and Tim Scott – Germany’s concern that the U.S. could stop being a nuclear power is largely attributable to former President Trump who openly opposed NATO during his time in office and continues to use that rhetoric when campaigning.
“I would not protect you,” Trump recalled saying to a NATO leader. “In fact, I would encourage them to do whatever the hell they want. You got to pay. You got to pay your bills.”
NATO says that an attack on one member of the alliance is an aggression against the entire alliance. Trump complained before about how much less money other NATO nations pay for their defense compared to the U.S. Trump had threatened to withdraw from NATO several times.
