Listening to Scholz right now (Germany)

[Old Crank]

He is really pissed off.
He said Putin lied to his face.
Also Germany is going to increase the military's budget to over 2%
of the GDP.
They will also push for faster energy independence.

[DFW]

1. Scholz is West German (Hamburg)

Merkel was born in Hamburg, but grew up as an East German. She knew not to believe the word of any ex-KGB officer.

Germany is a dicey situation. No one here in Europe, especially the Germans, knew better the atrocities committed by the Germans on the people of Poland, Ukraine and Russia (as well as other places). For Germans to be involved in ANYTHING military in those areas requires a huge step across a line deeply drawn in history's sand.

[Old Crank]

3. One of the reasons

That the German defense budget was so low. The US said it would help protect Germany, and the rest of Europe, by forming NATO and this would keep Germany under control. This has been ingrained since WWII until Trump decided to rip up the agreement.

[Old Crank]

2. Here is an English look at his talk.

No pay wall.

https://www.france24.com/en/video/20220227-world-in-new-era-after-russian-invasion-of-ukraine-said-germany-s-scholz?fbclid=IwAR0lMDkRBGMZITDPeTxY3H-BIN5SWm82dnOYxHnjNGDmxkZzxIU1SLnZkno