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Tanks in the supermarket? German ambassador clashes with US senator

2023-03-08T09:54:59.887Z


Some US Republicans are suspicious of Germany's policy in the Ukraine war. There are allegations on Twitter that Ambassador Haber does not want to let stand.


Some US Republicans are suspicious of Germany's policy in the Ukraine war.

There are allegations on Twitter that Ambassador Haber does not want to let stand.

Washington – Defense and energy policy have always been hot topics in world politics, but since the start of the Ukraine war, Western countries have been watching the respective procedures with particular eagle eyes.

Hardliners in the USA are dissatisfied with the German course: The question of “if” in rearmament policy is increasingly disappearing from the broad political discourse, the question of “when” and “how quickly” remains.

The dispute between the German ambassador to the United States and a Republican US senator is by no means as fundamental as it seems: it's about tanks in the supermarket, faster rearmament and energy policy.

War in Ukraine: German Ambassador Emily Haber exchanges blows with US Senator JD Vance

The German Ambassador to the USA, Emily Haber, exchanged blows with the conservative US Senator JD Vance on Twitter.

The senator's accusation: "Germany's behavior in this war is a disgrace, and it is an insult to our voters that too many Republicans are going along with it".

Germany's promises have turned into "crap," according to Vance, who also expresses incomprehension that US taxpayers are subsidizing "idiotic German energy and weak defense policies."

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The German ambassador to the United States, Emily Haber, clashed with US politician JD Vance on Twitter.

© Britta Pedersen/dpa-Zentralbild/dpa

Vance's statements are examples of the shift in discourse in the Ukraine war - and are far removed from actual diplomatic conventions.

For his part, Vance is also highly controversial in the United States: in the past, he had drawn criticism, among other things, because he campaigned with far-right MP Marjorie Taylor Greene.

His current Twitter post prompted the German ambassador in the USA to respond promptly - which resulted in another counter-response.

Haber on the war in Ukraine: "We are Ukraine's largest arms supplier in the EU"

Emily Haber's reaction to Germany's energy policy and its role in the armament of Ukraine currently: "We are the largest arms supplier to #Ukraine in the EU.

Our imports of Russian energy have dropped to zero.

An irreversible strategic shift happened almost overnight.”

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Leopard 2 A6 main battle tanks are not available in supermarkets.

© IMAGO/Christoph Hardt

With a view to the upgrade of the Bundeswehr and the special fund, Haber continues: “We have provided an additional 100 billion dollars for defense.

We will spend them.

But you can't buy tanks from Costco.” Background to the debate: The special fund for the German armed forces of over 100 billion euros has so far only been partially used.

By the way: The purchase of F-35 fighter jets is fully financed.

Beyond that, a long-term and strategic re-alignment of defense production is required, too - and it's happening.

— Emily Haber (@GermanAmbUSA) March 6, 2023

For his part, Vance abruptly picked up on Haber's supermarket reference.

The Republican etched at the Ambassador, "'We are committed.'

'We will spend.'

If your policy hadn't been to depend on Russia for energy and shirked NATO contributions for two decades, you wouldn't be buying tanks from Aldi now.”

That was enough for Haber.

She responded curtly with one, "Noted.

No reaction to the arguments.” In the past, the ambassador had repeatedly sought dialogue with various currents in the USA.

According to

the Tagesspiegel,

the 67-year-old also maintains friendships with some Republicans – JD Vance is probably not one of them.

(Alexander Eser-Ruperti)

List of rubrics: © IMAGO/Christoph Hardt

Source: merkur

All news articles on 2023-03-08

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