In the light of the debate on Germany's deficiency of defence capacity Bruno Kahl, president of the national Intelligence Service (BND), calls for a extremist reflection on this subject.
The Germans must grow up. Militaryly, but besides in the field of intelligence, says Kahl in an interview with “Die Welt”. “Everything that prevents us from doing so must be thought out.
Friday, Bundesrat, after an earlier vote in the Bundestag, agreed to exempt defence spending from the debt brake. Intelligence will besides benefit from this.
For Kahl, the biggest threat to Germany's safety comes from Russia. president Vladimir Putin wants to make a fresh planet order, as the head of intelligence late explained during a public proceeding in the Bundestag. Putin will “test the red lines of the West and further escalate the confrontation”He's afraid of Kahl. The Kremlin's goal is to initiate a division in NATO before possible military escalation.
“It’s crazy that we gotta negociate this”
Konstantin von Notz, Vice-President of the Greens in the Bundestag and president of the Parliamentary Intelligence Supervisory Committee, besides calls for much closer cooperation between European intelligence services Due to An inconsistent Trump administration policy towards NATO.
We should make Something akin to an intelligence alliance of the 5 Eyes.which includes the United States, Britain, Canada, Australia and fresh Zealand. Especially after Trump's attacks on Canada, first cracks in the framework of the “Five Eyes”.
During the negotiations in the Bundestag, the Greens advocated a broader safety concept that would not focus only on Bundeswehra. Under their force strengthening intelligence services is explicitly included in the package worth billions of euros. “It’s crazy that we Greens gotta negociate with CDU and SPD,” says von Notz, but the fresh government will be grateful.
Green politician advocates, among others, mass investment in technology and investigation in German intelligence services so that they can yet work on an equal footing with abroad intelligence services.
— Our services must be able to react appropriately to the openly aggressive behaviour of Russia to Germany and the full West. Putin is already fighting a hybrid war against us, which is becoming increasingly ruthless,” explains von Notz.
"Information from intelligence services is frequently of existential importance"
August Hanning, erstwhile BND chairman, warns against focusing solely on money. abroad intelligence services could be much more efficient, if their work did not impede the constantly fresh reporting obligations, data rules and prohibitions.
“The control bureaucracy must be radically restricted,” said Hanning. From his point of view, it would be desirable if the fundamental distrust of intelligence services that is so clear in Germany due to the experience of 2 dictatorships, has been analysed and overcome. — Information from intelligence services is frequently of existential importance, as shown by the current example of Ukraine.
“The erstwhile head of German intelligence concludes.
A supporter of building an alliance of likewise reasoning services in Europe, like Konstantin von Notz, is Gerhard Conrad, another erstwhile BND director. As manager of the EU Intelligence Analysis Centre from 2016 to 2019, he coordinated support for the Union from European intelligence services. His experience shows that “states consider their intelligence services key area of national sovereignty and reluctant to share delicate information‘.
EPA/CLEMENS BLAN/ PAPBND headquarters, German Intelligence. Illustration image
However, there are now favourable conditions for the creation of a "coalition of willing" among European services. Many countries fear Russian aggression And he doubts the reliable support of the United States. According to Conrad, the initiative of specified an alliance could come from Weimar Triangle, the Heads of Government of France, Germany and Poland.
— The Baltic, Scandinavian and British countries should besides be involved,” Conrad stresses. However, we should not make a bureaucratic monster. It could be managed by a joint secretariat. The presidency would be rotational between the heads of participating services.
