bobdina
06-03-2010, 01:00 PM
Bundeswehr Might Be Cut By 100,000 Troops
By ALBRECHT MÜLLER
Published: 2 Jun 2010 15:14
The German defense department is considering a cut in troop strength by 40 percent and suspension of compulsory military services in the latest effort to reduce costs within the country's military.
If enacted, troop strength in Germany would shrink from 250,000 personnel to 150,000.
The newest proposal is coming in anticipation of this weekend's cabinet budget conclave set to begin June 6 in Berlin, according to the newspapers Hamburger Abendblatt, Stuttgarter Nachrichten and Bild, citing sources within the military and the government coalition.
While Finance Secretary Wolfgang Schäuble said the military is targeting savings of more than 1 billion euros ($1.22 billion) annually, suspending compulsory military service would save about 400 million euros.
A spokesman for the defense department would not confirm or deny the reports: "At the moment different scenarios are investigated as a preparation for the cabinet conclave. In this process there are no thoughts prohibited, but there are also no decisions made," said the spokesman, who spoke on condition of anonymity.
Defense Secretary Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg is expected to hold talks with the finance department on June 4 about his position during the budget negotiations.
"The actual task of national defense could not be met any more with a reduced number of personnel of around 150,000, with a consistent level of deployment," said the head of the Deutsche BundeswehrVerband, Col. Ulrich Kirsch. However, members of the political opposition, such as Agnieszka Malczak of Bündnis90/Die Grunen, welcomed such proposals and called compulsory military service outdated.
http://www.defensenews.com/story.php?i=4653386&c=EUR&s=TOP
By ALBRECHT MÜLLER
Published: 2 Jun 2010 15:14
The German defense department is considering a cut in troop strength by 40 percent and suspension of compulsory military services in the latest effort to reduce costs within the country's military.
If enacted, troop strength in Germany would shrink from 250,000 personnel to 150,000.
The newest proposal is coming in anticipation of this weekend's cabinet budget conclave set to begin June 6 in Berlin, according to the newspapers Hamburger Abendblatt, Stuttgarter Nachrichten and Bild, citing sources within the military and the government coalition.
While Finance Secretary Wolfgang Schäuble said the military is targeting savings of more than 1 billion euros ($1.22 billion) annually, suspending compulsory military service would save about 400 million euros.
A spokesman for the defense department would not confirm or deny the reports: "At the moment different scenarios are investigated as a preparation for the cabinet conclave. In this process there are no thoughts prohibited, but there are also no decisions made," said the spokesman, who spoke on condition of anonymity.
Defense Secretary Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg is expected to hold talks with the finance department on June 4 about his position during the budget negotiations.
"The actual task of national defense could not be met any more with a reduced number of personnel of around 150,000, with a consistent level of deployment," said the head of the Deutsche BundeswehrVerband, Col. Ulrich Kirsch. However, members of the political opposition, such as Agnieszka Malczak of Bündnis90/Die Grunen, welcomed such proposals and called compulsory military service outdated.
http://www.defensenews.com/story.php?i=4653386&c=EUR&s=TOP