Strains in US-German Ties

-Dr. Abdul Ruff Colachal

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Escalation of terror wars on the one hand and extension of surveillance operations beyond USA into Russia, China, third world nations,  like India and Pakistan,  Europe, especially the EU leader Germany,  have gone on  secretly for years even before Sept-11 hoax  but Sept-II hoax  provided the needed  excuse for Washington to legitimize illegal spying and to undertake extensive spy  operations in Europe and Germany  got offended and  openly condemned the CIA high handedness with regard to close allies.  

EU leader Germany and the world’s only super power USA, that have been collaborating for years, prompting capitalism and NATO  fascism, are sliding into a political crisis over US illegal spy  operations in Germany.  That has snowballed into hitherto unknown dimensions that an American intelligence service led a BND employee as a double agent.

Recently, a 31-year-old employee of the German foreign intelligence service (BND) was arrested and later that evening made a comprehensive confession to the Federal Prosecutor in Karlsruhe about his involvement in passing on internal documents of the BND to the CIA for money. Allegedly he contacted the US Embassy in Berlin via email at the end of 2012 to offer his services. Since then he has passed on more than 200 documents classified “confidential” to “top secret” to the CIA in return for €25,000.

It was first reported that the spy had concentrated on obtaining information on the German parliamentary committee currently investigating the activities of US intelligence agencies in Germany, but later it was found he was involved in more serious spy operations from Munich. On May 28 he contacted the Russian Consulate in Munich by email to offer his services to Russia.

In comparison to the monitoring activities revealed by Edward Snowden, the latest spy case is rather small scale.

The political reaction in Berlin has been fierce. Many German leaders wonder as to why the German partner service was infiltrated by USA. Most media outlets in Germany appealed to the federal government to finally put an end to its “fawning diplomacy” toward Washington. On 4th of July, the American national holiday, US Ambassador John Emerson was summoned to the German Foreign Ministry. Obviously, a stern must have been served on Washington. Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier urged the US government to carry out the fastest possible clarification of the matter, warning: “In their own interest, the United States should obey their duty to participate.”

German Chancellor Angela Merkel‘s government is now busy discussing the planning of countermeasures. In future, German Interior Minister Thomas de Maizière would seek to monitor the communications of the United States and other allied countries, such as Britain and France, by German intelligence agencies. Speaking in Beijing, she accused US intelligence services of a breach of trust. She spoke of “a very serious event,” which clearly contradicted her understanding of cooperation based on trust.

There is a consensus that a return to a more active imperialist German foreign policy can only take place together with, and not against the United States. However, the objective logic of this policy inevitably leads to conflicts over economic and geopolitical interests. Since the current government came to office late last year, Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier, Defense Minister Ursula von der Leyen, and President Joachim Gauck have intensively promoted a more active role for Germany in world politics and a revival of German militarism.

The debacle of US policy in Iraq has led to ever louder calls for German leadership. In addition, German government and economic circles are perturbed by America’s confrontational course towards China. China is one of the most important markets for German industrial products and investments, and 2,500 German companies have invested around €40 billion in the country.

German business circles have also rejected US calls for economic sanctions against Russia. This question has split the EU, and Germany cannot hold the union together if it continues to unconditionally follow the American line. While Poland and other Eastern European states are calling for a tougher line against Moscow, Italy, which has just taken over the EU Presidency, France and other countries oppose such a confrontation.

At the end of June, the Austrian government even warmly welcomed Russian President Vladimir Putin in Vienna to sign a contract on the South Stream pipeline, which the US is determined to sabotage.

There is a vigorous debate in German ruling circles about the country’s relationship with the United States. An article under the headline “The question of Alliance” discusses whether a greater distance to the US and a closer relationship to Russia are desirable. The article advocates a more active geopolitical role for Germany and claims: “The demand for more German responsibility is unanimous abroad.” The article concludes that “to break the alliance to the West [is] not an option,” but nevertheless “Germany could make itself more independent of the US.” Germany has “grown up in the last twenty years. Germany can lead Europe to an independent political role.” For America, such a Germany “might not be an easy partner, but in the end it is more of a relief than a threat.” A survey indicated that many Germans favor greater independence from the United States and increased cooperation with Russia. Germans want their government to be more assertive with USA.

Germany in recent years has reservations with USA over certain important issues like the illegal war in Iraq, Guantanamo, the executions with drones, the financial crisis, the NSA, the fear of Google, among others.

Previously, the German chancellery had instructed German intelligence agencies not to spy on the country’s NATO allies.  German Interior Minister now seeks to counter by having the German secret services spy on the United States.

The BND and the US secret services work so closely together that one wonders what secrets were left to reveal. BND President Gerhard Schindler defended his agency’s cooperation with the NSA as indispensable. His remark came on the heels of revelations that between 2004 and 2007, the BND had delivered huge amounts of raw data collected at an Internet node based in Frankfurt to the NSA.  The ties between the two agencies were so strong that the BND could be called “the appendix of the NSA.”

The NSA and other US intelligence agencies spy on millions of people in Germany illegally, have tapped the Chancellor’s cell phone, and continue to monitor government communications. Nevertheless, the federal government has consistently tried to downplay these issues.

Germany is deeply perturbed that the intense spying on Germany by its major ally the United States has no justification or legitimacy.  The fierce reaction to the unmasking of even a relatively low ranking agent indicates a change in direction of German foreign policy.

The growing crisis of global capitalism has exacerbated tensions and international conflicts. The increasing tensions between Germany and the United States, which fought each other in two world wars, is also the result of steady arms build ups in USA and Europe.