By Berlin Gegen Krieg, CO-OP NEWS, December 18, 2020
Armed drones yes or no? The SPD (Social Democratic Party) has now decided to oppose their coalition partner CDU on this issue – at least for the remaining of the legislative period. The Social Democratics agreed not to agree to the purchase requested by the CDU-led Ministry of Defense. The SPD defense expert Fritz Felgentreu announced this decision to resign from his position on Twitter.
Mützenich, faction leader for the SPD said in a parliamentary group meeting that the debate about the controversial armaments project called for in the coalition agreement with the Union has not yet taken place.
The decision of his parliamentary group presents the SPD defense expert Fritz Felgentreu with a „dilemma“. Either he dissociates himself from it and is thus against his own party or he loses his credibility because he actually disagrees. That is why he did resign. In the debate about the use of armed drones Felgentreu had indicated that his party would support the concept of armed drones, provided that they only served to protect the soldiers and not for targeting or killing or autonomous operations.
With the decision, the Social Democratic Party risks a falling out with its coalition partner CDU (Christian Democrats). Even if the Bundestag decided in the next few weeks, drones would only be armed after the Bundestag election.
The Federal Ministry of Defense had organized several public debates this year, and the German defence minister Kramp-Karrenbauer (CDU) decided to purchase armed drones.
2 Responses
no drones, no war!
“In the debate about the use of armed drones Felgentreu had indicated that his party would support the concept of armed drones, provided that they only served to protect the soldiers and not for targeting or killing or autonomous operations.”
As with all weaselly reforms, this opens the door for the “offensive” use of armed drones masquerading as a “defensive” precaution. The SPD, if it wants to be serious, must grow a pair.