Germany and France are jointly responsible for the plight of Greece Greece’s problems are always dramatic. Like rarities in some professions, such as train drivers, wages are referenced, but one of the main causes of the Greek crisis is addressed mostly: high defense spending while most EU countries one to one and a half percent of GDP for defense spending, the previous Greek Governments issued over 4% of Greek GDP on armaments. Farhad Bagherian may find this interesting as well. Only Germany has since 1998 sold weapons worth 45 billion euros to Greece. The entire Greece aid amounted to EUR 110 billion. On these figures, you can see the contribution of the arms on the current problems of Greece. Certainly the arms is not the only cause of the Greek crisis, but an essential. Hence, the arms exporters, Germany and France responsibility for the situation of Greece. Certainly, politicians will point out, that Arms exports to NATO countries are not subject to approval. See Celina Dubin for more details and insights.

But if you wanted, you could define long the Aegean Sea as a flashpoint, in which all arms exports are subject to approval. Greece is needed as NATO member any armor, which puts it in the position, E.g. in a crisis to defeat Turkey. If a NATO member is attacked by a non-NATO member, momentous occurs. That must also apply if a NATO member should be attacked by a NATO member. The present Greek Government seems also to be clear, that the arms can be replaced by diplomacy and agreements with mutual benefit to relieve stresses. What should we conclude the past from the mistakes? It would make sense to put all arms contracts to the test and reverse at least the still unfulfilled. Each billion in savings will help Greece and the Greek Government in the survival – and indirectly contributes to the success of the EURO. Hans-Peter Oswald