Could Germany justify rearming?

In light of recent events, could Germany justify rearming itself? They are the 4th largest economy in the world (dwarfed by US and China of course)and they are the predominant power in the EU, so just throwing this out there, not trying to start a conspiracy theory or anything either but it's something I've been wondering. I know there are treaties out there but what if they could be nullified?

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DiStefano · 46-50, M

Germany (or rather the two Germanies then) has already rearmed ten years after the Second World War, in 1955. And the first time Germany sent troops abroad was in the second half of the Yugoslav wars in the 1990s and have assisted the US and the UK during the Afghanistan war. Bush and his government even tried to convince Germany without any success to take part in the Iraq War, too. Also, the German military has declined due to cuts since 1990 (and dissolved the East German army instead of joining two armies together), because it was the end of the Cold war and also Germany was one of the many NATO countries which spent less than the agreed 2% of the national budget...as ratified. This is why Trump has complained about Germany (and other NATO countries, too) that the US needs to do everything. And even Biden and other NATO countries want Germany to rearm (including Poland and the Baltic states) in order to protect the Eastern flank of NATO, even though sections of the German population do not want to. And another thing I want to mention: Germany voluntarily rejected the idea of producing and owning nuclear bombs.

spjennifer · 61-69, T

@DiStefano Right but in light of all you mention, does Europe want to see a newly more powerful German Military, they've been through that twice already? I'm not saying Germany would try to take over again but it is possible... Wouldn't it make more sense to have a joint EU or NATO Force?

DiStefano · 46-50, M

@spjennifer there has already been a joint NATO force for decades and as part of that NATO force Germany contributes to it by increasing its military spending just like the other NATO states and by doing military exercises with NATO members like the UK, France, Netherlands, Belgium etc for decades. So, Germany does not do anything alone, but with other NATO partners. Besides, Germany does not even have the most powerful European NATO army. France and the UK are stronger in terms of military. Besides, mentioning WW1 and WW2 is futile, because Germany has for decades been a fully democratised political party system and society (West Germany since over 70 years now) and where its main governmental party (and its party members then) was forbidden and persecuted by Hitler. And as a side note, more and more historians have in the past decades found that Germany cannot be blamed of having started WW1 alone. Where is the connection between Germany in WW2 and Germany now? Furthermore, there are even joint Non-NATO European military Forces, consisting of French and German troops (Franco-German Brigade). So, looking at the evidence and occurrences of all the decades since WW2, I think you are seeing ghosts.