The comments expresses the writer’s opinions.
This year’s Munich Security Conference (MSC) was to be the big event where the Germans wanted to raise the old woman after months of new government – and endless embarrassment. Chancellor Olof Scholz refused to criticize Chinese human rights abuses before the Olympics, nor was it possible to get the man to say the name of a controversial gas pipeline through the Baltic Sea: “North Stream 2”.
Instead of saying outright that Germany stands behind Ukraine, there were mostly murmurs and long explanations about the importance of continuing the dialogue with Putin and his people.
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Finally to Moscow
Within the EU, the others had to state that Germany, after Angela Merkel, had abruptly changed from being a leading figure to becoming indistinct and barely noticeable.
While German diplomats frowned in the back room, the nation witnessed Olof Scholz virtually incapacitating Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock when it came to foreign policy issues with explosive power.
She was not allowed to reprimand the Chinese – and there was no question of her having the authority to threaten the Russians with consequences for North Stream 2, if Putin were to take the threat of Ukraine seriously.
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After months of caving, Olof Scholz finally boarded a plane to Moscow – where he sat with Putin for four hours earlier this week. Afterwards, he at least impressed his own countrymen with a couple of ladles during the joint press conference with the president.
He finally managed to pronounce “North Stream 2” – and also make it clear that the Germans will not find themselves in military aggression against Ukraine either.
Without Russians
Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock has shown pace in recent weeks and days, so it is conceivable that she too is in the process of finding a suitable form for her role.
But this weekend’s conference was to be the mark of the Germans now being ready to reintroduce the high cigar lead in relation to important security and foreign policy issues.
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Where virtually everything that can creep in and out of important heads of state, ministers, generals, scientists, industry leaders and organizational leaders, this year both Vladimir Putin and Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov shine with their absence.
Thus, in many ways, the conference became a meeting where the most important party was missing. After all, talking about Russia is different than discussing WITH prominent Russians.
The revelation
However, the big accident occurred on Thursday, when the news magazine “der Spiegel” sent out a message that MSC chief Wolfgang Ischinger is deeply involved in the German arms industry.
At the same time, he owns a large shareholding in a company that – during the security conference – offers all the world’s dictators and despots to arrange meetings with potential arms suppliers. For a good fee, must know.
Also read: Huitfeldt on the Ukraine situation: – Now the ball is in Russia’s court
Greenpeace was quick to point out that Ischinger has in fact lost all his credibility, if it really is the case that he is secretly making money from lobbying for German arms manufacturers while advising the German – and other countries’ – governments to invest heavily in rearmament.
The “chairman” has a model career behind him from German foreign policy. He was ambassador to Paris, London and New York – before becoming Secretary of State at the State Department. Ischinger is known as a sympathetic fellow with courage, and has left deep traces in the design of the most important foreign policy direction choices of recent decades.
The innocence
Confronted with Spiegel’s hair-raising information, Wolfgang Ischinger appeared live on the television station ARD and taught the usual lesson about his own reputation as a accomplished man of honor with great personal sense of honor. HE – of all people – could probably never in his life have thought of mixing up his many roles.
Here you can read more comments from Asbjørn Svarstad
Over the years, Ischinger has repeatedly boasted that he does the job as chairman of the MSC without pay. NOW he must admit that the business in his private company “of course” provides income. He has to feed his family on something, as the 75-year-old – with a fat state pension – even managed to put it.
Initially, the revelations were received by politicians with cool comments and pending remarks.
But true to my word: until now it has only been quiet before the storm. Only after Chancellor Olof Scholz – and the others – have gotten the most out of the conference, will it be free to go ahead with Chairman Wolfgang Ischinger and his pig in the woods.
It’s going to be brutal, accompanied by a dose of self-flagellation and tearful assurances that EVERYTHING was done for the very best of intentions.
But it is known that it is too late to cheat when the nose is gone.
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