“Fear makes eyes small”
Former Federal President Gauck thinks Scholz is too timid
March 30, 2024, 1:15 a.m
Listen to article
This audio version was artificially generated. More info | Send feedback
While former Chancellor Schröder praises Scholz’s defensive Russia policy, the Social Democrat receives no support from former Federal President Gauck. In the Taurus issue, the Chancellor is acting driven by fear. That suits the German soul, but doesn’t help against the aggressor.
Former Federal President Joachim Gauck, unlike Chancellor Olaf Scholz, does not fear German involvement in the war if Taurus cruise missiles are delivered to Ukraine, which has been invaded by Russia, and warns against being too anxious. “I don’t see Taurus taking part in the war. Relevant international law experts and military experts don’t either,” Gauck told the editorial network Germany (RND). But the SPD politician has the authority to make directives. “I hope that he will change his mind, as he did before the delivery of the tanks, although he is currently ruling it out.”
Russian President Vladimir Putin knows that many Germans become afraid more quickly than Poles and French. And he exploits this tendency. “Fear is an aggressor’s helper. My appeal is not to be afraid too early, for example of Putin’s threat with nuclear weapons.” In this way, Putin could quickly impress a part of the German soul. “But fear makes your eyes small and suggests you run away even though you could hold your ground.” Restricted by fear, you can no longer see any possible solutions.
Gauck considers SPD parliamentary group leader Rolf Mützenich’s proposal to talk about “freezing” the war to be problematic. That doesn’t do justice to Putin’s dangerousness. “Anyone who only looks at an aggressive counterpart through the lens of their own good intentions can easily suffer a loss of reality. They do not assess the hostility of the arsonist of war precisely enough.” A freeze would bring profits for Putin; he would keep conquered land, could rearm in peace “and then strike again.”
“Pistorius has an important message”
Germany must also be prepared to “credibly defend freedom and thus peace.” The Social Democratic Defense Minister Boris Pistorius sent an important message with his demand that Germany must become fit for war again. Gauck emphasized: “War-worthy does not mean addicted to war.”
It was only on Tuesday that a letter from five renowned historians close to the SPD to the party became public, which also sharply criticized the current course of the Chancellor and the party in dealing with Russia. Scholz lacks the “necessary clarity and unambiguous solidarity” when it comes to ensuring that Ukraine must not lose the war. On the question of arms deliveries, the reasons given by the Chancellor, parliamentary group and party leaders were “always arbitrary, erratic and often factually incorrect,” the letter said. Former Chancellor Gerhard Schröder, however, praised Scholz’s Russia policy.