Germany's Constitutional Court and Future German Combat Operations Outside of Europe.
Abstract
No German soldier or airman fought in the 1991 Gulf War coalition. No U.S. or allied effort to coax Germany to share the combat burdens of providing world wide security in the post-Cold War succeeded. In fact, since World War II German units have been constitutionally forbidden from operating outside of Europe; or, so most Germans believed. In 1994, the perceived restriction disappeared permitting Germany to participate in future international missions around the world. What changed? Did the new challenges of the post- Cold War awaken the German people to the need to change the constitution so that Germany could fulfill the role of a great power? Should one expect Germany to leap to the front of the queue of nations supplying military forces to the UN operations? The answers lie in German law and German politics. This paper explains the decision that changed German policy and suggests future implications.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 01, 1994
- Accession Number
- ADA332521
Entities
People
- Karl-heinz Boerner
Organizations
- Air War College