German Defence Politics

Book excerpt: The book explains how German defence policy is formulated, and, ultimately, conducted. By taking a closer look at the roles of the parliament, the government, the Ministry of Defence and the civilian and military branches of the Bundeswehr the book focuses on the following topics: Actors involved in shaping German defence policy The institutional development of the Ministry of Defence and the services before and after the Cold War The management of defence The weapons acquisition process Public attitudes towards operations abroad The reform of German defence German Defence Politics rests on the idea that any attempt to fully comprehend German defence policy has to take on a perspective on politics first. By focusing on institutions and processes within the field of German security and defence policy this book is breaking new grounds offering defence specialists as well as academics a comprehensive overview about the state of German defence today.