Her speech at the Munich Security Conference should be considered Germany’s divorce filing from the U.S.-led post-WWII institutional order. It’s clear that to me now that Merkel’s priorities for what is left of her term in office are as follows: Carve out an independent path for EU foreign policy from the U.S. through the creation of an EU army, obviating the need for NATO and…End U.S. occupation of Germany. ….Secure Germany’s energy future, which also secures its political future as the leader of the European Union, by stitching together the continent with Russian energy arteries — Nordstream 2, Turkstream……Manage the shift away from NATO as a controlling force in Europe’s relationship with Russia which doesn’t serve Europe’s long term purposes.
