© Umit Bektas / ReutersTurkish army tanks are seen near the Turkish-Syrian border in Hatay province, Turkey January 23, 2018
Amid rumors of potential resumption of arms sales to Turkey,
German opposition parties, the Greens and the Left, urged the government to reconsider such deals with Ankara,
pointing out that German weapons are now killing innocent people in Syria."An immediate halt to all arms exports to Turkey is long overdue," Agnieszka Brugger, a Greens lawmaker
told the
Heilbronner Stimme newspaper.
"This intense situation should be a wake-up call for the German government."Since the 1980s Germany has sold Turkey some 751 Leopard tanks, including 354 modern Leopard 2 type, which has been previously used by Turkey an a cross border operation against Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS/ISIL) terrorists and US-supported Kurdish militias in Syria.
Comment: Update (Jan. 25): German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel
has expressed concern over Ankara's ongoing operation in Afrin and revealed a decision to halt supplying Turkey with German-built Leopard tanks, according to
Spiegel.
German government's spokesperson confirmed the report by Spiegel which stated that German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel reached an agreement that only a possible new government formed by a coalition of the Christian Democrats (CDU) and and Social Democrats (SPD) should decide on any arms deliveries to Turkey.
"Concerning the current discussions about arms exports, the Federal Government is clear about the fact that Germany can not send arms in conflict areas and is not going to do so," Gabriel told Spiegel.
Turkey's foreign minister in response to the freezing of the country's requests on Leopard tanks called Germany Turkey's ally and said that Ankara expects "support and solidarity" from Berlin.
Suspending of arms deliveries to Turkey is believed to be a move aimed at easing tension in German society, as images of German Leopard tanks being used by the Turkish army in its offensive in Syria are making the German public feel increasingly uncomfortable.
Comment: Indeed, the post-modern, neo-Marxist, pseudo-liberal attempt to force society into equality often produces exactly the opposite: deeper divisions due to resentment, leading to backlashes and eventually tyranny.