Disinfo: German missions abroad are under foreign control and produce failed, corrupt states

Summary

The Bundeswehr fights thousands of kilometres away from its own borders, under foreign control. And mostly with devastating consequences, even for Germany. Whether Afghanistan or Kosovo, in the end Germany gets a failed, corrupt quasi-state as a mortgage that exports poverty refugees, drugs and criminals. And the USA? They get new US bases abroad.

Disproof

Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about German-Western relations, that Germany is not sovereign or governed by "foreign control", and disinformation about German foreign missions. Pro-Kremlin outlets often use this disinformation narrative about different countries being under the American thumb - see other examples here. Germany is an independent and sovereign country and is not dependent on the United States of America in terms of foreign policy making and therefore it is a conspiracy theory presented without any evidence. Germany and the US have close partner relations of two sovereign and independent countries. The claims made about German foreign missions in Kosovo (KFOR) and Afghanistan (Resolute Support) are squandering and false. German missions abroad contribute to the long-term stabilisation of Kosovo and Afghanistan. Significant steps have already been taken to strengthen the security structures on the ground. According to the German Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF), the number of asylum applications in Germany is declining in 2019. This trend has continued since 2015, since a gradual reduction in the number of refugees has been recorded in Germany. An excerpt from the Federal Office's current statistics for September 2019 (page 11 of 19). In the month under review, September 2019, 13,321 asylum procedures were decided by the Federal Office. Most decisions were made for Syria (3,370), Iraq (1,346) and Afghanistan (1,000). Compared to the previous month (15,040 decisions), the number of decisions fell by 11.4%. Compared to the previous year (September 2018: 16,008 decisions), the number of decisions on asylum applications fell by 16.8%. For other disinformation cases see: Germany is a vassal of the US; Germany is the executor of US hegemony over Europe; The USA is controlling Europe through occupied Germany; Germany will have to choose between defending Europe's interest and catering to Washington.

publication/media

  • Reported in: Issue 170
  • DATE OF PUBLICATION: 17/10/2019
  • Outlet language(s) German
  • Countries and/or Regions discussed in the disinformation: Afghanistan, Kosovo, Germany, US
  • Keywords: Conspiracy theory
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Disinfo: New developments in the Skripal case reveal it for the sham it always was

As more information became available, the United Kingdom government’s version became less and less plausible. In fact, many of the allegations made by the United Kingdom government were downright absurd. It is sufficient to note here that the alleged agent used to protect the Skripals was a highly toxic substance where only minute quantities are required to cause an almost instant death. The Skripals were said to be infected at Sergei’s home. There has never been a satisfactory explanation of how the pair were infected, yet managed to survive several hours, during which time they travelled, fed ducks in the park, ate a meal, and walked through the city centre. The official version was beyond absurd.

Disproof

Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about the Skripal poisoning claiming that the United Kingdom was never able to prove a “Russian trace” and did not provide detailed evidence of Russia’s involvement. British police and investigations from the intelligence services have produced hard forensic evidence which was sufficient to charge two Russian nationals, identified as officers of the Russian Military Intelligence, GRU, for the attack on the Skripals. Links on the details of the London Metropolitan Police investigation into the Skripal case can be found here.

Disinfo: Crimea returned to Russia after a popular referendum

The Republic of Crimea returned to Russia after a popular referendum was held on the peninsula in March 2014, against the backdrop of a severe political crisis that led to a change of power in Ukraine.

Disproof

Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative on the annexation of Crimea claiming that Crimean citizens chose to join Russia through a legal referendum.

The Crimea did not "return" to Russia but was illegally annexed by it. Following the covert invasion by “little green men”, the referendum in Crimea was conducted hastily and at gunpoint, barring impartial observers from entering the peninsula. Therefore, no international body recognises the so-called referendum, announced on the 27th of February 2014, and held on 16th of March 2014.

Disinfo: Sweden caught a buoy instead of a Russian sub

A final report has been published in Sweden on the extraordinary military operation in 2014, when an unsuccessful search for an alleged “Russian mini-submarine” took place. Swedish media reports that the document concludes that a “coded signal”, detected by the Swedish Navy, as a suspected signal from the mini-submarine, in fact emerged from a malfunctioning meteorological buoy.

Disproof

The Swedish Armed Forces detected a suspected violation of Sweden's Internal territorial waters in October 2014. A report of the incident was published in 2015, concluding that there was, beyond reasonable doubt, proof that Swedish internal territorial waters were violated. The report concludes that the combined evaluation of reports provide a very high level of confidence. They signal from the above mentioned buoy had, at the time of the report, been excluded from the analysis of the collected data. The press release (in Swedish) on the report can be found here. Here is a translation of key parts of the press release:

Of the roughly 300 reports that came in approximately 150 has been analysed in further detail of which 21 were judged to be particularly interesting. Following the analysis several of these have now received a higher classification compared to the earlier analysis. The combined evaluation based on the amount of observations in the area provide a very high level of confidence. The observation that last autumn was judged to be of the highest level of confidence has been reevaluated. Here additional information have come to light that give this particular observation another explanation, and as such it is not included in the basis for the combined evaluation. Despite this the conclusion remain that through the analysis work it is concluded beyond reasonable doubt that the Swedish internal waters have been violated.

The Swedish Armed Forces does not attribute the violation to any nation.