The US President is relying on continuity in the German capital. According to Richard Grenell now Douglas McGregor is to represent the interests of the United States in the Federal Republic of Germany. Grenell had caused in Germany by his Tweets research already in the first weeks of his term in office, many critics on the Plan. Again and again the Ambassador with advice to interfere in German politics, and criticized the Federal government.
With the former Colonel of the US Army Douglas Macgregor, a friend of clear words to Germany, defended the policy of Trump during the present scientific always comes now. “The German feel, thanks to us not the obligation, to defend itself. And the President has just said: Look, why the American taxpayer should not have to defend you, if you are willing to defend themselves?”, so Macgregor two years ago, in a TV Interview. Already in the course of his military career, Macgregor has developed a reputation as a lateral thinker. After his retirement from active service in 2004, he has exacerbated the criticism of the military structures in the United States once again.
the Ambassador with experience of Germany
understanding the political relationships in the Federal Republic of Germany is likely to be at Macgregor larger than its predecessor. Already as a pupil of the eleventh class, he spent an exchange year in Germany. After his military career at the prestigious West Point military Academy, he was stationed according to media reports, a longer period of time in Germany.
As an author, he wrote during his active military time, several books – among other things, about the Alliance of the GDR with Moscow during the Cold war. The German language should cause him any major difficulties.
Also be a way in the world of the military has a connection to Germany. As a fifth-grader Douglas Macgregor a book of military power was General fascinated about tank battles – a crucial weapon in the Second world war.
On the way to the top
In Iraq failed and the Balkans could prove Macgregor as a military leader and planner. In the Gulf war in early 1991, he commanded a battle tank unit, which switched off at the Front in the shortest possible time, dozens of armored vehicles for the Iraqis.
Before the war in Kosovo in 1999, where he participated as a planning chief for the commander-in-chief of the NATO armed forces, he urged, in 1997, in “Breaking the Phalanx”, a fundamental Reform of the American armed forces.
Of the policy, these recommendations were not included but. Also a promotion to the rank of General he was denied. 2004 Macgregor as a Colonel retires, according to observers, from the frustrated to the active military service and founded a consulting firm.
reach thanks to the Fox-News
to A larger audience, he works as a commentator on security issues for Fox News – also known which connects him with his predecessors Grenell. Perhaps Macgregor is noticed here also US President, Trump, the news on Fox News about the political Events.
The Macgregor in the television and widespread analysis are on the same wavelength as the US President. The former profession demanded that officer very early on, a withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan and Syria. Also, trump’s criticism of the North Atlantic defense Alliance NATO meets his approval. Even before the French President Emmanuel Macron made his remark about the brain death of the NATO headlines, had Macgregor written off the Alliance. “NATO is not dying. She’s a Zombie,” says his analysis in an article from the spring of 2019.
critics collect
For Germany, this point of view, the Alliance is not unproblematic. Macgregor “would be the first U.S. Ambassador to Germany, holds the NATO is obsolete”,” the foreign policy Analyst Ulrich Speck, of, among other things, for the transatlantic German Marshall Fund works. The head of the Munich security conference, Wolfgang Ischinger, called Macgregor a “interesting – isolationist – thinkers”.
To MacGregor’s most important topics, as the new Ambassador for the implementation of the U.S. President’s announced withdrawal of 9500 34.500 stationed in Germany US belong to soldiers. Specific Details are to be announced this week.
when and if the new American Ambassador can take up his office in Berlin, however, is open. First of all, the Senate of the personnel must agree – this process could drag with great probability to the year ahead. Trump should lose in November, the presidential elections, would Macgregor in Berlin, no accents.
author: Andreas Noll
*The post “Douglas Macgregor: more Difficult to exchange in the US Embassy” will be released by Deutsche Welle. Contact with the executives here.
Deutsche Welle
