German Tanks for Orban

https://www.upi.com/Defense-News/2020/07/31/Hungary-upgrades-military-with-delivery-of-German-tanks/4891596226305/

The weapons trade represents a form of diplomacy that trumps all. Countries that cultivate the industry are desperate to promote it and are often willing to sell arms – even to nations and governments that they would otherwise frown upon. Avarice drives the trade but at the same time there are political reasons for selling arms. It's an element to the industry that's often overlooked.

Hungary under Viktor Orban is undergoing a form of quiet militarisation. To be fair Hungary's military is pretty small and so the numbers are hardly scary at this point. And yet, while Orban is cutting costs throughout his government, the one department that's getting a huge boost is the military. Clearly he wants to build up Hungary's status and it also indicates that Orban senses the instability of Atlanticism's eastern flank. Both the EU and NATO sit on somewhat shaky ground and nationalist that he is – he's not willing to wait until things are in a crisis before he pursues a policy of readiness.

That said, expanding militaries make neighbours worry and political leaders and generals are almost always looking for some form of engagement. This may at first be expressed by means of partnership in international 'peacekeeping' but it may later spread into other arenas. It never has a happy ending because at the end of the day there's little point in purchasing such weaponry (or manufacturing it) if you're not going to use it. While Orban's irredentist rhetoric seems a distant impossibility in 2020, he's savvy enough to know that given the instability of the present, things may change faster than anyone realises.

The arms sales also point to Germany's growing military role. Europe's economic powerhouse is attempting to shed its Nazi past, the ghost of which has haunted and restricted its post unification (1990) development and ascendancy. Long wed to and dependent upon the United States, the relationship with Washington is in decline and Germany is no longer content to curtail its power and influence. Its economic might must project and be expressed in a growing international role – which includes military engagement where its interests are at stake. This means deployments and it also means the further development of its arms industry.

And as has been repeatedly demonstrated with nations like the United States and its arms sales to its satraps and subjects – the sale of weapons is a means of control. It's used as a means to foster trade and bind nations and their foreign policies together. If Hungary for example doesn't do what Berlin wants, then Berlin can curtail further sales, restrict access to parts, software updates and training. It doesn't always work but often the trade can open diplomatic doors and allow for subtle manipulation. As with all powers and would-be powers the goal is to have as many tools as possible available to you – something unilateralists like Trump do not understand.

Germany's move in this regard is all the more meaningful in the context of its independence from Washington and Washington's move away from Germany as demonstrated by recent troop reductions.

The relationship with Washington has been placed under further stress by US attempts to halt the completion of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline in which Germany (and Europe) receive gas from Russia across the Baltic Sea. The US is angry and wants Europe to purchase Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) from the United States – a scenario that is unattractive to Europe on multiple fronts.

As Washington continues to push unilateral submission even while it disengages from and insults its allies – nations like Germany are empowered and their dreams of independence are receiving a boost. While German arms sales to Hungary won't upset Washington – apart from maybe those connected to US weapons manufacture – the overall role and posture of Germany – accentuated by the arms sales – will be noticed and will cause some concern especially among the Establishment faction still committed to a robust Atlanticist regime – which necessarily requires a subservient  and subjugated Germany.  This is but another fissure that's starting to grow into a threatening crack.