Newsletter 2007/10/08 - A Certain Contradiction
PRETORIA/BERLIN (Own report) - The German government is using the 2010 soccer World Cup in South Africa, to strengthen its influence over the South African police and military. During her stay in Pretoria last weekend, the German Chancellor acknowledged that not only German firms are hoping to profit from the billions in investments for this major event. German police have already begun instructing South African security forces for this huge sports spectacle. The Air Force is also involved, sharing with South African officers their "experience" from the 2006 soccer world championships in Germany. At the time, the German defense minister initiated preparations for fighter planes of the German Air Force (Bundeswehr) to illegally shoot down hijacked passenger liners. The exertion of influence on the police and military is part of a long term effort to set up Pretoria as a stabilizing factor for western interests in Africa - if necessary also militarily. This is why, Germany and the EU have been delivering military equipment to South Africa for years, causing the South African disarmament efforts of the 1990s to end in failure.
more
