German military machine grows (Rheinmetall/MAN merger)

[Al.]

Rheinmetall also has their eye on Kraus Maffei's Panzer division.

Does history have to repeat itself so closely to how things unfolded in the past?

MarketWatch

[size=4]German defence giant in the making[/size]
[COLOR="DimGray"]Commentary: Making up for lost time in military muscle[/color]

[size=1]By David Marsh, MarketWatch[/size]

LONDON (MarketWatch) — Since the end of World War II, building up large-scale defence companies in Germany has always been something of a taboo.

The dam seemed to burst in the late 1980s when Daimler-Benz joined up with aerospace group Messerschmitt-Bölkow-Blohm to form a defence giant with military equipment-making activities on the land, and at sea and in the air. But the timing — just before the fall of the Berlin Wall and the end of the Cold War — turned out wrong. ...

Now Germany has made a new, less grandiose effort at picking winners in the defence industry. Last week came the news that truck maker MAN, and defence and automotive group Rheinmetall, are merging their military wheeled vehicle businesses to create a European land systems leader. ...

The consolidation has been under discussion for about a year. The German government — a big supporter of building larger companies in the German defence business to compete with rivals in France, the U.S. and U.K. — has been providing behind-the-scenes assistance to make sure industry goes in the right direction. ...

One important aim of the merger is to provide international customers with an integrated offering and a "one stop shop" for military purchases. ... It could pave the way for an eventual deal for Rheinmetall to become undisputed leader of the German defence industry. ...

[flamez911]

two German defence companies merge = MERKEL, HITLER 2.0?!?!?!?!?

[Pauli]

Simply a story of how the German government is supporting German industry to enable it compete with France, the US and the UK.

Given the practices of BAA in the area of defence contracting, it is a wise move by Merkel's government.

[Baron von Biffo]

Simply a story of how the German government is supporting German industry to enable it compete with France, the US and the UK.

Given the practices of BAA in the area of defence contracting, it is a wise move by Merkel's government.

Don't be so quick to dismiss it. They'll be moving into the Rhineland before you know it.

[Pauli]

Don't be so quick to dismiss it. They'll be moving into the Rhineland before you know it.

They've been there for a while.

Rhineland-Palatinate - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[The Field Marshal]

Die Fahne Hoch

[Fir Bolg]

Europa kann nicht eher zur Ruhe kommen, bevor die jüdische Frage ausgeräumt ist. Die Welt hat Siedlungsraum genügend, es muß aber endgültig mit der Meinung gebrochen werden, als sei das jüdische Volk vom lieben Gott eben dazu bestimmt, in einem gewissen Prozentsatz Nutznießer am Körper und an der produktiven Arbeit anderer Völker zu sein.

When will Merkel give this speech?

[setanta]

So, AI has been joined by Fir Bolg in this pathetic anti-Germany rant. Ho hum!

[The Field Marshal]

Die Fahne Hoch, again.

[Fir Bolg]

So, AI has been joined by Fir Bolg in this pathetic anti-Germany rant. Ho hum!

You have obviously had a humour transplant at some stage.