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German politicians seek U.S. nuke removal

A group of German politicians have demanded the U.S. remove its nuclear weapons from Germany citing an Air Force investigatory report that found “most sites” in Europe that store U.S. nukes failed to meet Defense Department security requirements.

“Atomic weapons in Germany are a holdover from the Cold War. They must go,” said Guido Westerwelle, head of the Democrat Free Party to the German newspaper Berliner Zeitung.

He joined other members of German opposition parties calling for the withdrawal saying the report’s findings were “one more reason to remove all of the tactical atomic weapons stored in Germany.”

The Air Force maintains a stockpile of 10 to 20 B-61 nuclear bombs at Buchel Air Base, Germany, said Hans Kristensen, director of the Nuclear Information Project at the Federation of American Scientists. It is one of seven air bases within European NATO countries where the U.S. stores nuclear warheads to arm U.S. or a host nation’s fighter jets in case of a nuclear war.

Airmen with munitions support squadrons at each base work with personnel from each host nation to oversee the nuclear warheads.

Following the nuclear mishap at Minot Air Force Base, N.D., the Air Force launched the Blue Ribbon Review of Nuclear Weapons Policies and Procedures, which included an investigation into the nuclear-capable bases in Europe.

The Air Force inspectors concluded that “inconsistencies in personnel, facilities and equipment provided to the security mission by the host nation” have led to the need for “significant additional resources to meet Defense Department security requirements,” according to the report obtained by Air Force Times.

After visiting each nuclear-capable base at Germany, England, Turkey, Holland, Belgium and the two bases in Italy, inspectors wrote that the facilities required repairs to “support buildings, fencing, lighting and security systems” to properly protect the nukes.

Inspectors also faulted the host nations for manning the security depots with “unionized” personnel and conscripts whose total active-duty commitment was nine months.

Recommendations within the report did not include removing nuclear weapons from a specific country but it did state the Air Force should “investigate potential consolidation of resources to minimize variances and deuce vulnerabilities at overseas locations.”

Members of German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s ruling party disagreed that nukes should be removed from Germany, but one official reiterated the nuclear weapons must be secured to the highest standards.

“We cannot do without them, as long as there are nuclear weapons in the world,” said Eckart von Klaeden, foreign affairs spokesman for Merkel’s party, to the Berliner Zeitung. “They protect us, too.”

Related reading:

* Report: Europe nuke site need to up security

* 1,000 nuclear materials went missing

* Missile parts shipped to Taiwan

* Gates orders nuclear inventory

* New B-52 squadron still coming

* Minot flunks again

* Minot bomb wing recertified for nukes

* Minot nuke handlers not ready

* Westa takes reins at 5th Bomb Wing

* Commander disciplined for nuclear mistake

* B-52 flies mistakenly with nukes aboard