ABSTRACT
This chapter describes the West German defense policy dilemma, which always influences the Federal Government's decisions regarding security policy. It explains why West German opponents of Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI) think that this program would endanger security in Central Europe. The chapter also describes the government's actual decisions and the conditions which it placed on the Federal Republic of Germany's (FRG) participation. Thus, the FRG is very sensitive to any situation or change in policy which might exacerbate tensions between the superpowers or endanger the links which have been carefully established between the two Germanies and with Berlin. The SDI debate in the FRG takes place in a context in which many Germans look at American military policy with greater skepticism than they did a quarter of a century ago. Many thoughtful Germans realize that there is a problem in the credibility of NATO's policy of flexible response.
