The chancellor was not only a spectator but also silent in the Oval Office when the president criticized, without naming the Spanish prime minister, because he did not approve the use of military bases on Spanish territory for the . And Germany? “Germany is great,” Trump said, “they support them, they let us land in certain areas and we appreciate that, it makes our job easier.” But which areas?
Ramstein US Air Force Base
Trump was mainly referring to the US Air Force Base Ramstein in the state of Rhineland Palatinate. It is the largest US base outside the US. From here, NATO operations around the world are planned, reconnaissance data is analyzed and orders are relayed for drones in the area of operations.
It is a city in itself with a military community in the surrounding area that reaches 52,000 Americans and their families. Publications of the last few days in the German press speak of intense mobility. Data from the Flightradar24 portal showed, for example, that last Wednesday several US aircraft were parked there, including a Gulfstream C-37A, something of a VIP aircraft for high-ranking government and military officials, as well as members of Congress.
But even before the start of the war, mobility was recorded as an American hub in the heart of Europe. Military transport aircraft landed and took off for the Middle East, including Boeing C-17, Globenmaster III and Lockheed C-130. The first are designed for particularly heavy loads, they can carry up to 77.5 tons of tanks, helicopters, soldiers, equipment, medical personnel. So far the Americans have not used ground forces in Iran, but Trump does not seem to have ruled it out.
Lockheed C-130 transports can carry about 20 tons. What the already parked aircraft were carrying is not known. On January 25, an EA-37B Compass Call, a modern electronic warfare aircraft, landed. This is the first confirmed deployment of this advanced electronic warfare system on European soil.
It is worth noting that by 2027, near the base, the largest US military hospital outside the US will be ready with over 4,000 rooms on an area of 90,000 square meters, which will replace the existing one.
Spangdahlem Air Base
But it appears that there is another base in the same state that is being used for the war on Iran, the Spangdahlem Air Force Base. Flight data shows a lot of movement in the last few days.
Last Wednesday, five C-17s were spotted, while US media reported that several F-16 fighters had been moved there to be used in missions in the Middle East. In the specialized magazine Air and Space Forces it was reported that they will be used in Iran to combat anti-aircraft defense. British media such as the BBC and Sky News reported that the base now operates 24 hours a day. Last Tuesday, for example, 161 aircraft landed at both air bases and another 246 took off.
German local newspaper Trierische Volksfreund reported that all American soldiers’ days off were cancelled, while locals complained of deafening noise from landings and takeoffs day and night. Anyone who has watched the war in Iraq closely can not help but note similarities.
Like the Social Democrat Chancellor Schröder, the Christian Democrat Friedrich Merz rules out military involvement by Germany. But Mertz, who studied law in Bonn, spoke of “dilemmas” and said “this is not a time to lecture (international law) to our partners … despite our doubts we share many of the goals”.
The (suffering) international law
When, three days after the first US-Israeli strike on Iran, officials in the German Foreign Ministry summoned the Iranian ambassador in Berlin to demand an explanation for Iranian attacks on US bases in Iran’s neighboring countries, they surely had both US bases on German soil in mind.
The Social Democrats, Mertz’s government partner, positioned themselves clearly against the war. “I tell you clearly, this war is not ours, we will not participate,” Lars Klingbeil, vice chancellor and finance minister, told the RND network. Social Democrat Rolf Mitchenich, a foreign policy expert, did not rule out considering limiting the use of the two American bases, if actions against international law are proven.
On this there is an opinion of the Scientific Service of the Parliament, which calls on the government “not to tolerate military operations from Ramstein, as long as they are proven to violate international law”. Of course there is a decision of the Federal Constitutional Court of Karlsruhe in 2025 that opens a window only for drone attacks. The specific decision concerned attacks in Yemen.
Fears of terrorist attacks
From the rest of the opposition the Left and the Wagenknecht BSW Coalition opposed the use of American bases on German soil for wars that violate international law.
BSW chief Fabio de Masi told AFP that if Merz represented German and European interests, he would, like Spain, ban the use of the two bases for this war. At last Friday’s government briefing, a reporter bluntly asked: “Is the scenario of Iran sending a missile to Germany realistic?” Of course, he didn’t expect an answer. Because the danger is closer.
The Federal Agency for the Protection of the Constitution warned of possible acts of revenge against Jewish targets, synagogues or schools. And Omid Nuripour, from the Tehran-born Green party, believes that Iranian intelligence services are capable of carrying out attacks in Europe and Germany. “The Iranian regime is acting aggressively,” he told the Phoenix TV channel. “The targets are Jews, Israelis, Americans, people from the Iranian diaspora, but also the Bundeswehr.”
