Germany's Chosen Path: Domestic Security Institutions in the Berlin Republic 1990-97.

In post-Cold War Germany, the future of German security policy revolves largely around its attitude to deployment of its forces abroad. The relevant question is will Germany return to normality, using its military as a tool in an interventionist manner, as France, the UK, and US do Or, will Germany continue its path of reticence - unwilling to see a place for military force in foreign policy These two possibilities are supported by divergent international relations theory paradigms. Neo-realism supports the return to normality camp, while Liberalism supports continued culture of reticence view. This study analyses the effects of wide variety of domestic security institutions. Institutions, by definition, limit the choices available in the exercise of security policy. Through study of the effects of these institutions, we can clearly see which paradigm German security policy has taken. The thesis concludes Germanys actions since Reunification follow the liberal and not the neo-realist paradigm. For the near future, Germany will continue to avoid the use of the military as an instrument of foreign policy. Germany will only use force as necessary to maintain good relations with other democracies as required under concepts such as burden-sharing.