Germany approved the export of over $1 billion worth of arms to Algeria in 2013, making it the largest buyer of German weapons that year, according to a government report published June 11.

Meanwhile, German newspaper Handelsblatt reported on June 18 that Rheinmettal is about to sign a $3.7 billion contract to build a manufacturing plant for the Fuchs (Fox) armored personnel carrier in Algeria as part of an agreement Germany made in 2011 to sell $13.6 billion worth of arms to the country. ThyssenKrupp is expected to sell at least two frigates and Daimler off-road vehicles and trucks as part of the deal.

Overall, in 2013, Germany approved almost $8 billion worth of arms deals to countries around the world—the largest value for 10 years. $1.12 billion of this went to Algeria, with Qatar in second place with $917 million worth of export licenses.

Algeria’s rise up the league table of German arms exports has been explosive. Before 2011, arms trade between the two nations was minimal. At the same time, Algeria’s defense spending has increased markedly. In the decade before 2011, Algeria spent under $13.6 billion on arms total, from all countries, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute’s arms transfer database. In the next 10 years, it plans on spending that much on arms from Germany alone.

The decision to allow Algeria to build 980 Fuchs 2 vehicles is unprecedented. “For the first time Germany is delivering not only armored personnel carriers to an authoritarian state but also a complete vehicle factory,” Handelsblatt wrote.

It’s interesting Germany signed this deal with Algeria in 2011, the same year radical Islamic terrorists destabilized Libya’s government. Radical Islam’s presence throughout the region poses a threat to Europe’s and Germany’s interests. Germany is evidently pouring a lot of resources into the relatively pro-European country.

“Radicalism is spilling out from Egypt and spreading over northern Africa,” Trumpet editor in chief Gerald Flurry wrote in the April 2013 issue. “These radicals are now trying to take over Algeria, but they are beginning to face some opposition from Germany and the European Union. Algeria has a strong supporter in Germany. That is going to make a big difference for these terrorist groups.” He continued:

Why is Germany so interested in Algeria? A big part of the reason is oil.”Algeria is one of the largest exporters of light, sweet crude oil in the world and a significant natural gas exporter to Europe,” reported Stratfor. “The United States is the largest consumer of Algerian crude oil, consuming about 30 percent of exports, or approximately 375,000 barrels per day” (January 17). Amazingly, it doesn’t seem to bother the U.S. that somebody might cut off that energy source.”Europe consumes another 40 percent of Algerian exports, with Spain and Italy also relying heavily on Algeria (Europe’s second-largest supplier after Russia) for their natural gas needs,” the article continued. Do you think Germany will sit back and do nothing while terrorists take over Algeria? I think you’re going to find Algeria getting a lot of help from Europe, especially Germany. With all that fuel coming from Algeria, you know Europe and Germany must be very concerned. …Who is ultimately behind all these terrorist attacks? The king of the south—Iran. But it is being opposed now by Germany on many fronts. You are going to see these two powers clash very soon ….

You can see the build-up to this clash in Germany’s arms exports last year. Qatar was Germany’s second-largest export destination and Saudi Arabia was in fourth place—both are staunch enemies of Iran.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s policy of supporting allies through arms exports has become so widespread it is now known as “the Merkel doctrine.” The use of this “Merkel doctrine” in Algeria shows that Germany is aware of the danger there and is preparing to confront it.

For more on the clash that these arms exports are laying the groundwork for, read Mr Flurry’s article “Watch Algeria!”