git-buildpackage would need to do this, and does, in the version in wheezy...

diff --git a/debian_build.py b/debian_build.py
index db89a09f681eec6a6bf1f03f3bfb53223d8b5a5f..bd38c89bcdcb5230dac5374085ee80171601c07b 100755 (executable)
--- a/debian_build.py
+++ b/debian_build.py
@@ -305,11 +305,6 @@ if __name__ == '__main__':
         logger_loud_error('git checkout %s was not successfull' % GIT_UPSTREAM_BRANCH)
         exit_error()
 
-    # now init and update submodules
-    git = repo.git
-    git.submodule('init')
-    git.submodule('update')
-
     # we need to make sure our jenkins config is used, so let's delete any 
     # other config available in repository that might be prefered 
     cleanup_files = ('.gbp.conf', 'debian/gbp.conf', '.git/gbp.conf')