[dhermesc]

Quote:       Originally Posted by PAPA G

how do you know that ??? the Swiss have not been in a conflict for hundreds of years. how do you know if they are up to snuff if they were forced to fight??? so they got good toys, don't mean the soldier has what it takes.

In 1943 the Swiss guards at the door of St. Peter's Basilica put away the "traditional" pikes and broke out heavy machine guns. The pope ordered them to "use all means" to prevent Italian Fascist from seizing Jews that had hidden within the church. German troops stopped the Italians before they could confront the Swiss. German leadership was afraid that a direct assault upon the Vatican and the Swiss Guard would broaden the war to include Switzerland, and cause rebellion among German Catholics. This coming from the idiots that invaded Russian with plans of victory by Christmas.



Name another nation (besides possibly Israel) that requires every male citizen to keep, maintain and practice with REAL assault weapons. Every male serves in the military in active duty and continues to serve as a reservist until age 34. Men that gain an exemption from service due to medical issues pay an extra 3% in income tax for the REST OF THEIR LIFE.

The Swiss can’t PROJECT power throughout the world like the US or England, but confronting them on their home turf would be very messy.

[Big Dog]

Nobody wanted to wage war on the Swiss, because both sides were using the Swiss banks. Switzerland maintained nuetrality by providing a necessary service that war would have disrupted. Simple economics.
They have a long history of providing mercenary services to other nations too.
Also, fighting them in their mountainous homeland would take beacoup resources, from more necessary efforts. It could be done, but the cost would be very high.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Did Osama make that quote before or after we kicked his people out of Afganistan and freed that nation?

[Lord Shrike]

I do believe he did....... Swiss Neutrality is a interesting thing. Often its for as Big Dog said economic reasons. There willingness to engage in banking with the devil himself along with there mountanious terrain and ofcourse there military preparedness usually means that for most would be conquers its more trouble than its worth to invade the Swiss.

[PAPA G]

dog hit it!!!!


its the money, convienent place to store ill gotten gains. :lucky:

[Kompressor]

Quote:       Originally Posted by Logansdad

(Commentary by Mathias Dapfner CEO, Axel Springer, AG) A few days ago Henry Broder wrote in Welt am Sonntag, "Europe - your family name is appeasement." It's a phrase you can't get out of your head because it's so terribly true. Appeasement cost millions of Jews and non-Jews their lives as England and France, allies at the time, negotiated and hesitated too long before they noticed that Hitler had to be fought, not bound to toothless agreements. Appeasement legitimized and stabilized Communism in the Soviet Union, then East Germany, then all the rest of Eastern Europe where for decades, inhuman, suppressive, murderous governments were glorified as the ideologically correct alternative to all other possibilities. Appeasement crippled Europe when genocide ran rampant in Kosovo, and even though we had absolute proof of ongoing mass-murder, we Europeans debated and debated and debated, and were still debating when finally the Americans had to come from halfway around the world, into Europe yet again, and do our work for us. Rather than protecting democracy in the Middle East, European appeasement, camouflaged behind the fuzzy word "equidistance," now countenances suicide bombings in Israel by fundamentalist Palestinians. Appeasement generates a mentality that allows Europe to ignore nearly 500,000 victims of Saddam's torture and murder machinery and, motivated by the self-righteousness of the peace-movement, has the gall to issue bad grades to George Bush... Even as it is uncovered that the loudest critics of the American action in Iraq made illicit billions, no, TENS of billions, in the corrupt U.N. Oil-for-Food program. And now we are faced with a particularly grotesque form of appeasement... How is Germany reacting to the escalating violence by Islamic fundamentalists in Holland and elsewhere? By suggesting that we really should have a "Muslim Holiday" in Germany. I wish I were joking, but I am not. A substantial fraction of our (German) Government, and if the polls are to be believed, the German people, actually believe that creating an Official State "Muslim Holiday" will somehow spare us from the wrath of the fanatical Islamists. One cannot help but recall Britain's Neville Chamberlain waving the laughable treaty signed by Adolf Hitler, and declaring European "Peace in our time". What else has to happen before the European public and its political leadership get it? There is a sort of crusade underway, an especially perfidious crusade consisting of systematic attacks by fanatic Muslims, focused on civilians, directed against our free, open Western societies, and intent upon Western Civilization's utter destruction. It is a conflict that will most likely last longer than any of the great military conflicts of the last century - a conflict conducted by an enemy that cannot be tamed by "tolerance" and "accommodation" but is actually spurred on by such gestures, which have proven to be, and will always be taken by the Islamists for signs of weakness. Only two recent American Presidents had the courage needed for anti-appeasement: Reagan and Bush. His American critics may quibble over the details, but we Europeans know the truth. We saw it first hand: Ronald Reagan ended the Cold War, freeing half of the German people from nearly 50 years of terror and virtual slavery. And Bush, supported only by the Social Democrat Blair, acting on moral conviction, recognized the danger in the Islamic War against democracy. His place in history will have to be evaluated after a number of years have passed. In the meantime, Europe sits back with charismatic self-confidence in the multicultural corner, instead of defending liberal society's values and being an attractive center of power on the same playing field as the true great powers, America and China. On the contrary - we Europeans present ourselves, in contrast to those "arrogant Americans", as the World Champions of "tolerance", which even (Germany's Interior Minister) Otto Schily justifiably criticizes. Why? Because we're so moral? I fear it's more because we're so materialistic, so devoid of a moral compass. For his policies, Bush risks the fall of the dollar, huge amounts of additional national debt, and a massive and persistent burden on the American economy - because unlike almost all of Europe, Bush realizes what is at stake - literally everything. While we criticize the "capitalistic robber barons" of America because they seem too sure of their priorities, we timidly defend our Social Welfare systems. Stay out of it! It could get expensive! We'd rather discuss reducing our 35-hour workweek or our dental coverage, or our 4 weeks of paid vacation... Or listen to TV pastors preach about the need to "reach out to terrorists. To understand and forgive". These days, Europe reminds me of an old woman who, with shaking hands, frantically hides her last pieces of jewelry when she notices a robber breaking into a neighbor's house. Appeasement? Europe, thy name is Cowardice.

And this thread is let to go on, while when I started one about a f***ing POLL it was ripped off the wall right away??!


What kind of f***ing mods are running this board?! COME ON!!!

[toolman]

Quote:       Originally Posted by Kompressor

And this thread is let to go on, while when I started one about a f***ing POLL it was ripped off the wall right away??! What kind of f***ing mods are running this board?! COME ON!!!

No offense, but until you revived it, the last post was made in 2005-long before we started having all of the political flame wars on G&G. I agree that the atmosphere has gotten much more P.C. as of late and IMO, it's detracted from what made this place so great-polite discourse...

[Kompressor]

Quote:       Originally Posted by toolman

No offense, but until you revived it, the last post was made in 2005-long before we started having all of the political flame wars on G&G. I agree that the atmosphere has gotten much more P.C. as of late and IMO, it's detracted from what made this place so great-polite discourse...

Uups! You're right! Didn't even look at the date.
-Let's hope nobody follows up on this then...


Note to self: Don't sit up at 4 in the morning writing on internet boards. Go hunting! (I'm out the door in five, actually!)

[cremley]

Quote:       Originally Posted by Kompressor

Uups! You're right! Didn't even look at the date. -Let's hope nobody follows up on this then... Note to self: Don't sit up at 4 in the morning writing on internet boards. Go hunting! (I'm out the door in five, actually!)

HAHAHA! Too funny!
It is Ok, I did the same thing on one of the "Savage forum" posts.

[Rambo]

Quote:       Originally Posted by PAPA G

how do you know that ??? the Swiss have not been in a conflict for hundreds of years. how do you know if they are up to snuff if they were forced to fight??? so they got good toys, don't mean the soldier has what it takes.

Switzerland has no standing Army. It's soldiers are more like a Militia, taking their weapons home with them but being at the ready. I seriously doubt they could must anything more than a token defense of their country.

[wunhunglo]

Quote:       Originally Posted by Rambo

Switzerland has no standing Army. It's soldiers are more like a Militia, taking their weapons home with them but being at the ready. I seriously doubt they could must anything more than a token defense of their country.

^^LOL
Switzerland actually does have a volunteer standing army and their national service type Army. They can mobilise more troops in 24 hours than most countries can that have large standing armies. Yes, their soldiers all take their weapons (and ammunition) home with them but also have to train with them regularly. They remain in the Militia until aged 50, & older in many cases. Their mountain tunnels are used as improvised hangers for their air force and their motorways double as airfields. For any of you have ever been there, never wondered why the motorway lighting was in the kerb?

You will also find Swiss Soldiers in Afghanistan, standing side by side with all your other allies.

It can be interesting seeing unknowing tourists staring at the guy waiting for the bus with a machine gun or assault rifle over his shoulder as he heads off for some target practice!

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 1,852,580
females age 16-49: 1,807,667 (2008 est.)
Not bad for a small Neutral country.

[Kompressor]

Quote:       Originally Posted by wunhunglo

^^LOL Switzerland actually does have a volunteer standing army and their national service type Army. They can mobilise more troops in 24 hours than most countries can that have large standing armies. Yes, their soldiers all take their weapons (and ammunition) home with them but also have to train with them regularly. They remain in the Militia until aged 50, & older in many cases. Their mountain tunnels are used as improvised hangers for their air force and their motorways double as airfields. For any of you have ever been there, never wondered why the motorway lighting was in the kerb? It can be interesting seeing unknowing tourists staring at the guy waiting for the bus with a machine gun or assault rifle over his shoulder as he heads off for some target practice! Manpower available for military service: males age 16-49: 1,852,580 females age 16-49: 1,807,667 (2008 est.) Not bad for a small Neutral country.

Beeing "available" and having an auto-rifle and ammo in the bedroom closet doesn't make an army. Training is very important, and even the essential factor more than anything.

We too have a lot of men with gear, uniform, gun and ammo at home. But very few of them get the training they would need to operate. A lot of small units have very limited capability, and are dedicated to a special task like keeping power supplies, vital production businesses, town halls etc secure in a situation where the nation may or may not be mobilised. For this type of purpose they might do well, but we are not talking about a protection force to keep off another invading army.

The grade of training varies, but they've all been through a 12 (+/-) months mandatory military service. Out of 100.000 men with issued guns and equipement, about 60.000 get training only every second year (1 week). Then 30.000 get training every year (1 week) and keep a higher level of readiness. Then we are about 10.000 who get 20-30 days or more of annual training to be the "sharp end" of our "National Guard", and we have the best of equipement and instructors ready for us every time we practise. These 10.000 do get pretty good pay for each day we train. We've had to qualify to be part of this force, and there is a fair amount of selection before anyone can join, with intervues, background checks, physical tests + every one needs to be cleared for "NATO Secret" security level. I'm part of these 10.000, and we are organised in regional forces so we pratice not far from where we live.

Pictures from training:
http://www.grebe.no/aug07.htm
http://www.grebe.no/album_0507.htm
http://www.grebe.no/album_02.htm
http://www.grebe.no/unhcr.htm


Just about every man above the age of 20 get military training in my country. Although there are some changes with that now, unfortunately. We will likely see a more "profesional" military force in the years to come, but in my opinion a very small one.

[wunhunglo]

I was really disappointed after I joined the Army.
They made me sign our "Official Secrets Act" (many duplicate copies) and then, you'll never believe this, I don't think in all the time I was in, they never once told me a secret!

[Girlgun]

... scary stuff. I read the interview....

[billy]

Quote:       Originally Posted by Kompressor

And this thread is let to go on, while when I started one about a f***ing POLL it was ripped off the wall right away??! What kind of f***ing mods are running this board?! COME ON!!!

[billy]

Quote:       Originally Posted by Kompressor

And this thread is let to go on, while when I started one about a f***ing POLL it was ripped off the wall right away??! What kind of f***ing mods are running this board?! COME ON!!!

the kind that have jobs.
and dont like whiners.