How Europe's Armies Let Their Guard Down

Wall Street Journal ^ | February 13, 2003 | PHILIP SHISHKIN

[SamAdams76]

NEDER-OVER-HEMBEEK, Belgium -- Chief Cpl. Rudy Christians, an impeccably coiffed military hairdresser, has been cutting soldiers' hair for 24 years, and he loves his work.

It's a full-time job, guaranteed until retirement, and until then, the 47-year-old has enough free time to pursue an amateur singing career featuring Elvis and Tom Jones numbers. When the military does send him on an occasional field exercise, he is amazed by the fellow soldiers lumbering around him. "All the people are so old," he says.

[xrp]

The European socialist benefit military vs the American capitalist, competition (and voluntary) military. Gee...I wonder why the American military is so feared and respected? Maybe because those brave men and women aren't a bunch of pansies in for the simple fact of collecting a paycheck rather for defending freedom.

GOD BLESS THE US ARMED FORCES BUMP.

[Vigilanteman]

Sounds like a DemocRAT dream-- unionize the armed forces with guaranteed jobs and pay for little work and less danger. It is well past time we start moving our bases to the east . . . or to our southern border.

[SamAdams76]

European soliders can afford to be fat and lazy because they know that the Americans will always be there to do the dirty work.

[WorkingClassFilth]

SLEEP WELL TONIGHT. NATO STANDS WATCH AGAINST THE FORCES OF EVIL.

[txradioguy]

I read that and then said a prayer and thanked God I am in the U.S. Army.

[elbucko]

The average age of a Belgian soldier is 40...

In those wild and crazy days between the draft and the all volunteer force in the US, there were 40 year old 2nd Lieutenants. in the California Army National Guard. I am sure that other states had similar "Good ol' Boy" systems in their Guard and Reserves. I wouldn't be surprised if it still exists in a lesser form. Fortunately, the "Regulars" have an "Up or Out" policy that leave the deadwood behind to go on home and work for the state.

[ConservativeNewsNetwork]

SLEEP WELL TONIGHT. NATO STANDS WATCH AGAINST THE FORCES OF EVIL.

Well, at least 13/16 of NATO does.

[marron]

Euro forces are not designed to fight wars. And that may be for the best.

But if they decide they need a war-fighting capability, the best plan would be to convert their existing force into a militarized police force, and to create a true military force from scratch. They could base it around the British Army, if they want it to be a real force.

The existing force is fine for renting out for HBO specials. It would be a crime against the Geneva Convention to send these guys into a shooting war. They would have nervous breakdowns, they would never be the same afterwards.

I saw an interview once with a Norwegian soldier who had served as a UN peacekeeper. He was seeing therapists to help him recover from what he had seen in Rwanda. In his job as a UN soldier he had been forced to stand by and watch women being slaughtered right in front of him, close enough for the blood to splatter on his uniform.

He didn't intervene, of course, he had no orders.

[dfwgator]

It's like I said, I don't know why people make such a big deal about NATO, WE ARE NATO.

[Marianne]

Hairdressers provide part of what Cpl. Christians sees as the three essentials of soldiers' happiness: "Good dress, good food and feeling good."
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