Soldiers goodbye to Bosnia (Danish)

Denmark's decade-longengagement in the Balkans will come to an end in August

The last 150 Danish soldiers in Bosnia will leave the US-led Eagle Base near Tuzla in mid-August, returning to Denmark with 10 Leopard tanks: the Danish military's most formidable weapon in the Balkans, daily newspaper Berlingske Tidende reported today.

The withdrawal will mark a definitive end to Denmark's 10-year engagement in Bosnia. The majority of the Danish soldiers returned home in January, after the two Danish camps, Camp Dannevirke and North Pole Barracks, were turned over to Polish and Portuguese forces.

Since January, the Danish tank squadron has been stationed at the US base, where the Danish military invested about DKK 5 million (673,000 euros) in workshop and garage facilities that were put to use for only six months.

In 1994, the Danish squadron garnered international attention during Operation Bøllebank, when the troops defeated Serbian militia forces in battle. The following year, the squadron's colours switched from UN white to NATO green, when NATO took over peacekeeping operations under the terms of the Dayton Agreement. Three to four Danish staff officers will stay on in Bosnia, affiliated with SFOR headquarters in Sarajevo.

Once the soldiers and their equipment arrive in Denmark via ships from the Adriatic port city of Rijeka, the Danish army will have about 900 soldiers deployed in Kosovo, Kabul and Iraq. The Danish Air Force has a detachment of 147 troops on active duty in Kirghizistan, where a team of F16 planes is patrolling over Afghanistan.

In 1994, the Danish squadron garnered international attention during Operation Bøllebank, when the troops defeated Serbian militia forces in battle.

Did you know anything about this - about Denmark fighting against Serbs in Bosnia? People mocked when Serbs have said it was Serbs against the world, but the more I discover about these wars, the more it seems quite accurate.

They used Leopard tanks -- far superior to anything the Serbs had -- to knock out Serb armor. If Serbs wanted to retaliate, they could have. But the political balancing act in Bosnia at that time was such that Serbs realized they were being baited to do just that so that NATo could go ahead nad bomb them.

Danmark is one of those countries that remidns me of a lapdog. It always hides behind the master and takes on its master's manners and attitude. To prove how "cool" they are, Danes are the only people in Europe who celebrate America's 4th of July! Happy 4th of July Danes, whatever that day means to you!

I was in Danmerk some years back and didn't believe some of the things I saw there. Danemark is such a "cool" country, you can see civlized Danes urinating in the street during various beer-guzzling festivals, and some drunken Danes can be seen packing rather impressive knives in public.

The Danish queen has a servant who follows her everywhere with an ashtray so the queen can smoke whereever her majesty so desires.

Some years back, Danmark was even debating if an army was really necessary. The country is flatter than Florida and one can almost spit across it. But, I am glad the Danes found a defining purpose in the world as another mighty mouse NATO power.

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