US-Navy Flying Aid, German Army Still Looking Things Over

"Spiegel-Online" ^ | January 3, 2005 | Andreas Lorenz

[killjoy]

Hey Killjoy, what does your friend in Thailand say about this?

I have been relaying the posts on here to her. She was very happy when I told her about our efforts in Sumatra. She has also been telling other people what the US is doing when she hears someone mention it. Most of them have commented something like, "It is better they are in Indonesia/Sumatra because they need the help more".

I have been posting updates on the following thread:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1310848/posts

[gogipper]

Great! That is very meaningful that she is providing that information to those around her. That is a very dramatic link you included, thank you.

[gogipper]

Great! That is very meaningful that she is providing that information to those around her. That is a very dramatic link you included, thank you.

[Michael81Dus]

You are right, "the Germans" have nothing. Nothing in regard to help after disasters thousands miles away from the fatherland. The German Federal Armed Forces used to be a homeland defense army for decades, considering that the Soviets stood just an hour away of the Rhine River. Therefore, the Bundeswehr had lots of high-equipped ground forces and tanks - exactly what nobody needs after 1990. The Bundeswehr is slowly changing into a peace-keeping maybe eben peace-enforcing army. And this is quite new for Germany, which has even raised concerns that sending medical servicemen to Somalia in 1994 could violate the constitution. It isn´t easy to transform the armed forces when the defense budget is getting smaller and smaller... however, the soldiers serving in the Bundeswehr are great people and they´re doing their very best to accomplish their missions, despite the politicial/financial struggle.

Michael
(The author of this post is officer in the Reserve of the German Luftwaffe)

[agincourt1415]

Sorry about my post, I served in the 50TFW at Hahn Air Base, and the German Citizens around our base were the best, and at the time, (late 70s), very supportive of our mission.

Its not the fault of the members of the Bundeswehr and I enjoyed all my interactions with the Luftwaffe and ground forces.

The whole of Europe needs a better defense budget.

[Michael81Dus]

Agreed. No offense taken.

[Michael81Dus]

And thank you for having defended the freedom of the western world and my country. Without the service of you and your comrades, I wouldn´t be in a free and united fatherland today!

[nw_arizona_granny]

This is an excellent report on what is really happening, in the efforts to get the supplies to where they are needed.

The slide program is the best that I have watched.

It is always exciting to see the way that even in the worst of conditions, the uses of wonderful bright and clear colors in the fabrics they choose to wear.

Longjack has put a lot of work into doing this translation,
well done, thank you.

Please keep me in mind if you translate other articles.

[Velveeta]

bump!

[TXnMA]

I heard early on that the US was going to use our awesome seaborne amphibious assault capabilities to reach isolated areas with massive support. Was that a false report?