Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

To: agincourt1415

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)


24 posted on 01/04/2005 2:49:45 AM PST by Michael81Dus
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 16 | View Replies ]


To: Michael81Dus
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.

25 posted on 01/04/2005 6:31:27 AM PST by agincourt1415 (United States on the ground in force helping others)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 24 | View Replies ]

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article


FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson