Posted on 12/14/2001 3:51:56 PM PST by raygun
Switzerland, commented Niccolo Machiavelli in the 16th century, is "the most armed and most free" of all the nations of Europe. Since 1674, Switzerland has observed a policy of strict neutrality, using its civilian militia to protect its borders and refraining from interference in the affairs of other nations. To this day, Switzerland - which quite sensibly has declined to join the United Nations - remains independent of military alliances. And on 2 December 01, Swiss voters resoundingly defeated a proposal to abolish its citizen-based armed forces.
Switzerland Without an Army, the leftist, pro-EU group which proposed the referendum, denigrated Switzerland's citizen army as an "outdated institution and a 'man's world where blind obediance and contempt of women still rules' " "People are hanging on to certainties, to the suppoesed existing security," complained Tobia Schebli, a spokesman for the anti-army group.
The Swiss government, in materials published prior to the vote, pointed out: "Even if the risk of a military threat against Switzerland appears weak today it cannot be permanently ruled out." The government also noted that abolishing the army would put an end to the nation's neutrality, since it would become upon alliances for defense in the event of an attack.
PJB=Patrick J. Buchannon.
PBJ=Peanut Butter and Jelly.
Btw, I believe this Link might be the one your reffering to.
According to the Independent Claims Tribunal in Zurich - a 17-member tribunal set up in 1997 - after four years of investigation of the complicity of the Swiss bankers with the Nazis and searching through thousands of dormant bank accounts, it is reported that they never existed.
The London Times reported on 13 Oct 01, the Tribunal only found 200 accounts worth about 6.9 million pounds total, that could be traced to Holocaust victims - out of more than 10000 accounts investigated. "It was very difficult and often sad process. When we first set up the tribunal, we were sure that nearly all of these accounts would be those of Nazi victims. But few were," said Alexander Jolles, secretary-general of the Tribunal. Most of the dormant accounts, in fact, were traced to wealthy familys who lost track of the money during the war - essentially the same kind of people who still use the Swiss banking services today.
Large numbers of the accounts belonged to Americans and French, as well as Italians, Germans, and others, and many of them dated back to the '20's, when, against the backdrop of world-wide financial and political turbulence, Switzerland was regarded as the haven of stability (I wonder why not the U.S.A?).
Of course this news wouldn't be reported as enthusiastically as the original smear the Swiss campaign. The Swiss have never been popular with the globalist set, in part because of their dogged neutrality and consequent avoidance of war and entangling international alliances, and in part because of their absolutely confidential buanking policies provide a welcome haven for those of the world's wealthy wishing to shield their assets from the scrutiny and grasping hand of the State.
The Swiss banks have paid a settlement of $1.5 billion in extortion money to settle the class-action lawsuit launched by families of Holocaust victim, money which doubtless has found its way in large part to the coffers of lawyers who perpetuate this sham in the first place.
On a positive note, it has really been refreshing for my family - who have resided in the United States of America for almost 50 years (myself being a U.S.A.F. vetran) - that as a result of these investigations, it was determined that the father of by grandfather (who served as a German tank brigade-commander at the Battle of Leningrad - taken POW and never heard from again) and died in the late 60's, had a Swiss bank account that has been dormant for almost 100 years. You don't want to argue facts with stupid people that know things, refrain from that activity with only those that are ignorant.
The Swiss have lived in peace for over 500 years. Nato is only a little over 50 years old.
I read a book several years ago by an author who went out on field exercises with the Swiss Army. It was like Chinese Fire Drill. For example, the Swiss French were spotting for some Swiss German Artillery. The Swiss French refused to communicate in German and the Swiss German refused to communicate in French. The Swiss French scout teams would wander up the mountain a bit, find a nice little hill side cafe, order wine and proceed to give fake patrol reports for the duration.
I have spent quite a bit of time is CH and have quite a few Swiss friends. The stories they tell about their Army experiences make it very clear the Swiss Army is a joke.
The most they could hope for in a war is to blow up the transportation bridges and tunnels that they have constantly mined. Without its transportation bridges and tunnels, Switzerland is of little value to rest of Europe.
Many, many hoops. If you are insanely rich you might have a chance. If you marry a Swiss woman they might let you become a citizen after ten years or so.
The rules for becomming a Swiss Citizen vary from Canton to Canton. Nightmare!
Actually not. Switzerland was conquered by Napoleon. He grew tired of trying to govern it, so he gave it back to them along with the French providence that had been under Swiss "protection. "
the infowarrior
Balances out the chocolate, snow, rocks and cheese, not to mention those damn cookoo clocks.
Exactly. Swiss neutrality means screw everybody else. There are UN offices in Geneva. I suggest you review the Swiss press which is largely liberal and opposed to the US war in Afghanistan. The Swiss are also pro-Palestine and anti-Israel because they need to hide their shame of keeping Nazi gold stolen from Jews in WWII.
Anyway, so they have a liberal press. Sounds to me like they don't have such liberal people, after all their referendum sort of failed, no? Or is the failure of the referendum a failure in itself? On who's terms is it a failure? I guess that there are much better financial havens than Switzerland in this world, like the United States of Amerika! Why the governement could get their claws into those accounts and do a little redistribution of the wealth, no? How come the Swiss are exempt from all that? We need more of this world following the models in affect by Canadians and Norwiegians, then we all will be better off. Question, if I make as much as a sanitation engineer (as a systems analyst), why would I consider the effort of studying when I know that Social Security, Medicare, Medicade, unemployment benefits, and the ACLU will give me what I need?
Well, not to worry, GWB'll get the stink'n bastards (he'll pass an executive order prohibiting anybody from doing business with the c***suckers (that'll teach 'em). After all they are culpable in the most heinous of criminal enterprises (not including Nazi Germany), and exterminate the bastards. Who cares about a bunch of cows on mountainsides?
Does anybody know what black irony is? Beware of what you ask for.
But not if they have F-18C Hornets that engage in multi-national excercises; that might give you a new new slant on neutrality.
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