Posted on 12/03/2001 4:51:52 PM PST by t-shirt
Monday, December 3, 2001
Swiss reject army proposal
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SWITZERLAND: Swiss voters have overwhelmingly rejected a proposal to abolish their armed forces, considered by many in the neutral, alpine nation as a vital part of their lives.
The referendum proposal was put forward by the Switzerland Without An Army group, which argued the country does not face any military threat and shelving the largely reservist-based army would not diminish security.
Some 78 per cent of Swiss voters disagreed, also rejecting a second initiative by the group to establish a voluntary civilian peace corps aimed at defusing violence at home and abroad.
Expressing disappointment at the results, the group nevertheless said it had expected defeat, blaming the current climate of insecurity and disarray in both Switzerland and around the world.
Twelve years ago, a similar referendum on scrapping the armed forces mustered 36 per cent support among voters and campaigners said yesterday they would continue their efforts.
Supporters of the referendum proposal had argued that the armed forces were an outdated institution and a "man's world where blind obedience and contempt of women still rules".
They had also questioned the nine billion Swiss francs (€6.4 billion) it costs to maintain the armed forces every year, arguing the resources could be better spent on non-military initiatives. - (AFP)
Thread from two days ago I ran before the vote was taken:
Swiss to Decide Army Issue (Socialists Want To Abolish Militia-AKA-All Citizens Armed,Free)
This insane proposal which was pushed by the globalists/socialists anti-gun, disarmament scumbags was actually called: Switzerland Without An Army!
***Take note the Swiss also voted down a second Globalist intiative which would have placed their citizens in UN "peace-keeping" crap, and would have set-up an internal SS Gestapo to "protect" the citizens, instead of their citizens protecting themselves as they always have done so well with their citizen militia style army.
Remember to never give up your Constitutionly protected rights (and your duties as an American to be well-armed, well-informed and free) for false promises from the government of security via loss of rights
Swiss Voters Reject Effort to Abolish Their Army By ELIZABETH OLSON
GENEVA, Dec. 2 — Swiss voters, turning aside arguments that their citizen army is outdated and unnecessary, today firmly rejected an effort to abolish the armed forces.
In a nationwide vote, one of several each year in which citizens decide many of the country's most pressing issues, Swiss voters also rebuffed a measure to impose a tax on capital gains. The vote leaves Switzerland and Greece the only two European countries that do not impose such a levy.
Only about 22 percent of voters favored ending the army. Voters also rejected a companion initiative to create a voluntary civilian peace corps.
This was the second time in 12 years that voters have been asked to decide whether to abolish the citizen army, in which nearly all the country's able-bodied men serve. The army has enjoyed a near mythic status as the invincible force that protected Switzerland from invasion.
A coalition called Switzerland Without an Army, which collected the required 100,000 signatures to bring about a vote, contends that since the end of the cold war, the justification for Swiss forces as a bulwark against invasion has disappeared. The landlocked country is surrounded by friendly nations and faces no threat, the group says.
The government had urged voters to reject the initiative.
Although the campaign was low- key, it is likely that the events of Sept. 11 shaped the outcome.
Since then, Switzerland has undergone a series of catastrophes — its worst mass killing, the abrupt bankruptcy of its national air carrier, a severe accident in a major Alpine tunnel and a serious airliner crash. Those events have put people on edge and have apparently stiffened resistance to making changes, especially one that would have ended one of Switzerland's most cherished institutions.
The army is viewed not only as a social leveler but also as a means of unifying a country with three cultures and four languages.
A similar proposal in 1989 to jettison Switzerland's armed force garnered support from a third of those voting, prompting an overhaul of the army, which is still under way. The current force of about 350,000 soldiers, mostly reservists, is being reduced by almost half.
While Switzerland is officially neutral, it contributes troops to peacekeeping missions.
A truer test of Swiss sentiment on the country's place in the world will occur in March when voters decide whether to join the United Nations. While the Swiss provide troops to certain United Nations missions, like the one in Kosovo, and the organization's European headquarters is in Geneva, Switzerland has never joined the organization.
The capital gains tax, which had been favored by trade unions, was opposed by the government and by businesses. They contended that such a tax would amount to double taxation because Switzerland already has a wealth tax.
Voters, however, agreed to another government-endorsed measure — to put a ceiling on state debt, requiring the government to amass surpluses in boom years to offset deficits in leaner years.
Items compiled from Chicago Tribune news services
Published December 3, 2001
GENEVA, SWITZERLAND -- Swiss voters Sunday overwhelmingly rejected a proposal to scrap the armed forces, cherished by many as vital protection for the small, long-neutral Alpine country in the heart of Europe.
Only 384,991 people, or 21.9 percent of those participating, voted in favor of the initiative.
The proposal was put forward by a coalition called Switzerland Without an Army under a law that allows anyone to force a referendum by collecting 100,000 signatures from voters.
"The lack of security following the Sept. 11 attacks made it difficult to conduct a reasoned discussion of defense policy," said Jo Lang, spokesman for the coalition.
Nice to see that there are others in the world that don't particularly care for tyranny.
The Sept. 11 attacks blew their position out of the water so, lacking anything of merit to say, they went ballistic and shouted and screamed. Most of Switzerland just watched and shook their heads.
On the contrary; the events of 9/11 reinforced the necessity of an armed citizenry. Leftists are so twisted sometimes.
Now, 12 years later, its 22% for, 78% against.
And they want to keep trying?!!! I predict it will be 8% for, and 92% against, 12 years from now.
Whats the term for doing the same thing over and over again, but expecting a different result?
It never seems to occur to the "Switzerland Without An Army group" idiots just exactly why that is, does it?
I'll ask again: What is it about otherwise intelligent utopians that make them so paralyzingly stupid?
A liberal?
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