too fat to fight

[Hans]

Bring back the goose step. Now there's a way to lose fat and get fit. However that is going to upset some other nongs sensibilities. Gawd, we're a sorry lot. I have a few Muslim aquaintances and all drink alcohol, some even like their bacon and are married to non Muslim women. They tend to feel sorry for us "Christians" for believing everything we are told about Muslims and for bending over backwards to appease some mad Mullah or other and his minority adherants.

[Jan-Hendrik]

What do remain for a soldier if he face everday a "Mission Impossible" as those ones in Afghanistan then drink a beer to forgot being there in a war that was lost on the first day?



Jan-Hendrik

[Reb]

A soldier condemned for eating too much and drinking too much has the last laugh in the end. The WWII German soldier made a heck of a reputation as a fighting man but I bet if you asked him he'd rather have been well fed and have a mug in his hand than be out conquoring Europe on an empty stomach! I was a soldier and taking care of my stomach and my liver was a top priority. The brass knew it - they want the same things. Only in modern democracys do we pretent that the things we like to do are bad.

I for one, would tell the army to kiss my ass if they said I couldn't drink. Any potential enemy immediately picks up on that as weakness and knows that however tough we might be, our leaders are pukes and will fold in the end. I'm weary near to death of being told how easily Muslims are offended. Either that is a lie (as in the case of most Muslims I've known) or screw them (in the case of the offended ones).

When I was coming up as a kid in the US, the School cafeteria served fish on Fridays to please the Catholics. Jews worked the Christian holidays to please the Christians, Christians worked the Jewish holidays etc. Nobody was offended by anyone else's traditions. We all did what we could to work with each other. Now that Muslims are in the equation it seems to be their way or the highway. To that I say, "Another Warsteiner over here please, and a shot!"

cheers
Reb

[Fahrdienstleiter]

Did no one notice the malicious intent with which this story was construed by the germanophobic british press? Several reports, some of them as old as a year, were merged, shortened and edited with the purpose to create the following message: "Cowardly huns are having orgies in their northern holiday resorts while our british heroes are butchered by the Taliban." Just consider that the original report about military obesity was from March 2008, and it described solely the fact that a certain number of young german males were found to be overweight during their Musterung, i.e. the majority of the guys in question never joined the Bundeswehr because they were mustered out or preferred Zivildienst, much the less they would ever be sent to Afghanistan (we are talking about conscripts, and no conscript can be sent to foreign countries without his consent)!

[Annelie]

Did no one notice the malicious intent with which this story was construed by the germanophobic british press? Several reports, some of them as old as a year, were merged, shortened and edited with the purpose to create the following message: "Cowardly huns are having orgies in their northern holiday resorts while our british heroes are butchered by the Taliban." Just consider that the original report about military obesity was from March 2008, and it described solely the fact that a certain number of young german males were found to be overweight during their Musterung, i.e. the majority of the guys in question never joined the Bundeswehr because they were mustered out or preferred Zivildienst, much the less they would ever be sent to Afghanistan (we are talking about conscripts, and no conscript can be sent to foreign countries without his consent)!

I for one and I am sure others gave this report no credence...the report is probably from someone whom is an instigator.

[John W. Howard]

Hello Fahr:
I would imagine that many young men from Western countries would be classified as over-weight or obese when mustered in, especially draftees. Children used to play outside and burn calories, now many of them sit and watch TV or surf the internet. Combine this with hit or miss meal times consisting of processed foods, and the waistline bulges. I am sure that most of us put this report in its proper context Best wishes.

[HeinrichFrey]

Yes. Overweighted. And sorry, FDL, those comrades serving now are semi-volunteers and definitely not the elite of Germany. For different causes: The military is not accepted in the population. Guess why?! There is no backbone in the politics affording an professionell army. The fame of germany as military power is a simple joke looking at the standards. The so called "citizens in uniform" aren`t able to learn greeting within 8 months. Throw them in a ton. And please avoid comparing my ancestors with those "Germans" in a sense making them in any way comparable. Must have been said. The allies burn their buts in the south of Afganisthan

[Fahrdienstleiter]

In my humble opinion, Germany needs no professional army. Every professional army lacks brain and basically attracts poor guys from the ghettos who need quick cash. Did you ever read the US casualty lists from Iraq? Just compare the racial and social composition of the US Army enlisted personnel with the US national average. Also, under-educated soldiers are more willing to commit atrocities like Abu Ghraib, Haditha, Guantanamo etc. Without conscription, people like me would never have served. Instead of being a supporter of the Bundeswehr, perhaps I would be demonizing it like some of my colleagues do. Conscription is still the easiest and cheapest way of acquiring new career soldiers, it's like a trainee- or internship. And I don't care whether they can greet or march as long as they fulfill their duties, even if it is only freeing Zeit- and Berufssoldaten for the Einsatz. I don't know who your ancestors were, but compared with MY ancestors, I have a great advantage: I don't fight for Hitler. I don't even fight for Bush and Blair. Germany has no vital interests in Afghanistan. We are only there because of our Allies. Well, I remember very well how our "Allies" Thatcher and Mitterrand tried to sabotage reunification, while our "Enemy" Gorbachev made it possible. I pledged my allegiance to the german people, not to foreign presidents who are elected in a dubious procedure stemming from the ancient times of Frederick the Great. If Washington and London think that fighting the Taliban is so important for them, they can send more of their own soldiers. Or they can change their strategy and adopt one which reaches out to the hearts and minds of the population. The american cluster-bomb tactics are creating new Taliban by the hour. I'm not saying we should leave Afghanistan, but so far, our approach has been far more successful than all the cowboying in the south. We should take no part in that, much the less under foreign command. Just my own subjective assessment.

[Reb]

You might be surprised to learn that most (by a large margin) casualties in Iraq are coming out of a white middle class demographic. This is NOT vietnam where that cliche about rich man's (or white man's) war being a poor (or black) man's fight had some basis in reality.

Take a look at the composition of the US armed forces and you may be surprised.

If you think Germany doesn't need an army you must not be keeping up with current events. The world is coming apart at the seams. Right now the safest place to be might just be the military...

cheers
Reb

[Tom Houlihan]

Every professional army lacks brain and basically attracts poor guys from the ghettos who need quick cash.

BULLSHIT!


Sorry Jason.

[Fahrdienstleiter]

I beg your pardon, but I was only quoting from mainstream newspapers and TV networks, some of whose headlines during the last year were: "Double number of ex-cons join the army" (rising number of recruits with felony convictions, even for child abuse) and "US Army lowers recruitment standards again" (sinking percentage of recruits with high school diplomas). Of course this doesn't imply that a majority of ALL recruits belongs to this groups, god forbid! As for the social status, I will quote from the NYT: "The National Guard, as many have noted, is not a cross-section of America. Since the draft was abandoned in 1973, the Guard has drawn overwhelmingly from the working class, like the Army itself." Sorry, but there are no recruitment sergeants in Beverly Hills.

P.S. I want to add that I do NOT look down at people without GED or any special social class. If the army offers them an opportunity to improve their skills, this is to be appreciated. And when they fight in Iraq and Afghanistan, THEY have done their fair share! But where are the children of the wall street brokers and real estate agents who caused the present financial meltdown?

[HeinrichFrey]

I´m only able to speak English as my beloved teacher Mrs. Leo Emily Irving teached/tought(?) us 35 years ago. In those times the boys of the 5th armoured (old ironsides) went to vietnam. They lived nearby in the Ferris Barracks in Erlangen. No volunteers but professionels. As we had been with our Bundeswehr in the late 70`s. Yes, a late Hippieflowerpowered person, but after all these years I must say, that this decision was right, joining the army as our forefathers did. Now I´m a lawyer.

[Tom Houlihan]

I beg your pardon, but I was only quoting from mainstream newspapers and TV networks, some of whose headlines during the last year were:

Therein lies your problem. The "mainstream media" in this country is overly liberal, and will do their level best to denigrate and slur the military.

I spent 20 years in the US military. I spoke from personal knowledge and experience. I reiterate, Bull!

[Fahrdienstleiter]

The "mainstream media" in this country is overly liberal, and will do their level best to denigrate and slur the military.

Well, maybe you're right, but considering the start of this thread, the neo-con press also will do their level best to denigrate and slur Germany. Quality journalism apparently doesn't sell well in our times ...

[Tom Houlihan]

Well, maybe you're right, but considering the start of this thread, the neo-con press also will do their level best to denigrate and slur Germany. Quality journalism apparently doesn't sell well in our times ...

That's a Brit article. Yell at them.