Bush family political heir is shipping off to war

[Pat]

And the ravenous slobbering horde of russians replaced by a ravening slobbering horde of muslims is helpful how exactly?

That's still a long way into the future. We'll have plenty of time to react to that.

[Iormlund]

And what this got with this thread? Does having more fighting spirit or holding military in better esteem spontaneously create fossil fuels in your soil?

Maybe a mighty European army would conquer Russia and bring the joys of Western Civilization to the backwards masses while securing valuable natural resources?  Not sure really.

We leave that for the Americans. We can't be bothered to spread peace and love at the point of a gun.

[Ed Anger]

And what this got with this thread? Does having more fighting spirit or holding military in better esteem spontaneously create fossil fuels in your soil?

Maybe a mighty European army would conquer Russia and bring the joys of Western Civilization to the backwards masses while securing valuable natural resources?  Not sure really.

We leave that for the Americans. We can't be bothered to spread peace and love at the point of a gun.

And you Spaniards used to be so good at it too.

[Slargos]

Iorm was wrong in his flippant remark, and you are wrong in your vacuous attempt at a followup.

Except the only place I said those things was in your mind. I'm neither against the military (quite the contrary) or talking about other European countries. I just confirmed that joining the military in Spain is usually reserved for losers.

Of course that is a generalization. Certain posts, such as piloting aircraft are sought after. And a lot are filled by people who have been immersed in the military for their whole lives or (frequently and) have certain sympathies: most officers I know are sons or grandsons of officers who served under Franco, the rest only attempted to enter the Academy after being left behind at high school.

The military has not been able to overcome the legacy of 40 years of dictatorship. Simple as that. It's telling that only now, with almost 20% unemployment, it can finally fill its recruitment goals.

Then perhaps you should have qualified your statement with "in spain".

The lack of precision in categorical statements lately is mindboggling.

You people are worse than hitler.

[Eddie Teach]

You people are worse than hitler.

And probably racist.

[Pat]

Which Hitler? You need to be more precise.

[Valmy]

And what this got with this thread? Does having more fighting spirit or holding military in better esteem spontaneously create fossil fuels in your soil?

Maybe a mighty European army would conquer Russia and bring the joys of Western Civilization to the backwards masses while securing valuable natural resources?  Not sure really.

We leave that for the Americans. We can't be bothered to spread peace and love at the point of a gun.

I was just trying to figure out how Russia was a threat to Europe and how a big army would help alleviate that.  I don't need to hear how not surrendering cravenly to every religious fanatic who shows his face is a horrible horrible thing.

[Valmy]

You people are worse than hitler.

Stalinobamahitler or Bushitler?

[Martinus]

How is Russia a threat to Europe?

They can turn off your gas!

And China can turn off your money. I'd rather be cold than penniless.

[alfred russel]

How is Russia a threat to Europe?

They can turn off your gas!

And China can turn off your money. I'd rather be cold than penniless.

China bought our money, but they didn't buy our printing presses. LOL @ China. :p

[Iormlund]

Then perhaps you should have qualified your statement with "in spain".

Or perhaps you could have read the thread and thus Yi's post. Reading is a pretty useful skill if you want to be a Swedish officer or engage in other challenging careers.

[Valmy]

And China can turn off your money. I'd rather be cold than penniless.

I think you guys are failing to understand what I am trying to do here.  Peter said Europe is in danger from Russia and I was only speculating how this could be and how having a better army would help the situation.  I find your diatribes against international trade and global cooperation misplaced as the United States' relationship to China is unrelated to my current area of inquiry.

[Ed Anger]

You people are worse than hitler.

Stalinobamahitler or Bushitler?

I thought I was the hitler? 

[MadImmortalMan]

the rest only attempted to enter the Academy after being left behind at high school.

Your service academies are considered places where people who couldn't make it elsewhere go? Wow. I can't imagine anyone looking at West Point or Annapolis that way. Those are some of the most elite schools not only in the US but in the world.

[Martinus]

This thread will not meet the "Languish Gold Standard" until Martinus has weighed in on whether he is gay-HOTT.

Bad skin. Blood-shot eyes. Ugly. Ewww.

Forgive me if I don't comment on every ugly man that is posted on Languish.