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Europe
Moaning German soldiers an 'embarrassment' say chiefs
2009-06-16
German soldiers are softies who lack discipline, hate responsibility and show an inadequate desire to serve their country, according to the army's chief inspector.

General Wolfgang Schneiderhahn, the general inspector of the Bundeswehr, told the German parliament that depite their positive contribution in Afghanistan, complaints from troops about their conditions were an "embarrassment".

"We have given a good account of ourselves in Afghanistan, but we cannot guarantee an all-round feel-good feeling for soldiers," said the general, before going on to detail the less dignified side of the country's armed forces.

He cited complaints reaching him about the quality of sleeping bags used in a deployment in the Congo.

"Are our soldiers too soft?" asked the best-selling daily German newspaper Bild.

Gen Schneiderhahn told politicians in Berlin on Monday that the descendants of the country's mighty military machines of the past needed to have "a better feeling for discipline and to show a greater readiness to serve the state".

The Bundeswehr was formed after the Second World War. The German post-war constitution initially mandated the Bundeswehr only to serve in protection of German borders. After a 1994 ruling by the Federal Constitutional Court their remit was expanded to assist in crisis reaction and conflict prevention around the world under Nato and the United Nations.

But in Afghanistan they are not allowed at the "sharp end" of fighting with the Taliban and Berlin is under constant pressure from America and Nato to send more manpower.
Posted by:GolfBravoUSMC

#13  An EU army would make the blue helmets look good
Posted by: European Conservative   2009-06-16 19:38  

#12  I'm sure the EU bureaucrats are absolutely convinced that if these same soldiers were in an EU army, instantly and overnight, they would be the best soldiers in the world.

Or at least that is what their status reports would say.
Posted by: Anonymoose   2009-06-16 18:50  

#11  I have first hand info about troops in Afghanistan.

An example. Troops are there to protect a girls school. Local Taliban assholes come and tell the school principal: Close or we kill your girls.

The principal goes to the local commander and asks what can be done. The Talibs are known. The commander - one of those who makes his own decision - sends a few troops who will protect the school and tells his boys to shoot an Taliban trying to enter. The boys are motivated to do just that. The Talibs give the school a wide berth.

What happens next? The commander is reprimanded and ordered to withdraw the troops "because he's putting them "in danger". The commander says if troops cannot be put "in danger" for a good cause he doesn't see the point in having them here in the first place. The troops even offer to guard the school on their free time. No chance. The troops are withdrawn.

A few days later the Talibs return and throw molotov cocktails into the (empty) school, threatening that next time they will do it when the girls are there. The principal closes the school.

And now they blame those troops that they "lack discipline" and "hate responsibility"?

Of course the General forgot to include that incident in his report. Sleeping bags are safer issues.
Posted by: European Conservative   2009-06-16 15:32  

#10  Can't help, GBUSMC.
Posted by: tipover   2009-06-16 14:58  

#9  Could 65% of the German Army belonging to the Bundeswehrverband Union have anything to do with it's performance?
Posted by: GolfBravoUSMC   2009-06-16 14:54  

#8  EC:

Lots of dynamics in play here. The elan, and espirit de corps of the German ranker has long been muted and in some instances extinguished. It has much to do with post WWII military prohibitions, public sentiment and political attitudes regarding German history in the 20th history. The Germans, French, and Italian soldier are not much different than our own. Soldier bitching is a good thing. It is when the stop bitching that one should have cause for concern.
Posted by: Besoeker   2009-06-16 14:51  

#7  Well, when you're in the jungle, and your government insists that you carry the same sleeping bag suitable for northern Europe...I'd be pissed too.
Posted by: gromky   2009-06-16 14:42  

#6  And another thing:

The work German troops do abroad is not appreciated and honored back home - neither by politicians nor in the media.

You never hear about medals given for bravery, their hands are tied and those who have died are flown home in secrecy and treated like that was some kind of accident.

If troops "lack discipline", it's not the troops fault but that of those leading them.

And if you send German troops to the Congo you better motivate them well.
Posted by: European Conservative   2009-06-16 14:34  

#5  @tipover

you have a point. It has been widely reported how inadequate equipment is in Bosnia or Kosovo.

There IS a dofference when you are drafted and serve in Afghanistan, and NOT fighting for the survival of your country against Soviet invaders.

US troops are all professional instead and I think we should do that, too.

We don't need hundredthousands of drafted youngsters, we need a highly motivated professional army.

Lean but mean.
Posted by: European Conservative   2009-06-16 14:29  

#4  Somewhere, the ghosts of Gebhard Liebrecht von Blücher, Ludwig Adolf Wilhelm von Lützow, and both Helmuth von Moltkes are weeping bitter tears of shame.
Posted by: Mike   2009-06-16 14:29  

#3  Could it be that those sleeping bags WERE of poor quality and someone bitched and exposed poor procurement policies that embarrassed the General? And that the politicians will NOT allow the troops to be responsible?
Posted by: tipover   2009-06-16 14:23  

#2  Hmm, they hate responsibility?

Just wondering, but do they have the authority to match their responsibilities in the first place?

I've heard that can cause problems.
Posted by: Thing From Snowy Mountain   2009-06-16 14:15  

#1  Siegfried: Idiots! Dummkopfs! Sissies!
-- Get Smart (1965)
Posted by: mojo   2009-06-16 12:56  

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