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Especially if you count that way, what first world country doesn't have troops stationed in 150 countries? We obviously have major detachments in Germany, Japa
by krschultz 16y ago
Especially if you count that way, what first world country doesn't have troops stationed in 150 countries?
We obviously have major detachments in Germany, Japan, and Korea. Plus the countries supporting the war in Iraq and Afghanistan (I'm sure those two will join my first list in 20 years). Then there are a lot of logistics bases around the world. Does that really count? If we want to be able to project our navy to the other side of the world, you need a refueling stop in Guam. So unless we are talking about cutting the military down to a tenth of what it is now, the # of bases is not what is driving US costs.
# of and cost of weapon systems drives it all.
- eru 16y ago> what first world country doesn't have troops stationed in 150 countries? Switzerland, maybe?
- Semiapies 16y agoOn the other hand, the Swiss Guard show up wherever the Pope goes.
- eru 16y agoThat's like counting all the people in the French Foreign Legion as soldiers of their home country.
- Semiapies 16y agoHow do you mean?
- eru 16y agoThe Swiss guard is a military unit of the Vatican, not of Switzerland. Or is it?
- Semiapies 16y agoBoth. The Pontifical Swiss Guard, which is the remaining active branch of the Swiss Guard, is a Swiss military unit (consisting of strictly Swiss citizens) that serves in a guard role for the Vatican.
- philwelch 16y agoThey still have embassies. Being neutral doesn't necessarily imply being isolationist.
- eru 16y agoDo they have troops at their embassies?