Neutral Switzerland attacks Liechtenstein

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Whoever heard of Switzerland invading another country - well they did! But it was all a mistake. A company of Swiss soldiers got lost at night and marched into neighboring Liechtenstein.

I don't know what is more embarrassing - the fact that their Swiss soldiers got lost and invading another country or the fact that nobody in Liechtenstein even noticed that soldiers carrying assault rifles were marching through their land.

http://www.boston.com/news/world/europe/articles/2007/03/02/swiss_accidentally_invade_liechtenstein/?p1=MEWell_Pos1

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Talk about humiliating, no one was even afraid of them.

(Thinking: Oh, Switzerland has an army?)

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Squinney, Isn't the Swiss army where we get the Swiss army knife from? Didn't know the Swiss army had guns though. Sometimes neutrality is harder than it looks.

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Roberta wrote:

Squinney, Isn't the Swiss army where we get the Swiss army knife from? Didn't know the Swiss army had guns though. Sometimes neutrality is harder than it looks.

According to the article, they had rifles but no ammunition.

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Roberta wrote:

Squinney, Isn't the Swiss army where we get the Swiss army knife from? Didn't know the Swiss army had guns though. Sometimes neutrality is harder than it looks.

Good point with the knife and neutrality. Ever tried fighten off a bear with a bottle opener ir nail file?

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Leictenstein probably thought they were carry overs from Mardi Gras or something.

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/19/90303434_58f40029f3.jpg?v=0

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Oh my. Roberta, Switzerland doesn't have an army; it is an army. All adult males up to something like 45 years old are part of the reserve, with the guns and ammunition at home. This one time, they forgot the bullets? So, sue them.

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roger wrote:

Oh my. Roberta, Switzerland doesn't have an army; it is an army. All adult males up to something like 45 years old are part of the reserve, with the guns and ammunition at home. This one time, they forgot the bullets? So, sue them.

I'm not suing anybody, Roger. If these folks wann invade countries with guns and no bullets, I don't see that as actionable. Should I check with a lawyer?

And if the only people in the army are men, then the whole country isn't an army. Okay. I'm being picky. But this could be actionable.

Women of Switzerland. Unite!

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Whoa! Hold on a minute!

These guys can levitate?

http://www.widerstandsarmee.ch/titelbild.jpg

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Now we know why Germany went around them in 1938.

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According to a Swiss friend of mine, the Swiss have a nifty little air force. Their landing fields and hangars are caves carved into the sides of mountains -- which must take great skill landing.

But if I had to serve in any armed forces, I think I'd pick the Dutch. According to a Dutch friend of mine (maybe things have changed, he did his conscription time in the 80's), the Dutch armed forces are unionized and have great benefits including being based within driving distance to their homes and never working on weekends.

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All else being equal, armies that follow orders will beat armies that have unions - if they remember to bring the bullets.

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The swiss army provide guards for the Vatican.

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C'mon Nimh! Spill it! Tell us what you know. Very Happy

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Nah I was just grinning about the original story..

Bout the Dutch army I dont know much. When I was 18 conscription still existed, but I got myself 'disapproved' by the testing doctor - already, by that time, about 1/3 or 1/2 of the guys managed to avoid military service somehow or other.

Conscription was abolished bout ten years ago, so its now only professional soldiers. And yes, they have a union.. but I dont know much about it.

There was a big deal about whether long hair should be allowed or not. And there's always little stories about drug use when soldiers are abroad on a mission, but I'm sure there is that in any army once they're out, I bet its no different in Iraq.

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Tico wrote:

According to a Swiss friend of mine, the Swiss have a nifty little air force. Their landing fields and hangars are caves carved into the sides of mountains -- which must take great skill landing.

Swiss airforce

I've been to the Dübendorf airport a couple of timesd in the 60's: my penfriend's father was (civil) head of it.

dadpad wrote:

The swiss army provide guards for the Vatican.

No, that's not a branch of the Swiss army at all - the "Vatican armed forces" are just called "Swiss Guard" because they have to be Swiss citizens.

Wikipedia entry for Swiss military and Swiss Guard

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Tico wrote:

According to a Swiss friend of mine, the Swiss have a nifty little air force. Their landing fields and hangars are caves carved into the sides of mountains -- which must take great skill landing.

But if I had to serve in any armed forces, I think I'd pick the Dutch. According to a Dutch friend of mine (maybe things have changed, he did his conscription time in the 80's), the Dutch armed forces are unionized and have great benefits including being based within driving distance to their homes and never working on weekends.

It is wonderful to be able to plan when your country needs to defend itself. Not having defend itself on weekends is definately a plus!

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Swiss are always ready, but their advantage is in not having to waste training time on jungle and desert training.

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Neutral Switzerland attacks Liechtenstein

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