Switzerland’s economy is generally well-insulated from the crisis in the Eurozone that surrounds the Alpine country. The social crisis is another matter entirely, however, and there’s no guarantee that violent unrest outside of Switzerland won’t spread across the border. When mobs of desperate people see their salvation in the milk and honey of Switzerland — what then?
Hermes has translated a couple of pieces on the topic from German-language news sites. First, from Deutsche Wirtschafts Nachrichten:
The Swiss Army is looking ahead to a dramatic escalation of the situation in the EU countries affected by the crisis, one that will impact the security of Switzerland. This is what Schweizer Zeitung Sonntag reported. The basis for this: because of multiple money-saving measures, the armies of the Southern European countries will weaken, and, as a consequence, the modernization of the army in the neighboring countries will be left aside. This will cause a weakening of the armies, and the European states will be easily extorted. The Swiss defense minister Ueli Maurer declared to Schweizer Zeitung Sonntag after a conference that “I do not rule out that in the coming years we will need the army”.
The defense agency VBS has the same opinion as Maurer. The Euro-crisis increases the potential for violence. Massive unemployment and the radicalization of the population are growing threats in Spain, Greece and Italy.
Due to the fact that there are fears in Switzerland about the spreading of unrest into its territory, the army is being equipped: 100,000 soldiers, 5 billion for military spending, and Gripen fight jets are planned for the defense of the Swiss confederation. In order to counter potential unrest, demonstrations and masses of refugees from neighboring countries, the 2000 top (military) officers have already designed the maneuver “Stabilo Due”. This is Military commander André Blattmann’s plan to defend the borders of the four regions with four military police battalions and a total number of 1600 soldiers.
More from Effecten Spiegel:
Switzerland strengthens its borders
[Translator’s note: these are the first lines of an article published in the printed version of the Effecten Spiegel magazine. The online version publishes only these lines.]
Switzerland is predicting bloody unrest in Europe in coming years due to the Euro crisis. Because of fears that it may spread to their own country, and huge floods of refugees may arrive from Southern Europe, the authorities in Bern are arming their military forces and securing the borders in the four regions of the country. “I cannot rule out that in the coming years we will need the army”, Swiss defense minister Ueli Maurer declared to the Swiss press. Simulations for serious scenarios are already being carried out under the operational name “Stabilo Due”.
Effecten Spiegel already warned at the beginning of the crisis two years ago that the “burning Greek garbage containers” are only the beginning of a social conflagration. Nowadays, mass demonstrations and street clashes have become business as usual. In Spain, people have taken to the streets almost daily since May of last year demonstrating against European policies. The reform of the job market, the raising of the VAT, cuts in health care and education, payment cuts and rising unemployment steadily deepen the grim mood in the country. Pictures of looting rioters setting cars and garbage containers on fire and clouds of teargas and furious people arrive on a regular basis from Italy, Portugal and France…
9 comments:
Friends of mine went on a mountain hike within view of Zurich. This used to be a happy occasion to observe fat cows with tinkling bells and to admire wildflowers. Got mugged and robbed by a group of armed Turco-Albanians (closest my friends could come to identifying).
But at least the Swiss people have SVP, strong and bold, that represents them. In the U.S. there is no party that conveys the people's voice.
Takuan Seiyo
To paraphrase a realist, "Treaties and constitutions are not suicide pacts." If you are silenced or murdered you no longer can express your fundamental rights. Best to decide now what your fundamental rights are so that you are not caught unaware when the barbarians attack.
The Swiss know the EU and it's welfare states are doomed in the not to distant future. And when the free food, money stop flowing, where will all the moochers and Muzzie parasites go? To any healthy state to resume their parasitism. That means Switzerland.
So the Swiss are doing what any pragmatic people would do. Preparing for a fight.
Here in Britain we managed to find a third of our army to ensure security for the Olympics when G4S proved to be Good for nothing. What a shame we cannot employ those same forces to man our points of entry, round up all those who should not be there, track down the 80,000 potential muslim terrorists, whether born here or not and boot them out.
Switzerland and Britain have one thing in common, Britain is surrounded by a wall of water which for a thousand years kept her safe and Switzerland is surrounded by mountains which for centuries kept her free and independent. The difference is that Switzerland is still free and independent and the most democratic country in the world probably whilst democracy in Britain has become a farce.
Yep there is no peoples party in the U.S. Just the oligarchy that markets itself under the guise of two so-called political parties. And every 2-4 years you see the same wealthy people analyzing politics and the same wealthy people running for office. Getting those $10k a plate dinners from Wall Street and wealthy West coasters.
And nothing gets the beltway elites, think tankers and academics frothing at the mouth more than the mention of "populist leaders and movements & initiatives". The elite know there is a craving for real representation and people speaking truth to power. They will do everything to marginalize such people.
Look at Rep. Ducan Hunter, the guy is dead on, on multiple issues from Free Trade agreements to our Borders. Basically a populist. Yet he's a nothing in the GOP and I suspect largely because his views are opposite of his party's elite.
landmines.. lots of landmines.. oh wait.. those were banned weren't they?
btw: the new blogger captcha is maddeningly hard to read.
Dear Hell,
Click the circle/arrow to the right of the blank until you get one that's easier to see.
There was recently an organized border incursion against Israel. Thousands of unarmed "Palestinians" were prepared to cross the border and get arrested. The scheme came to a premature death once the Israel defense forces shot a few of the would-be intruders.
I hope the Swiss army has the readiness to use serious force against invaders. Many third-world refugees destroy their identification, and there is literally no place to send them. The invaded state ends up taking responsibility for their well-being, which is what they wanted in the first place.
Now, of course, the first step of self-defense is to conceptually accept the assertion that your country and your borders are worth fighting for, and killing for. There are a lot of people in the world who are oppressed and suffer horribly through no real fault of their own. But, civilized countries cannot give up their civilization, and should not take on responsibility for dysfunctional peoples and societies.
One solution to aliens without identification would be to assume they are of Somalian origin, and drop them off in a Somalian territory not controlled by the government, with $5000 or so in cash. Of course, they would immediately become the targets of pirates. A few such instances, and the illegal immigration problems would dramatically decrease.
Indeed, the Swiss must be ruthless in dealing with the invaders. Because in dire times people tend to respect only thing - force and the willingness to use it.
I think once the Muzzie parasites see their Albanian and Turk brothers lying face down in the mud, they'll think twice about crossing over.
Post a Comment