How big are the standing armies of the EU countries?

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - How big are the standing armies of the EU countries?

Posted: 9/30/2004 6:41:59 PM EDT

Kerry presses for more foreign troops, and I have a legit question.

How big are the armies of the UK, France, Germany, etc....?? Please, real answers. We know the french are wimps, but they do have an army...

Thanks

Posted: 9/30/2004 6:48:15 PM EDT

[#1]

They're stretched too thin.

Too many troops for peacekeeping.

Poland, UK, Hungary, Italy, ect are already in Iraq.

CRC

Posted: 9/30/2004 6:49:52 PM EDT

[#2]

not too big i would imagine

there is no conflict overthere(militarily) and little need for a large army

except for swizerland--damn that country is awsome

Posted: 9/30/2004 6:56:57 PM EDT

[#3]

I believe Britian has the largest EU army.

They have 20,000 troops in Iraq IIRC

Posted: 9/30/2004 7:20:35 PM EDT

[#4]

UK
Germany
France

Just look at the sidebar on those pages for links to other countries.

Posted: 9/30/2004 7:46:39 PM EDT

[#5]

Ok, then where is kerry going to get all these troops from? Or is this another case of him"talking out his ass"??

Posted: 9/30/2004 7:47:58 PM EDT

[#6]

Like I said they are stretched too thin.

Finland, France and Ireland love to go peecekeeping for the UN.

CRC

Posted: 9/30/2004 7:50:01 PM EDT

[#7]

A lot of countries (like Denmark) still have a draft, which means they maintain a relatively small standing professional army, and keep cycling draftees through the system.

We've currently got a huge proportion of our professional army in Kosovo, Afghanistan, Iraq, etc. - because the standing army is so small.

Posted: 9/30/2004 7:51:02 PM EDT

[#8]

See Europe has no use for it's armies (other than Britian) than to go and peackeep.

CRC

Posted: 9/30/2004 7:58:40 PM EDT

[#9]

Quoted:
Like I said they are stretched too thin.

Finland, France and Ireland love to go peecekeeping for the UN.

CRC

Yeah. France sends the Legion. The FORIEGN Legion because there are no real men in France to go and do the job.

Posted: 9/30/2004 8:01:07 PM EDT

[#10]

Quoted:
See Europe has no use for it's armies (other than Britian) than to go and peackeep.

CRC

Hey - that sure beats the use we had for them during the Cold War.

My regiment's job was to try to die as slowly as possible, to give our armored divisions in Jutland time to prepare for the WAPA onslaught. Thank God we never needed to!

Posted: 9/30/2004 8:06:47 PM EDT

[#11]

New Zealand ditched it's airforce cause the gubmint there said it wasn't useful for peacekeeping.

Almost all Western nations are gearing up for peacekeeping only, Australia, Britian, US excepted.

Posted: 9/30/2004 8:08:41 PM EDT

[#12]

So what happens when there is another world war? The whole EU gets drafted?

Posted: 9/30/2004 8:09:55 PM EDT

[#13]

Maybe.

Some countries have a draft still.

CRC

Posted: 9/30/2004 8:12:10 PM EDT

[#14]

Quoted:
Quoted:
See Europe has no use for it's armies (other than Britian) than to go and peackeep.

CRC

Hey - that sure beats the use we had for them during the Cold War.

My regiment's job was to try to die as slowly as possible, to give our armored divisions in Jutland time to prepare for the WAPA onslaught. Thank God we never needed to!

Plenty of US Army units had the same mission... 'Slow 'em down, and wait for the REFORGER convoys to start coming thru...'

Posted: 9/30/2004 8:12:36 PM EDT

[#15]

Europe only has one large aircraft carrier and no long range transport.

CRC

Posted: 9/30/2004 8:14:36 PM EDT

[#16]

Do any european countries posses a strategic/long range bomber besides russia/former soviet countries? It seems as if europe is more vulnerable to attack than most continents.

Posted: 9/30/2004 8:17:47 PM EDT

[#17]

Britian and France have ballistic missle submarines

Posted: 9/30/2004 8:18:48 PM EDT

[#18]

Quoted:
Britian and France have ballistic missle submarines

And I think France *might* have some air dropped nukes.

CRC

Posted: 9/30/2004 8:24:21 PM EDT

[#19]

I know that the EU is producing some eurofighters, and has some american fighters, but they are sorely lacking a modern airforce. I think the only country that keeps a very up to date military is.....um, China?

Posted: 9/30/2004 8:25:09 PM EDT

[#20]

Israel and Britian.

Posted: 9/30/2004 8:27:51 PM EDT

[#21]

Well, the backbone of britains airforce is 20-30 year old fighters/attack aircraft. Didn't england sell off a large amount of the eurofighters that it hasnt even recieved yet? I know Isreal has modern fighters, but in rather limited numbers. Its just funny to watch how little the rest of the world puts into a modern, strong, effiecent military.

Posted: 9/30/2004 8:31:59 PM EDT

[#22]

Russia has no money to.

Australia is starting to pour in money for defense.

China is.

Taiwan does with what is can.

All other countries primarily peacekeep or fight rebel groups.

Posted: 9/30/2004 8:35:38 PM EDT

[#23]

israel has 400 Fighters, mostly modern, 2/3 f-16, with over 100 on order...

airforce inventory

damn.. the got a hell of a ground force too... 3k+ tanks etc

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - How big are the standing armies of the EU countries?

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