Finnish Government cripples Finnish Defense Force with cost cut´s.

[Tellos Athenaios]

Name them. It will amuse me.

Let me start: Liechtenstein, Monaco, Lesotho, Swaziland...

The Netherlands, I think. Belgium.

[Philippus Flavius Homovallumus]

The Netherlands, I think. Belgium.

The UK...

Switzerland...

Norway...

[Papewaio]

100,000 soldiers would have to depend on the able body adult population.

Very few nations have in the event of war been able to send away 10% of their total population.

As such that means any nation of one million or less is not going to have 100,000 battle ready soldiers.

The standing army of China is 2.2 million or 1/50 of their population.

So based on that most nations with less then 5 million people are not going to have 100,000 soldiers/sailors and air men.

[Centurion1]

The UK...

Switzerland...

Norway...

Uh not true. UK army alone is 145k total military is around 225k.

that being said i dont think you need 100000 troops for a respectable armed forces. quality of gear and training is of far greater importance in my eyes.

[Philippus Flavius Homovallumus]

Uh not true. UK army alone is 145k total military is around 225k.

that being said i dont think you need 100000 troops for a respectable armed forces. quality of gear and training is of far greater importance in my eyes.

Ten years ago.

By 2018 the British Army will number just 82,000 regulars and 30,000 reserves.

We are, however, an Island and our defensive posture is based on blocakading the channel for six months in order to mobalise our reserves, TA units and produce a Home Guard. That's the real reason the UK needs carrier battlegroups and AA destroyers.

[Tellos Athenaios]

With a few easy mods the Netherlands is an island, too. However our defensive posture relies since about 17th century or so on making sure that none of France, Germany or UK is powerful enough to contemplate invading us. This is why the EU is a good thing. People are too busy to be angry with Paris or Berlin to notice the Dutch and Belgians quietly egging them on.

[Husar]

With a few easy mods the Netherlands is an island, too.

Or a submarine country.

[Tellos Athenaios]

Or a submarine country.

Yes. Excellent location for a subterranean lair. -- I mean the cabling and utilities have all been taken care of, and nobody suspects you when you build it here.

[Furunculus]

Ten years ago.

By 2018 the British Army will number just 82,000 regulars and 30,000 reserves.

We are, however, an Island and our defensive posture is based on blocakading the channel for six months in order to mobalise our reserves, TA units and produce a Home Guard. That's the real reason the UK needs carrier battlegroups and AA destroyers.

you guys are talking at cross purposes by talking about armies and armed forces as if they were the same thing.

[Philippus Flavius Homovallumus]

you guys are talking at cross purposes by talking about armies and armed forces as if they were the same thing.

No we aren't, according to Centurion the "army alone" is 145 thousand.

[Furunculus]

No we aren't, according to Centurion the "army alone" is 145 thousand.

people are talking at cross purposes:

You need to have something like a 100,000 person defense force, minimum.

There are literally dozens of armies in the world less than 100,000 strong...

100,000 soldiers would have to depend on the able body adult population.

all i am suggesting is that a little more precision would aid debate immensely. :)

[Kagemusha]

The UK...

Switzerland...

Norway...

You are forgetting the reserves. Switzerland has akin to 200k reserve army with its tiny size. Its not that we have 350k in standing army, but most are in reserve.

[Vladimir]

The Netherlands, I think. Belgium.

Well there you go. We all know what happens to Belgium.

[Tellos Athenaios]

Well there you go. We all know what happens to Belgium.

Excellent food, beer, years without government, and other delights for mankind. What's not to like?

And when you are caught speeding on the highway, you just claim the French speaking cops are probably too thick to read the manual for the camera properly and get acquitted in court. In the USA you'd be lucky if said cops didn't tazer you to death! Ergo, Belgium wins.

[Vladimir]

Excellent food, beer, years without government, and other delights for mankind. What's not to like?

And when you are caught speeding on the highway, you just claim the French speaking cops are probably too thick to read the manual for the camera properly and get acquitted in court. In the USA you'd be lucky if said cops didn't tazer you to death! Ergo, Belgium wins.

You've just been trolled.

That's just a poke in the ribs to those getting stuck on the 100,000 number.