tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-386077914312449748.post3106718187911993629..comments2024-03-27T20:37:08.065+01:00Comments on Defence and Freedom: On Third World militariesUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-386077914312449748.post-67873242177669486212011-12-18T21:45:43.075+01:002011-12-18T21:45:43.075+01:00I doubt many Africans will like this idea because ...I doubt many Africans will like this idea because it's reminescent of what the colonial troops did and you can be dead sure it'll be corrupt to the bones. There's also a reason why many countries banned their military from doing a police job in the interior.<br />Looking at your concept from a different angle, there are many guard units in little democratic countries that keep a conscript military in check. Egypt, Iran, in Syria and Lybia it is/was rather hidden. The conscripts could be nice guys getting a decent meal and doing lots of infrastructure work after a brief arms training. People like this armed force and it does lots of useful thinks that would otherwise cost a lot more, plus they retain the official title of military for the defense of the country. These guys will be unlikely to stage a coup unless your population is really dissatisfied and the military leadership agrees.<br />The professional gendarmery of yours can still do the job you suggested, but they're more part of checks and balances because there are other armed guys outnumbering, although not outclassing them, who might have some very old equipment the gendarmeire can't counter like a few armoured vehicles and Korean War-style fighter and bomber planes to make up for the lack of infantry capability. In such a system you can push development projects with your nice guy conscript army that feels very useful. To keep out the neighbouring professional guerilla racketeers you have a professional paramilitary force that operates under informally defined rules for baksheesh (like in Ghana) in order not to go rampage on the laws it's meant to uphold.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-386077914312449748.post-34440519055122274502011-09-23T21:46:52.592+02:002011-09-23T21:46:52.592+02:00The article leads me to think that these "afr...The article leads me to think that these "afriacn armies" are going to be cannon fodder for the AFRICOM branch of operations of the US military / intelligence complex.<br /><br />Gendarmerie is indeed the way to go if you want a stable exploitation of the country, it's what french ex-colonies actually did until the late 80's. They did a lot of what you describe (I have a book on Togo's armed forces, in french, and most of these missions are mentionned).<br /><br />Africa today is structurally unstable. Any place of mid-term stability could attract swarms of refugees / raiders from near or far.<br /><br />Instead of region-wide stability, which is too cost-effective, I'll reckon that some spots (plantations, mines, pipelines etc.) will be sufficiently protected by local "private" companies (i.e. subsidiaries of Xe Services, locals as troops and mercenaries as cadres).Solsysnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-386077914312449748.post-76489152571253004542011-09-22T23:12:27.201+02:002011-09-22T23:12:27.201+02:00The right to keep and bear arms ...
A well regulat...The right to keep and bear arms ...<br />A well regulated militia ...<br /><br />IF you did and do behave in a way that will not make people want to kill you at the first possibility<br />IF you trust your own people<br />IF your people is homogenous enough not to start fighting once they are armed<br />IF your socio-economic landscape is stable enough for an armed populace<br />&c &c<br /><br />Works with an intelligent and civilized people in more or less stable economic conditions - like Switzerland. 3rd world - not so much. There is a reason they are 3rd world. No answer. No place for romantic European ideas.Distillernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-386077914312449748.post-71968160999792877642011-09-22T18:30:21.407+02:002011-09-22T18:30:21.407+02:00Wow, this blog post was meant as a gap filler, a r...Wow, this blog post was meant as a gap filler, a refreshed draft from months ago that was published because I had no better idea...<br /><br />About sheriffs; think about it: If you select local cops nationally then the national majority will have the opportunity to oppress. If you select them locally, you get at least a minority sheriff in a minority region. Plus there's a check built-in with national cops watching the local ones.<br /><br />About Costa Rica; not really (I don't know about their police system), but this touches on an interesting side-effect.<br />A country with a gendarmerie instead of a military could be recognized as demilitarised and thus enjoy extra reputation and protection (by great powers intent on maintaining stability of the international system). A demilitarised country would hardly be blamed as aggressor in a border dispute gone wrong!S Ohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03359796414832859686noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-386077914312449748.post-81004224848013875792011-09-21T23:15:03.556+02:002011-09-21T23:15:03.556+02:00This gendarmerie would be the only representative ...<b>This gendarmerie would be the only representative of the central government’s privilege of the use of force.</b><br /><br />Is Costa Rica your touchstone here?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-386077914312449748.post-49335716066303593002011-09-21T20:38:51.249+02:002011-09-21T20:38:51.249+02:00All of this is excellent, except one minor issue -...All of this is excellent, except one minor issue - electing sheriffs? The US experience seems to suggest its a rotten idea if there is a minority that is disliked (i.e. everywhere), because the elections can then be won on overt oppression, which leads to dissident splinter groups of the minority and, hello Biafra (or Rwanda, or..)Die alte Aechzenerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18294141940637952687noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-386077914312449748.post-38008422355905135392011-09-21T16:09:26.780+02:002011-09-21T16:09:26.780+02:00"(1) enforce lawfulness of local police force..."(1) enforce lawfulness of local police forces (investigation and arrest, protecting local elections)"<br />But that sets the localy elected sherrif up against the nationaly appointed Gendarme, and I'm not sure I agree with you on which is most likely to be corrupted....<br /><br />That said, I pretty much agree with what you say.<br />It seems insane for Keyna to have over 100 T72's<br />Ethiopia has more MBTs than Germany!TrTnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-386077914312449748.post-53778702894795452762011-09-21T01:21:46.058+02:002011-09-21T01:21:46.058+02:00"... think of a military as a force to be kep..."... think of a military as a force to be kept in check for it could otherwise attempt a coup d'état, do we? ..."<br /><br />The Soviet invented something that proved quite effective for keeping an army under control: the political commissars (Narodny komissariat.) <br /><br />Mao's PLA and the vietnamese PLA also had political commissars to monitor and control everyone from officers to soldiers. Latin American and African countries could have had much better chance of detecting/preventing coups, had they have the same kind of institutions... but then again, one has to carefully ponder... what is worse: experiencing frequent coups or having to live under the grip of your own monstrous NKVD !!<br /><br />back to the topic of third world armies: I have always wondered why African countries do not mandate their conscripts to engage in farming, running small pig farms, simple/light manufacturing, or even digging canals/levees and road work activities and such. <br /><br />I think that your idea of forming a gendarmerie (along with the described duties) is better. However many of the East African countries are still at very difficult developmental stages. Many are still recovering from prolonged period of savage wars, etc. The pool of men/women who are suitable for such a gendarmerie might be small. And one would have to compete with other ministries for this same pool of qualified cadres.<br /><br />I think it is probably easier to go with the <br />Chinese model of farmer/worker/soldier armed forces. When the conscripts are done 'doing their time', they return to civilian life being more employable. <br /><br />Charles_in_Houston_TexasAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-386077914312449748.post-85359875610134571372011-09-21T01:10:05.159+02:002011-09-21T01:10:05.159+02:00I have long since been interested in things like t...I have long since been interested in things like the above topic and due to my interest in it and my reading of history coups are somthing I think alot on, I very much liked your topic, here is a link on the Congo and how not to make an army (in my opinion). <br /><br />http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/eastern-congos-rule-by-the-ruthless/2011/08/25/gIQAOs8heJ_story.html<br /><br />Will you be doing anymore blogs on the above topic?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com