UK & Germany are FUBAR...in steps France, Poland, Italy, Netherlands & Others...all is not lost!

Paralus linked to this Defense News article that talks about the PATHETIC state of the German Army.  Check it out here.

For the largest economy in Europe, Germany’s military — the Bundeswehr — sure is small.

In fact, although smaller missions, like those in Afghanistan, remain possible, a larger conflict would likely catch the Bundeswehr off-guard, said Hans-Peter Bartels, parliamentary commissioner for the armed forces, in an interview with a German magazine.

Although the budget has increased slightly following criticism by U.S. President Donald Trump, the operational readiness of the German forces has further deteriorated this past year.

“The hard currency, in which the success of the [defense] minister is measured, is the readiness of the Bundeswehr,” Bartels said. “And that has not really improved in the last four years, but rather has become worse.”

“While foreign missions with small contingents went well, the Bundeswehr as a whole cannot currently be used in the collective defense,” he added.

My thoughts?

We basically knew this.  You have the German Army fans, true believers and Merkel sycophants that pushed a different meme but we've heard reports about the German military literally falling apart.

Subs that can't put to sea, Typhoons that can't fly and the Army using broom handles to simulate machine guns have circulated for more than a year.

Yep.  We've seen the once Mighty British and German armed forces become FUBAR.  Fucked Beyond Any Recognition.

So what is the point of this blog post.

To let my readers know that all is not lost.

The decline of the British and German military has been witnessed by all.  But we've also seen "new players" and an old warhorse sustain their forces...or even increase their capabilities.

I point to those nations few ever really talk about in the context of European defense.

France is steady.  Those bagel eaters are freaking solid.  They don't do things the way I would like but they're keeping their forces capable and hard.  Poland. Do I even have to say it?  I don't buy the Russian threat thing, but I'll be damned if they're not putting together an impressive Army, their Air Force is coming along nicely and they have a 1st tier Special Ops outfit that I would trust to rescue me if I was held hostage by some head choppers.

Italy has a naval tradition that is hard to beat and their Marines (both from the Army side and the real deal Naval boys) are first rate and operate just like the USMC (but smaller....they're good...seen it with my own eyes).  The Netherlands are rock hard.  Good Navy, adequate Army (it is getting sliced to the point of me becoming a bit concerned though) and a real nice Air Force (the future of which rests on the F-35 actually delivering).

There are others too that I haven't named. 

Like the people of Eastern Europe.  They're hard.  Some would call them brutish (mainly the cosmopolitan types in Berlin or London) but those small countries are taking steps to modernize their forces even a Germany and the UK leave the field.

I repeat the point I made at the beginning of this.  European defense is going thru a transition to new power players and an old steady.  Things are going to be different but the constant is there.

All is not lost.  The EU is capable of defending itself.  The major players are just changing.