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9/13/2007
FT as soldiers?
I think it will be a cheaper solution if we offer to the foreign workers and foreign talents a citizenship if they join the SAF. It will cost probably 1/3 what we need to pay to our locals. And the Tamil Tiger brand has been proven to be tough fighters.
Don't bet on this as a wild thought. Some day it may happen. The trick is how to prevent them from taking over the country. Insert into everyone of them a self destruct mini bomb with a 3 year time bomb, and the option to blow up at the press of a button.
The French have their French Legion of Africans. The British have their Sikh Army, the Sepoys and other Indian Contigents. We have our Gurkhas. A Tamil Tiger Legion?
If you offer citizenship to them, then they become part of the country, hence the question of taking over does not arise. You cannot have your cake and eat it.
ReplyDeleteHaving FT as soldiers will make the whole purpose behind NS useless, isnt it?
ReplyDeleteThat's the whole idea.
ReplyDeletei don't think the gurkhas are singaporeans.
ReplyDeleteseriously, a mercenary force is a risky enterprise. soldiers that can be bought by money can be bought by your enemy as well. you will live dangerously, wondering when they will turn against you.
it is nothing like your own people who believe strongly that they are defending their country and that the country is worth defending for.
no one is going to complain about being paid more. the only time i heard of such a complain was during the early days when some pilots uttered that they had so much money and they kept getting pay rises in huge amounts and they did not know what to do with the money. of course tongue in cheek.
even you pay someone several millions, and he has hundreds of millions and don't know how to spend them, he will still grab at them.
You really think that our own people believe strongly that they are defending their country and that the country is worth defending for?
ReplyDeleteA lot of brothers here and in 'Sammyboy forumn' seems to think otherwise judging from the comments they made about their time in national service and being treated like seond-class citizens in our own country. Most capable ones are talking about leaving the country or have already left.
> it is nothing like your own people who believe strongly that they are defending their country and that the country is worth defending for.
ReplyDeleteWhat makes you so certain the so-called own people believe that ? Let's face it, wars these days are not about defending your country. It's about feeding the oversized egos of brain-dead politicians. There is no freaking way in hell I am going to risk my arse so that these blood-sucking parasites can continue to enjoy their million $$ pay cheques. Go figure.
abao: The whole purpose of NS IS useless.
ReplyDeleteAny parent who can afford it should ship off their sons to avoid this utter waste of time.
People who dodge NS are HEROS in my opinion.
redbean: On the contrary. A mercenary force IS the SAFEST option.
Why? Simple answer: Professional reputation. Remember these combatants don't fight for "a noble cause". They fight because they are PAID to do so.
The best run "private armies" understand risk better than govts do, because govts work with virtually UNlimited resources, but private armies have strictly limited resources.
Look up AEGIS SECURITY (UK) and BLACKWATER SECURITY (USA). These are the 2 better known and more prominent private military organisations in the world today.
Private organisations beat the thieving, power-crazy, EXPENSIVE and over-charging state and government anyday.
In other words, nothing beats the private sector at getting things DONE.
> soldiers that can be bought by money can be bought by your enemy as well
ReplyDeleteAnyone can be bought, if the price is right. Being a citizen of a country is no iron-clad guarantee that the person will be loyal, if it comes to the crunch. History is replete with countless accounts of an insider who turns traitor.Try not to be so simple-minded for a change, or are you going to start blaming it on the sub-standard education that you have received in Singapore ?
what both of you said is true also. There are many who work for anyside at anytime, citizen soldiers or mercenary soldiers. And in our case, when there are so many conflicting pulls, and when the roots are young, it is a frightening thought to know that your most trusted soldiers, those you have handed them guns and power, could turn them around.
ReplyDeletewe cannot depend on too much sentimental values, neither can we depend on money. maybe the old values of nation, citizenship, loyalty, honour etc need to be re examined. maybe, like matilah said so often, nationhood is passe. It is now everyone serving himself. when it is not to his own interest, when there is no money in it, forget it.
> It is now everyone serving himself
ReplyDeleteWhat do you mean it is now ? It has always been so. Humans are by nature selfish creatures. The old notions of nationhood and loyalty to country is only passe to the truly mobile ones. For the rest, they will still be subjected to these notions by their respective rulers. Too bad for them I suppose. Life has never been fair.
you are sharing your wisdom this morning. poor heartlanders. the unthinking will also be manipulated by things that cannot fill their stomach.
ReplyDeleteThe Government at one point was even afraid that the local Malays would not fight if faced with the Malaysian Malays in a conflict between Singapore and Malaysia. Fight for country? Figure it out.
ReplyDelete>> > soldiers that can be bought by money can be bought by your enemy as well <<
ReplyDeleteWhat? And risk being hunted down by their ex-platoon mates as "traitors"?
Mercenaries have a strict code of honour. They also live dangerous lives. What would be the point in attracting new dangers for a few bucks?
Oh yes, I know a few Aussie mercs back in the 1980's. Back then the going rate for special ops (in Africa) was US$1million—50% up front, 50% when you complete the mission and return.
mercenary force is only dependable when their number is small and use for a specific operation. you cannot rely on a huge army of mercenary lah.
ReplyDeletepolitical power comes from the barrel of the gun. a mercenary general will soon turn greedy and want the whole country when his force is big enough.
even our mercenary ceos want to fill their pockets to the brim if allowed to. what code of honour are you talking about?
Get and read a few back issues of "Soldier of Fortune" magazine, and you'll get an idea of merc culture.
ReplyDeleteNo merc works alone—he is always part of a group. That is why honour is important.
Standing armies are a hang-over from days gone by where kings and feudal lords did battle to acquire property.
A long protracted conflict is extremely costly. Well organised mercs are far more effective than standing armies.
Check our history and current day events for proof.