Swiss Army Chief Warns Of Social Unrest, Calls Upon Citizens To Arm Themselves

[galdur]

Swiss Army Chief Warns Of Social Unrest, Calls Upon Citizens To Arm Themselves

Submitted by Tyler Durden on 12/30/2015 08:32 -0500

Newspaper Switzerland

Swiss army chief André Blattmann warned, in a Swiss newspaper article on Sunday, the risks of social unrest in Europe are soaring. Recalling the experience of 1939/1945, Blattman fears the increasing aggression in public discourse is an explosively hazardous situation, and advises the Swiss people to arm themselves and warns that the basis for Swiss prosperity is "being called into question."



As Deutsche Wirtschafts Nachrichten reports, speaking on the record for the first time since the November Paris terror attacks, Blattmann told the paper that despite a rise in security incidents over the past two years Switzerland’s means of defence were being reduced.

The situation is growing increasingly risky, Blattman begins.
 
"The threat of terror is rising, hybrid wars are being fought around the globe; the economic outlook is gloomy and the resulting migration flows of displaced persons and refugees have assumed unforeseen dimensions."
 
Blattmann: "Social unrest can not be ruled out", the vocabulary in public discourse will "dangerously aggressive."
 
"The mixture is increasingly unappetizing" Blattmann sees the basis of Swiss prosperity, "has long been once again called into question."
 
He recalls the situation around the two world wars in the last century and advises Switzerland, to arm themselves.
 
The Swiss Armed Forces had held many years ago maneuver, in which the starting point was focused on social unrest in Europe.
*  *  *

Swiss politicians, of course, responded with disbelief to the army chief and hold his warnings are exaggerated.

http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2015-12-30/swiss-army-chief-warns-social-unrest-calls-upon-citizens-arm-themselves

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[Lethn]

Those politicians are part of the problem because they refuse to acknowledge or talk about any of the problems people are facing because of Iraq and Syria, I'm not surprised that he's saying this, as with anyone in the army or intelligence communities that speak out like Bradley Manning or Edward Snowden they'll be branded traitors for going against the narrative.

[galdur]

Well, I haven´t read the original. He wouldn´t need to call upon citizens to arm themselves, they´re armed to the teeth already. It´s traditional there. Maybe it´s sloppy translation. Could be he was urging increased alertness, which of course is very timely.

[eddie13]

"Calls Upon Citizens To Arm Themselves"  < I love this part!!

More countries should be this way instead of taking the ability to protect yourself away from the citizens and placing this protection in usually incompetent governmental hands..

[galdur]

In einem Gastbeitrag zur Bedrohungslage der Schweiz zeichnet Armeechef André Blattmann in der «Schweiz am Sonntag» ein düsteres Bild. Die Terrorbedrohung steige; hybride Kriege würden rund um den Erdball ausgefochten. Zudem hätten sich die wirtschaftlichen Aussichten verdüstert. Migrationsströme von Kriegsvertriebenen und Wirtschaftsflüchtlingen hätten bereits ungeahnte Masse angenommen.



Damit steigen die Risiken laut Blattmann doppelt: Zum schwächeren Wirtschaftsverlauf käme noch die Konkurrenz auf dem Arbeitsmarkt und die zusätzlich zu unterstützenden Personen. «Soziale Unruhe kann nicht ausgeschlossen werden», das Vokabular werde «gefährlich aggressiv», schreibt der Armeechef.
Wohlstand sei gefährdet
In der Schweiz gerate die kritische Infrastruktur in den Fokus einer von Blattmann nicht näher definierten «Gegenseite». Aufgrund von Differenzen im Umgang mit den Problemen sei die Solidarität selbst innerhalb von Staatengemeinschaften gefährdet.

«Die Mixtur wird zunehmend unappetitlich», so der Armeechef. Er sieht die Grundlagen unseres Wohlstandes «seit langem wieder einmal infrage gestellt». Darum empfiehlt der oberste Militär, dass man sich wappnet und erinnert gar an die Situation rund um die beiden Weltkriege im letzten Jahrhundert.
Mit all diesen diffusen Bedrohungsskizzen weibelt Blattmann letztlich für Geld für die Schweizer Milizarmee und selbstverantwortliche Bürger, die mit ihrem Leben für Sicherheit und Freiheit hinstehen würden.

Der grünliberale Sicherheitspolitiker Beat Flach zeigt sich ob dem Blattmann-Text irritiert: «Ich finde Blattmanns Aussagen zu sozialen Unruhen übertrieben.» Er sehe derzeit kein Potenzial für soziale Unruhen, die das Land destabilisieren könne. «Wir schwimmen in der Schweiz im Wohlstand.»
Das Vokabular in den Kommentarspalten der Online-Medien und bei einigen Rechtskonservativen sei zwar in der Tat bedenklich aggressiv. «Doch das ergibt noch keine sozialen Unruhen.»
Das Vokabular des Armeechefs erachtet Flach als «nicht sehr gelungen».
Sein Artikel sei insgesamt diffus. Er mische etwas viel zusammen. «Man streut den Leuten Sand in die Augen, wenn man suggeriert, man könne Terrorgefahr, Migration und Arbeitsplatz-Verlustängste mit mehr Geld für die Armee bekämpfen», sagt Flach. (jow)

http://www.blick.ch/news/politik/politiker-irritiert-armeechef-blattmann-warnt-vor-sozialen-unruhen-id4499719.html

[galdur]

All healthy Swiss men aged between 18 and 34 are obliged to do military service and all are issued with what garbage media calls "assault rifles" (those who have a clue about firearms know what I mean) or pistols which they are supposed to keep at home. So you can bet that there´s lots of weapons being stored in the attics or cupboards of Swiss households.

[Daniel91]

Switzerland is very unique country in the world, small but very influential country.
They are independent country for almost 1000 years, didn't have war over 600 or more years etc.
They also have strong military traditions so their viewpoint about armed citizens is different than in other countries in the world.
I respect it.

[bryant.coleman]

Switzerland is a strong and sovereign country, which has the means to defend itself against any outside invasion. The Swiss Armed Forces are one of the best in Europe. Unlike the case with the other European countries such as Germany and Sweden (which are vassal states of the United States), the foreign policy of Switzerland is decided by the Swiss themselves.

[Lethn]

All healthy Swiss men aged between 18 and 34 are obliged to do military service and all are issued with what garbage media calls "assault rifles" (those who have a clue about firearms know what I mean) or pistols which they are supposed to keep at home. So you can bet that there´s lots of weapons being stored in the attics or cupboards of Swiss households.

I always point towards Switzerland as an example of why gun control advocates are full of shit, they always act like it's guns that are the problem and yet here's a country where every citizen knows how to use one yet you don't hear about mass murders very often there do you? While I don't approve of national service I think if you're going to do gun control that's the way to do it where if you ever plan on buying or using a gun you have to go through proper training to do it which drastically reduces any chance of things going wrong.

[galdur]

The Swiss take their military seriously but not excessively so. For example a full General is only designated during wartime or other comparable crisis and only one exists at a time, the commander in chief of the armed forces.

In peacetime it´s chief of the armed forces and the current one is Lieutenant-General (Korpskommandant) André Blattmann.

[countryfree]

This is the original article from Schweiz am Sonntag:

http://www.schweizamsonntag.ch/ressort/politik/wie_hat_sich_die_bedrohungslage_der_schweiz_geaendert/

He doesn't say that the citizens shall arm themselves, but that the risks have recently increased, and that the country shall be more vigilant than ever. Budget of the armies have been reduced since the fall of the Berlin wall, they should be increased again now.

[bryant.coleman]

The Swiss take their military seriously but not excessively so. For example a full General is only designated during wartime or other comparable crisis and only one exists at a time, the commander in chief of the armed forces.

The Swiss are not arrogant like the Americans and the British. Despite having a strong and skilled army, they have never invaded any third world country. They have refused to join warmonger associations such as the NATO. And that is definitely one of the reasons why they are not indebted right now, unlike the Americans and the Europeans.