MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency
“Argentina needs its armed forces for peace; they have been ignored for years”, says Macri on Army Day
Argentine President Mauricio Macri said Monday that Argentina needs armed forces adapted to the 21st century, ready to carry out peace missions and come to the rescue in times of disaster, after “years” of being ignored by the government. He made the statement at an Army Day event. Read full article
Comments
Disclaimer & comment rules“the first Argentine mission to the North Pole” I don't believe that the UK made a complaint about this. We believe that the seas are open to all outside territorial waters.
May 31st, 2016 - 12:24 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Macri said, “backing our foreign policy” Does this include the Falklands ?
“Argentines are here to do more, and we can do more”...“Argentina needs its armed forces for peace”
May 31st, 2016 - 01:32 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Perhaps he wants to “peaceably” invade the Falklands.
Macri seems to bend whichever way the wind is blowing: perhaps HE feels threatened and needs 'the Army' to help defend the state.
It's not just the national armed forces that were neglected and allowed to fall into ruin during the Kirchner years. The provincial aircraft fleet for Bs As also wasn't maintained. Only 3 of its 7 helicopters can fly. Need US$1.5 million to do repairs for the fleet. Plenty of money squandered and stolen by CFK but precious little to keep things actually working.
May 31st, 2016 - 02:37 pm - Link - Report abuse 0http://www.lanacion.com.ar/1904163-vidal-vendera-la-mayor-parte-de-la-flota-aerea-con-problemas-tecnicos
Every country has the right to defend themselves, no one has a problem with that Mr Macri, it's when you start using your 'peaceful' armed forces to threaten your neighbours that it becomes a problem.
May 31st, 2016 - 03:24 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Spend money on defence, your military personnel do deserve better pay and pensions, and Argentina should have better equipment for those military personnel.
But there is something that you haven't really thought about though, isn't there? Where will all the money go? Will it go into the pockets of the sailors, soldiers and airmen? Or will it disappear into the pockets of various corrupt officials?
And what is the point of new equipment when you don't take care of the equipment you have? Yes it is old, but that doesn't make it redundant. What makes it redundant is lack of care and investment. Again probably due to the money disappearing into the pockets of various corrupt officials.
So tackling the corruption at ALL levels of Argentine national and local government should be your top priority. Once you have this under control then you can spend the taxpayers money on shiny new toys for your military, safe in the knowledge that the money will go where it is meant to, and not in some politicians off shore bank account.
Otherwise...remember the Almirante Irizar...that's been in dry dock since 2007 and had so much money spent on it that you could've bought an brand new icebreaker with change left over. But why is it still in dry dock? Because the money to fix it has all disappeared.
Yes Mr Macri, you can make as many grandiose promises as you wish but given the level of corruption in Argentina right now I wouldn't hold your breath on any new equipment being bought, or old equipment being upgraded.
The trouble was KFC (sic) was so scared of the military objecting to the economic mismanagement.
May 31st, 2016 - 04:06 pm - Link - Report abuse 0She starved them of funds as she was dead scared of a military coup.
The corruption of Peronismo is periodically improved by the corruption of military governments in Argentistan.
May 31st, 2016 - 06:35 pm - Link - Report abuse 0The best way to spend the money is to disband the military.
Jun 01st, 2016 - 05:13 am - Link - Report abuse 0A military that cannot defeat all opponents that actually exist out there (USA, China, Russia, France, UK, India, etc), is by default useless and a waste of funds.
@7 Tobias
Jun 01st, 2016 - 06:36 am - Link - Report abuse 0You just said it above: 'A military that cannot defeat all opponents (USA, China, Russia, France, India, etc...) is by default useless and a waste of funds.'
Ah you are showing your true colours of an imperialist coloniser who wants to conquer it all. Tut, tut and I thought you were against imperialism. It'll never do Tobias.
And you lumped your 'bestest' buddies in the world in there, Russia and China! Why would you want to militarily defeat your 'friends' who, in previous posts you have boasted are the 'saviours' of Argentina?
Oh that's right. You're from that school of thought that 'friend' is just a word of convenience and you'll stab them in the back at the first opportunity.
You have also missed the point of a military...that is to defend your country from threats, not to go around stealing other people's land (like you tried in 1982 and got your arses handed to you by the British).
However, Argentina's military could never be a serious threat due to the rampant corruption at every level of Argentine society (that you applaud every day, Tobias) stealing all the tax payers money to be squirrelled away in some off shore bank account instead of being used to improve Argentine society at every level.
Just think, if Argentina hadn't embraced corruption and theft as its core principles you could be one of the richest and most powerful countries on Earth. My God, Tobias, Argentina couldn't even make it to 'has-been' status, your fixed permanently in 'never-was' status...a failure at everything you've tried to turn your hand to.
The best way to spend the money is to disband the military
Jun 01st, 2016 - 11:45 am - Link - Report abuse 0GREAT,
You go first.
followed by Spain.
KepiTroll: “ A military that cannot defeat all opponents.....”
Jun 01st, 2016 - 01:56 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Colossal ignorance and foolishness as usual.
Didn't the Prefectura Naval Argentina just sink a Chinese fishing vessel that was operating illegally within its waters? Perhaps the disbanding of the PNA would result in perfect compliance by renegade fishing boat operators since Argentina could not expect to militarily defeat the whole of the Chinese armed forces.
Such is the reasoning of the KepiTroll.
Honest Guv, that harbour wall was NOT there yesterday.
Jun 03rd, 2016 - 11:48 am - Link - Report abuse 0Argentine warship damaged in collision
https://ukdefencejournal.org.uk/argentine-warship-damaged-collision/
Yes yes Argentina desperately needs her navy,
please donate greatly at
www.cheapnavy.com
“ Argentine warship damaged in collision”
Jun 03rd, 2016 - 01:59 pm - Link - Report abuse 0The argie navy should be informed that they will not receive any new ships until they demonstrate that they can monitor weather conditions, properly set their anchors, and maintain watches, all to levels commensurate with those of the Bolivian navy.
This is the same argie navy that, when things started looking serious in 1982, ran and hid its ships, cowering in safe harbours.
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