Initial Officer Selection

[Stan]

Deterrence works also if a potential aggressor estimates that he will succeed to disarm and occupy the country, but concludes that it's not worth it because it would be too costly.

While I got your point the first time around, it seems the Russians don't always see things the way we want to rationalize

Well the introduction of the political factors has little to do with the topic of the thread.

I'd have to disagree with that having served in embassies in Africa and Europe and observed just who ends up at a working post and who ends up in say Frankfurt or Paris. Never used to have much to do with an officer's background nor education, but as of late the Ambassador can pick and choose not only his State staff, but deny potential "do gooders" which would infect his country team (disagree with the Amb's logic and lack of background at post).

It would be worthy of a separate study to see how the German military has been contained and restrained over the years to the point where perhaps they merely just go through the motions (of being a military) and effectively pack no punch. Quite sad but again, understandable.

According to our folks the German officers and NCOs are sick of their passive roles in Afghanistan. Their officer training rivals any of the West but yet are not employed to use it. The German police certainly are not restricted to daylight ops and ask first before you shoot only when accompanied by an American medivac helo. Going through Rein Main filled with H&Ks is impressive !