Tuesday, March 22, 2005

Modern military mathematics

According to Le Monde "Les Pays-Bas avaient un contingent de 1 400 soldats présents dans la province d'Al Muthanna (sud) et qui doit être remplacé par quelque 600 Britanniques."
Which by my reading suggests that one British Tom is worth 2.3 Dutchmen.
Which is interesting given the 850 Black Watch replaced 4,000 US troops in the run up to Falujah in October last year.
Which in turn suggests that one Dutchman is worth 1.7 Americans (approx).
Hat tip, William.


2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Of cours it can't be anything to do with a penny-pinching Treasury who expect 850 to do the work of 4000 or the fact that the modern British army is outnumbered by (usually better equipped) re-enactment societies on a good weekend.......
BTW I have met many Korean war Black Watch veterans, none of whom would hear a bad word spoken aginst the "Yanks" they fought alongside

Gawain Towler said...

Alright, 'twas merely a humerous aside. Nothing of great import.
The reasons for 4000 being replaced by 850 are numerous, including a downgrading of the threat level as the Americans went in to kick ass in Falujah itself.
Having been commissioned into a Jock unit myself I know very well the high regard in which US soldiers are held. I also know that any opportunity to poke fun at them must not be missed.

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