The defense ministers of Western Europe versus Russia

No doubt the stalwart armies of the west would have no trouble bringing the snarling bear of the East to heel, if such an unfortunate possible conflict were to ensue. Right?

a reply to: Never Despise

This thread reminds me of the former Belgian Health Minister, Maggie de Block,



...she's a physician, no less,...

a reply to: Never Despise
The function of a modern defence minister is to organise the administrative work and get the necessary money from Parliament. They don't lead the fighting personally. That's why there are chiefs of staff. This is a very old system. There's a song about it in H.M.S. Pinafore, when the "First Lord of the Admiralty" boasts about being "ruler of the Queen's navee" without going to sea in his life. (At the time, the actual First Lord of the Admiralty was the founder of a chain of newsagents which still dominates the nation's high streets).

a reply to: Never Despise

The Russian dude looks like he's just been in a discussion with those women...lol

Peace

Well, to the OP.

The first phote is an old one. The woman sitting on the left is the current President of the EU, Ursula von der Leyen. As the German Minster of Defence (2013-2019) she was responsible for presiding over a military where all submarines were broken and only a handful of jets in the airforce could fly. She was a bit of a joke.

She's proof that poor politicians get promoted. Now she runs the EU. Must be well connected, eh?