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Old Europe's Self-Emasculation Continues
By Lt Col P
The European Union has for the last year fielded standby battlegroups, made up of multinational contingents. What exactly they are standing by for is unclear, nevertheless there they are. The success of this sort of venture depends in large part on deterrent credibility, which will come from the nationalities involved, their readiness postures, their strategic mobility, and so on. NATO, as a sort of standby battlegroup writ large, was once an excellent example of such a force, and one that was built at great cost over many years. On the other hand, just about any UN force you can name is a counter-example.
One would think then that the EU's Nordic Battlegroup would want to make it known that they aren't to be trifled with, that they can deploy rapidly, sustain themselves, operate with sufficient combat power and with the backing of strong political will. One would think so.
Protests from female soldiers have led to the Swedish military removing the penis of a heraldic lion depicted on the Nordic Battlegroup's coat of arms.The armed forces agreed to emasculate the lion after a group of women from the rapid reaction force lodged a complaint to the European Court of Justice, Göteborgs-Posten reports.
Here is the accompanying photo of the old coat of arms, penis proudly attached:
The insignia's designer isn't taking this "lion" down, but I fear he is a lone voice of reason in a sea of timidity.
But although the army was eventually happy to make the changes in the interests of gender equality, the artist who designed the insignia was less than pleased."A heraldic lion is a powerful and stately figure with its genitalia intact and I cannot approve an edited image," Vladimir A Sagerlund from the National Archives told Göteborgs-Posten.
Sagerlund blasted the army for making changes to the coat of arms without his permission.
"The army lacks knowledge about heraldry. Once upon a time coats of arms containing lions without genitalia were given to those who betrayed the Crown," said Sagerlund.
Good luck being taken seriously, Nordic Battlegroup. What's next, telling them they can't cock their weapons?
Old Europe continues its decline.
On a related note, the US Air Force recently conducted an air mobility exercise with the Nordic Battlegroup, with one C-17 taking part. Looking on the bright side, one could say that with all their dicks lopped off, they might be able to lift the whole force with a C-130 instead!
And should we hasten to remind the EU that the penis mightier than the sword??
Sorry, couldn't resist... Just had to crank that last one off... Too hard to pass it up...
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Comments
I saw the old design-it would not have offended me at all-are some women just so afraid of masculinity, that they must remove it? If that's the case, they should stay out of the military.
Is the Nordic Battlegroup part of the 9th Emasculated Division or the XXXIV Eunuch Army by any chance?
Good to see that they're spending their precious time conducting battle drills ;)
Umm, Not to dismiss the neutering of the European military, but as a decorative artist I have messed with some coat of arms designs. I never considered that "dangly part" to be anything phallic. In fact I always understood that it was a decorative "fur extension" on the knees.
Here are other examples
http://www.fleurdelis.com/lions.htm
If you look, there is another "penis" on his forward knee as well.
Are they also going to remove the mane? Only male lions have the thick mane.
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