As far a I know most soldiers complete training in Italy and the UK. Therefore they should be able soldiers.

This is certainly the case of the current head of the army. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_Xuereb

Experts call it code switching. It occurs often in bilingual societies.

Yes it is very bad for a Maltese person to speak English with a Maltese accent.

However it is fine when an American speaks Engish with an American accent or an Irish person speaks with an Irish accent or an Australian speaking with an Australian accent or an Italian person speaking English with an Italian accent.

Most of the time all four are berthed lying idle at Haywharf. Imbasta ghandna navy hey.

As to Mario Debono’s “humanitarian” effort, can he kindly confirm that all the medicines he sent, amounting to millions of euros, were sold at cost price.

I WILL take the risk of being taken to task!

Will somebody please convince me that all these eulogies, self praise and ‘going to aid our neighbors’ crap was solely instigated by sheer goodwill without a thought of future trough guzzling?

I am 60 years old and I have spent more than 20 of those years earning a living in Libya, so one can say that I have more than an idea of what went on and what is currently going on.

As for Ms.Frazier, she is the PM’s problem – she is one of his staff.

And I will echo Ms. DCG – where was the lady during the last six or seven months of this conflict?

No. Brigadier Carmel Vassallo would be a good choice, until I can take over (yeah right, the way slots are filled in the OPM…).

Then we can disband the AFM, raise a Corps of Refugee Helpers, and start negotiating with the British government to send Matthew Camilleri as commanding officer of a newly constituted Armed Forces.

To think that a 19-year old private has seen more action than our most senior officer. I despair.

Frazier is a twit, promoted beyond her abilities. That much is clear from her little speech.

That’s not confidence. It’s the voice of someone who knows jack shit about defence.

“Developing some kind of an infection”. “The Libyan”. Which bloody Libyan?

Who was he? Why was he chosen, out of thousands of wounded? Which side is he on?

Why did he ask to be brought to Malta? Did he ask or was the decision made for him?

Why did Malta accept? God damn it, am I the only one who asks these questions?

As for the brigadier, he has the voice, attitude and tone of someone who’s spent too much time either 1) tending to refugees, 2) pushing pens, 3) sucking up to politicians, 4) listening to the Prime Minister’s Christian cant on the evil of war.

My country disgusts me.

Madam,

I’ll be sleeping sound tonight in the sure knowledge a paladin’s at hand if a 100-pack of water were to fall on my toes.

Guess each is where he/she belongs.

Mrs Caruana Galizia, you have understood perfectly what I meant in the previous post. Several contributors dished out like there’s no tomorrow on the Brigadier’s repeated use of a particular phrase. So what, does that belittle him or make him less valid as an officer? An officer’s qualities and efficacy are assessed as I earlier pointed out.

[Daphne – I don’t know, Venator. Has he ever been put to the test in conditions that an army is for? More to the point, will he ever be put to the test given that Malta has engaged on a career path of conscientious objection, as distinct from neutrality?]

Good communicative skills are required to communicate effectively with subordinates thereby ensuring they perceive your objectives and intents, their tasks are properly understood and hence missions are achieved.

[Daphne- Oh, so that’s why he speaks as though to a class of young children. Please.]

Oration is usually left to either lawyers or politicians or their respective sidekicks.

[Daphne – Oration and eloquence: there’s a difference. There is a also a difference between eloquence and the simple proper use of language. Stop trying to justify the unjustifiable. A man at that level should be able to speak properly and no excuses, full stop.]

With regards to your “does not need to be capable of that” shows your extremely limited military knowledge.

[Daphne – My military knowledge is rather good, Venator, but it’s completely wasted in a context where the government and people regard the army as a sort of glorified task force, or boy scouts with driving licences. I say ‘regards’ as distinct from ‘they are’. Put simply, there is no point in maintaining an army at huge expense if you have no intention of ever using it. An army is not a vanity exercise or something you ‘must have’, the fitted kitchen equivalent of a nation’s requirements.]

“Will never go to war” further confirms. As if being neutral ever equated to not going to war….. ex Iraqi invasion of Kuwait. Granted threats and risks are on the lower end but I’d appreciate any guarantees to that effect.

[Daphne – Oh come off it, Venator. Our neutrality clause allows us to become involved in military action in accordance with a UN Security Council resolution, and STILL we chickened out. This business in Libya was probably the last chance the Maltese army ever got to do what it was trained to do, even if only back at home base, and they blew it. Now you can all go back to twiddling your thumbs, loading crates and rescuing drowning immigrants, all tasks that can be carried out by others. At least you no longer have to yawn the night away manning road-blocks.]

Re- heroes and adequacy; for an island of Malta’s size, guess we already have one too many.

[Daphne – No doubt. In the course of my career I’ve probably faced more danger to life and limb than the average AFM man in his cosy barracks. Though of course you can easily end up in A & E if you drop a a 100-pack of water on your toes while loading it. And then we mocked Mintoff for treating soldiers like porters.]