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Germany suspends military approval for long stays abroad for men under 45

bbc.com

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Re: Germany suspends military approval for long stays abroad for men under 45

#11

Post by Frieren »

We are told that we are in a state of preparing for war. When we will start restricting luxury items, unnecessary private jet travel, energy waste in crypto-currencies, etc.?

Because it seems that for being so obsessed to be prepared for war the only ones affected are the working class. The rich are just wasting resources away like if there was no tomorrow.

I just see austerity 2.0 to cut citizens rights, cut services to the working class and transfer as much wealth and power to the super-rich as possible.

I am all for Europe being prepared for war. That is a necessity. So, I am all for better health care, better education, less dependency on foreign gas and oil, better funding for goverment programs ... real measures to be prepare for the worst and less bending over to rich foreign interests.

Re: Germany suspends military approval for long stays abroad for men under 45

#13

Post by flohofwoe »

This was pretty much a big media nothingburger.

The rule isn't new, it existed for decades all the way back to the beginnings of the Cold War. Nobody cared back then (neither the people nor the army), nobody should care now (there are no sanctions). I guess some journalist was actually reading through the consciption law (as probably the only person on the planet), stumbled over that passage and turned it into an elephant.

Re: Germany suspends military approval for long stays abroad for men under 45

#14

Post by lifestyleguru »

GetMeSoon wrote: post #12
lifestyleguru wrote: post #4

[flagged]

The medical examination doesn’t say much. Your take on it that they’re perverts wanting to look at genitals tells more than you think

If it's such a non issue, why are they doing it? Ask a boy if he wants to show his genitals to the commission, we all know what will be the answer.

Re: Germany suspends military approval for long stays abroad for men under 45

#15

Post by croemer »

flohofwoe wrote: post #13

This was pretty much a big media nothingburger. The rule isn't new, it existed for decades all the way back to the beginnings of the Cold War. Nobody cared back then (neither the people nor the army), nobody should care now (there are no sanctions). I guess some journalist was actually reading through the consciption law (as probably the only person on the planet), stumbled over that passage and turned it into an ele…

Rules that are not enforced are bad as they create space for arbitrariness and corruption. It was a mistake by gov't, opposition & media that this wasn't spotted at the time the law was revised.

The most surprising thing is that the ministry didn't figure this out itself. You'd expect the people drafting laws to consider such things. Thus, it's an indicator of ministerial sloppiness. Not a nothingburger.

Re: Germany suspends military approval for long stays abroad for men under 45

#16

Post by adrian_b »

junon wrote: post #6
lifestyleguru wrote: post #4

[flagged]

Isn't this just a standard part of a physical exam?

I do not know if this has changed during the recent decades, but indeed in the past it was standard in all countries for the military fitness physical exam to be done nude (for males).

Moreover, it was completely pointless to be shy about this, because if you were conscripted, the norm was to have common showers, so anyone could have a good look at you for much more than the few seconds of the physical exam.

Re: Germany suspends military approval for long stays abroad for men under 45

#17

Post by flohofwoe »

croemer wrote: post #15
flohofwoe wrote: post #13

This was pretty much a big media nothingburger. The rule isn't new, it existed for decades all the way back to the beginnings of the Cold War. Nobody cared back then (neither the people nor the army), nobody should care now (there are no sanctions). I guess some journalist was actually reading through the consciption law (as probably the only person on the planet), stumbled over that passage and turned it into an ele…

Rules that are not enforced are bad as they create space for arbitrariness and corruption. It was a mistake by gov't, opposition & media that this wasn't spotted at the time the law was revised. The most surprising thing is that the ministry didn't figure this out itself. You'd expect the people drafting laws to consider such things. Thus, it's an indicator of ministerial sloppiness. Not a nothingburger.

> The most surprising thing is that the ministry didn't figure this out itself. Thus, it's an indicator of ministerial sloppiness.

This I agree with. Might have to do with law changes requiring a two-thirds-majority in parliament though. They could have communicated earlier and better though.

Re: Germany suspends military approval for long stays abroad for men under 45

#18

Post by timkam »

croemer wrote: post #15
flohofwoe wrote: post #13

This was pretty much a big media nothingburger. The rule isn't new, it existed for decades all the way back to the beginnings of the Cold War. Nobody cared back then (neither the people nor the army), nobody should care now (there are no sanctions). I guess some journalist was actually reading through the consciption law (as probably the only person on the planet), stumbled over that passage and turned it into an ele…

Rules that are not enforced are bad as they create space for arbitrariness and corruption. It was a mistake by gov't, opposition & media that this wasn't spotted at the time the law was revised. The most surprising thing is that the ministry didn't figure this out itself. You'd expect the people drafting laws to consider such things. Thus, it's an indicator of ministerial sloppiness. Not a nothingburger.

It may not be sloppiness. Consider the official statement as shared in this comment: https://news.ycombinator.com/reply?id=47789061. The ministry of defense will issue an 'exception' that generally applies. Presumably, revoking this exception is straightforward and much easier than passing a new law.

Re: Germany suspends military approval for long stays abroad for men under 45

#19

Post by riffraff »

lifestyleguru wrote: post #4

[flagged]

eh, this stirs memories of the similar exam in Italy (abolished ~20 years ago).

The doctor would also grab your testicles and ask to cough, to diagnose varicocele. I wonder how many young men have undiagnosed issues since the military exam was abolished.

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