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Trouble with the Neighbours

I think 95% of the issues I related to where one the rotation from the german Belgians to the French Belgians (sorry if this is not the proper way to refer to the diversity)


Perhaps you mean Dutch?

Is there a Flemish battalion too?
 
Flemish=Dutch Belgians. Not sure how that works out in their Army.

Acorn
 
I see.


From <a href=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belgium#Demographics.2C_language_and_literacy>Wikipedia:</a>

Historically, Belgium has three ethnic communities: Flemings, Walloons and German-speakers, which belonged to Germany until 1918, and three official languages, one for each community, Dutch, French and German. About 60 percent of the country is Dutch-speaking, French is the second most-spoken language (by about 40 percent) and German is spoken by less than 1 percent of the population.

But these figures must be taken with care because the most-recent linguistic census was before 1960, and the mother tongue is not always the same as the language used in public, or in official life. This applies especially to the many minority goups who more or less kept their ethnic identity, the oldest being the Jews, established in Antwerp since the Middle Ages, and various more recent-migrant communites as Italians, Spaniards, Poles, Turks or Moroccans. Within each of those communities, language use varies widely, with parts of each community maintaining their language of origin over generations, other parts moving towards the language of the city of residence. Percentages differ widely between the various migrant groups.

Both the Dutch spoken in Belgium and the Belgian French have small vocabulary differences from the varieties spoken in the Netherlands and France, but are mutually intelligible with their respective neighbouring dialects. Many speak Flemish or Walloon dialects which are often difficult to understand for people from other areas. Other regional languages officially recognised (in Wallonia only) are Champenois, Gaumais, and Picard.

Brussels, the capital, is mostly French-speaking, but officially French-Dutch bilingual. It evolved from a Dutch-speaking place when the Belgian state became independent in 1830 to its current dominantly French character being the capital of the central administration of the federal country.

More than 98 percent of the adult population is literate. Education is required from the age of 6 until the age of 18, but most Belgian students keep on studying until the age of 23. This makes Belgium's education system the second most intensive in Europe, after the United Kingdom's. Nevertheless, in recent years concern is rising over certain forms of illiteracy as 'functional illiteracy'.
 
I  worked  for ISAF VI, but I wasn't in Kabul: I was at Bagram with the US Task Force HQ, CJTF76. I know very little about the individual Belgians in Camp Julien, other than the complaints I heard about them and the Hungarians from various Canadians. I agree that there are probably professional, capable Belgian soldiers, but that certainly was not the impression created in the minds of their hosts. My impression was that the relationship was one of mutual hostility.

My real point, and the area of knowledge that I can speak on with certainty, has been all along about the leadership of ISAF VI: it was hideous and thus the force as a whole did not achieve very much, and not near as much as it could have. And, as I have pointed out on several posts, my opinion was shared as much (probably more...) by the US and Brits, so it really can't be reduced to Canadian narrow-mindedness. One need only draw the parallel to the operation of ISAF VII under the Turks, who replaced the EuroCorps in February: the change of attitude and competence level was noticeable within 24 hours. I gather (from people who stayed on in CFC-A and elsewhere) that ISAF VII is doing a far better job than ISAF VI ever did.

I see now, (as I also said earlier), why the Americans get so frustrated with "Old European" dithering, procrastination and inability to make decisions in a timely manner. I thought it was always just US arrogance and ignorance but now I believe them.

Cheers.
 
Britney Spears said:
I see.


From <a href=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belgium#Demographics.2C_language_and_literacy>Wikipedia:</a>

Historically, Belgium has three ethnic communities: Flemings, Walloons and German-speakers, which belonged to Germany until 1918, and three official languages, one for each community, Dutch, French and German. About 60 percent of the country is Dutch-speaking, French is the second most-spoken language (by about 40 percent) and German is spoken by less than 1 percent of the population.

But these figures must be taken with care because the most-recent linguistic census was before 1960, and the mother tongue is not always the same as the language used in public, or in official life. This applies especially to the many minority goups who more or less kept their ethnic identity, the oldest being the Jews, established in Antwerp since the Middle Ages, and various more recent-migrant communites as Italians, Spaniards, Poles, Turks or Moroccans. Within each of those communities, language use varies widely, with parts of each community maintaining their language of origin over generations, other parts moving towards the language of the city of residence. Percentages differ widely between the various migrant groups.

Both the Dutch spoken in Belgium and the Belgian French have small vocabulary differences from the varieties spoken in the Netherlands and France, but are mutually intelligible with their respective neighbouring dialects. Many speak Flemish or Walloon dialects which are often difficult to understand for people from other areas. Other regional languages officially recognised (in Wallonia only) are Champenois, Gaumais, and Picard.

Brussels, the capital, is mostly French-speaking, but officially French-Dutch bilingual. It evolved from a Dutch-speaking place when the Belgian state became independent in 1830 to its current dominantly French character being the capital of the central administration of the federal country.

More than 98 percent of the adult population is literate. Education is required from the age of 6 until the age of 18, but most Belgian students keep on studying until the age of 23. This makes Belgium's education system the second most intensive in Europe, after the United Kingdom's. Nevertheless, in recent years concern is rising over certain forms of illiteracy as 'functional illiteracy'.

:eek:
You now more about Belgium than I do !  ;D
The history corect !

Flemish = Dutch , but with a litle differend accent then the Netherlands , like Canadian french is differend from French french .
And yes , we Flemish do not come along with the wallons , they have another kind of mentality (if its the right word) than we do ! And we (1PARA) got the most bad luck , we're the only unit with Flemish and wallon !
We're really 2 differend kind of people ! It's not that worst that we can kill each other , but when possible , we avoid each other !
You even notice it in Belgium politics ! Specialy in Brussels (the capital) , there are a lot of problems ! Some areas are Flemish , but most of the people who live there are Frensh talking , but they have to vote in Flemish elections , it's a difficult situation , to dificult to explane (in English) !
And as you say , 60% in Belgium is Flemish , but the Frensh part has the right for half of the belgium mony , and they got less jobs (so they don't bring in as much as we do ) , ...
In the Flemish part we got much more (trafic)police controle , over 370 Gatso's (fixed speedcamera's) , French part got 12 , so we pay a lot more speeding tickets , ... And the French part get half of it ! And so on ... !
It's just not fair !
They got a good life here !

But for the rest it's a good country to live in , for axample , when we go to the dokter , we get payed most of the bill back (national health service, or how you call it?) , everybody is obliged to pay insurance (for everything) , ... !
In other European country's (and I believe also in America , ...) they don't have those things , you got to be rich there to go to the hospital for an operation ?!

How is it in Canada to live ?

 
B P

Canada is in pretty much the same boat so to speak....The Quebecois take up less than 25% of the population and like your Wallons, they seem to want all the benefits  ;D

It sometimes seems as if the Tail is wagging the Dog.

It is curious that many in Canada would like to use Belgium and Switzerland as countries that are Officially Bilingual or Multilingual and proof that Forced Bilingualism will work.  I am sure that you will find that we have very much the same problems as you in that way. 

When it comes to "Photo Radar", Canadians are very paranoid and feel that it is an invasion of their privacy  :eek: - perhaps if they wouldn't break the law they would see its merits.  ;D

Of course if you were to come to Canada, you would find the size of the Country much different than Belgium; no driving from one border to the other in a couple of hours.  That results in a large variety of beliefs and cultures to flourish in our culture. 
 
A little Off-topic maybe , but does somebody of you now a guy Brian ? A big (fat >:D) guy , think he was a master-corporal , he was in sharge in Queenspalace for a while ! At home he allso was a firefither !
I was gona get his e-mail adres , but I ditn't see him anymore befor I left ! Maybe I can come in contact with him this way ! Are does somebody now how I can get in contact with him ?
Thanks !
 
BP,

Welcome to the board!  I was on a US Army course several years ago and one of my fellow "foreign officers" was a Belgian Armoured Recon officer.  We became good friends and I found that our armies had a lot in common.  As countries we also have several similarities (including having one or two big neighbours).  

When I was in Kabul in 2003 a Belgian company was in charge of security at KAIA.  I had one operation that involved taking a big VIP convoy in and out of the airport several times.  Things went very well and we got excellent tactical and adminstrative support.  During my recce I discovered that the company commander was friends with my old classmate.   Small world.

Cheers,

Iain
 
B P -Brian R. : bald head size of a small planet.
He'd be the one your talking about - personally I think you got robbed when they took John HJ out of the OP's.

Edit - John could speak the language and was int he process of beign promoted - so I could never rationalize why they pulled him out...



I sent an email to Brians mil address - but I think he is on Basic Moutnain Ops so not sure how much time they have to check emails.  Cheers
 
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