WP/AP: Swiss Army Accidentally Invades Liechtenstein

[DeepModem Mom]

Swiss Accidentally Invade Liechtenstein
The Associated Press
Friday, March 2, 2007

ZURICH, Switzerland -- What began as a routine training exercise almost ended in an embarrassing diplomatic incident after a company of Swiss soldiers got lost at night and marched into neighboring Liechtenstein.

According to Swiss daily Blick, the 170 infantry soldiers wandered just over a mile across an unmarked border into the tiny principality early Thursday before realizing their mistake and turning back.

A spokesman for the Swiss army confirmed the story but said that there were unlikely to be any serious repercussions for the mistaken invasion....

Officials in Liechtenstein also played down the incident.

Interior ministry spokesman Markus Amman said nobody in Liechtenstein had even noticed the soldiers, who were carrying assault rifles but no ammunition. "It's not like they stormed over here with attack helicopters or something," he said.

Liechtenstein, which has about 34,000 inhabitants and is slightly smaller than Washington DC, doesn't have an army.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/03/02/AR2007030200334.html

[DixieBlue]

1. That's really rather funny.

Maybe * will say he "accidentally" invaded Iran when that happens?

[DeepModem Mom]

2. Maybe! LOL!

[sniffa]

3. so much for their nutraLity

and did they have utiLity knives instead of guns?

[Ghost Dog]

4. Switzerland has a very well-organised obligatory 'popular militia'

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swiss_Army

Like Cuba, not the kind of people you'd want to, lightly, invade.

[ret5hd]

6. maybe they need to add GPS to those swiss army knives???

[Lisa]

12. they already have models with compasses and USB storage ...

I guess that's the next step.

[AndyTiedye]

16. Altimeters too

this one has a clock/alarm/timer, altimeter, and thermometer. And a light.

[Lisa]

19. good grief -- this one even has an MP3 player

http://www.victorinox.com/index.cfm?site=victorinox.ch&page=438&lang=E

[ret5hd]

25. When will they make one with it's own sherpa?

[AndyTiedye]

26. You'd Need a Sherpa for This One

(yes, it's real, no I don't have one of these)
http://www.swiss-knife.com/asp/detail.asp?lan=EN&code=1.wen.giant&shop=SK

[noonwitch]

5. I guess when nations have good relationships with their neighbors

Stuff like this can happen without a major problem.

[Javaman]

7. Recent update...

(AP) Liechtenstein

Liechtenstein, in a sharply worded message to it's Swiss neighbor, stated today that, "if there any more "accidents" like this in the future our nation will have no other recourse than to give them the cold shoulder".

Satellite photos from over Switzerland have shown activity surrounding the nations largest knife plan.

Rumors have been circulating over recent months over Switzerland's new high tech stealth knife.

Liechtenstein in it's war of words with it's fellow neutral neighbor has been equally busy designing new lazar guided forks to counteract the rumored threat.

At press time Belgium officials said they will not stand by while their friends, the Liechtensteinians, are threatened in such a manner and have themselves called up 2 new divisions of their spoon guard.

One General from the Liechtenstein Army, not wanting to be named, stated, "we will make a meal out of them!".

[htuttle]

9. LOL! Except that Liechtenstein doesn't HAVE an army

Hasn't had one since the late 1800's, IIRC.

[AndyTiedye]

17. But They Are Not Yet Aware of the Swiss Space Program

a photo taken from their secret launch site high in the Alps.

[burrowowl]

20. Love your pic!

Did you do it?

:rofl:

[AndyTiedye]

21. Yeah

[DeepModem Mom]

23. Oh, that is GOOD! nt

[uppityperson]

24. That is very funny. Thank you.

[Thor_MN]

8. John Winger: Come on. Let's take the truck.

Russell Ziskey: No.
John Winger: Yes.
Russell Ziskey: No.
John Winger: Yes.
Russell Ziskey: No.
John Winger: Yes.
Russell Ziskey: No.
John Winger: I'll drive.
Russell Ziskey: Okay.

[Roland99]

11. I was thinking the same exact thing!!!

[AnneD]

10. Now THAT is the proper way

to invade a country. Like a game of tag. Did they leave tell tale evidence, like milk chocolate foil wrappers or tooth picks and tweezers from the knives?

[Ian David]

13. I would welcome the Swiss as Liberators if they came here.

They wouldn't even need us to shower them with chocolate.

[BadGimp]

14. worthy of The Onion imo

it is however a sad statement that we Americans see so many other countries military prowess in such an a condecending light

that said.. lol funny story ;)

[struggle4progress]

15. When the invasion's a mistake, civilized countries bring their troops home

[BadGimp]

18. Best Reply merit badge

eom

[kitty1]

22. FREEDOM CHEESE !!

[provis99]

27. so a bunch of Swiss get lost, and the population of Liechtenstein goes up by .5%

maybe the Liechties should have a combination ice cream stand/map depository for lost Swiss soldiers. With this many stumbling over the border, they could make a fortune.

[mcscajun]

28. There's a movie in this somewhere...

:)


Oh, never mind. There were TWO already. "The Mouse That Roared", and "Stripes". (not forgetting "Duck Soup", either)

:D

[kitty1]

29. John Cleese as the Swiss General...n/t

[kitty1]

30. Call it "24" The Swiss version. Very precise with the Time..n/t