Comments on: Costa Rica celebrates 65th year without a military

By: Treathyl FOX

Treathyl FOX — Fri, 06 Dec 2013 20:58:00 +0000

Oh I figured Costa Rica had made a
conscience choice not to have a military. I was just thinking about
other places where – if you want to eat and feed your family –
then you better join the military. There are countries like that.
All the emphasis is on keeping a military force, just in case, to
protect the citizens who are starving to death and probably won’t be
around for you to defend them if the country ever does get attacked.
It’s a power thang!

By: Timothy Williams

Timothy Williams — Fri, 06 Dec 2013 20:53:00 +0000

Costa Rica could afford a military – its not an issue of not wanting to pay for one. It doesn’t want one (the country prides itself on being the ‘Switzerland’ of Central America).

However, a militia recently emerged during recent border disputes with Nicaragua.

http://insidecostarica.com/2013/12/05/photos-prove-existence-armed-costa-rica-paramilitary-militia/

By: Treathyl FOX

Treathyl FOX — Fri, 06 Dec 2013 20:48:00 +0000

I was wondering because my husband and late father are from The Bahamas. They didn’t have armed forces until 1980. Of course they didn’t become independent until 1973. I’m not against having a military. But let’s say your country got a tight budget. I say maintain a police force because if need be they can pull double duty and serve as a back up – be a soldier on an “as needed” or “as duty calls” basis. Know what I mean?

By: Timothy Williams

Timothy Williams — Fri, 06 Dec 2013 20:33:00 +0000

There are indeed police. Several agencies in fact. But there is no military.

By: Treathyl FOX

Treathyl FOX — Fri, 06 Dec 2013 20:29:00 +0000

No military? OK. But they still got police. Right? It’s a valid question. Because I know police who are retired or ex-military. Not having a military is one thing. Not being able to call the cops is another!

By: roberto

roberto — Tue, 03 Dec 2013 14:13:00 +0000

Dec. 3…The security
ministry has
graduated 27
members of the
Policía
de
Fronteras who
completed a
course taught
by members of
U.S. Customs
and Border
Protection.

The course
began in
September.Topics
included
investigation
of dubious
documents,
physical
conditioning
and border
inspections. The U.S.
agency has
been involved
in such
courses since
2010 under the
regional
security
initiative.

By: Pablo Bolaños-Villegas

Pablo Bolaños-Villegas — Tue, 03 Dec 2013 03:58:00 +0000

Aitor, with due respect, Somoza did invade in 1954, and there are no US troops in Costa Rica, the US helps patrol our territorial waters though, but that is done to intercept drug traffickers. As for the benefits, well, there is much to be done, yet for a country its size we have done decently. Where are you from?

By: mhogan

mhogan — Mon, 02 Dec 2013 19:00:00 +0000

May need to reinstate an army (if only to protect the ruling elite) if they persist in p**sing of their citizens with confiscatory taxes and personal freedoms.

By: roberto

roberto — Mon, 02 Dec 2013 18:09:00 +0000

The 44 members of the Congress in 1949 did not want to work with the 4 congressmen of Jose ‘Pepe’ Figueres and they did not want the possibility of a coup by his supporters in the military. So it abolished the army, outlawed the communist Vanguardia Popular party, and barrd former presidents from reelection for 8 yrs. after leaving office. Pepe’s Junta earlier quashed an attempted coup and an invasion from Nicaragua but in 1955 there was a similar attempt and Nicaraguan planes bombed San Jose, but they were repulsed by 6000 volunteers, including high school youths, with the aid of the OAS.

By: mhogan

mhogan — Mon, 02 Dec 2013 16:11:00 +0000

Yeah! With a hope and a prayer