Wednesday, May 9, 2012

The End Of The Gurkhas?

Nepalese soldiers from the Royal Gurkha Rifles regiment of the British army, Brigade of Gurkhas peel potatoes part of a traditional meal for Dashain, at Lashkar Gah district, Helmand province, Sept. 23, 2011. Jonathan Chandler/Courtesy U.S. Navy

Nepal's Fierce Gurkha Soldiers Find Themselves Under Siege -- Stars and Stripes

KATMANDU, Nepal - Deo Man Limbu sat in a veterans hall lined with pictures of old soldiers and reflected on his years of service, his battles and his dreams. The retired major with Britain's legendary Gurkhas faced the Argentines in the 1982 Falklands War, when being a member of one of the world's most feared fighting forces had its advantages.

Well before hostilities started, British military planners had encouraged photographs of Gurkhas sharpening their fearsome curved knives _ no one seemed to ask why you'd bring a knife to a gunfight _ and media stories about their fighting prowess.

Read more ....

My Comment:
Unfortunately .... the time of the Gurkhas is slowly coming to an end. Budget cuts .... a hostile Nepalese government .... a change in U.K. priorities .... yup .... the time of the Gurkhas are coming to an end.

Update: Even the Scottish are losing their historical regimental names.

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