Spain's soldiers stuck in a Ceuta limbo: a warning the Government ignores
The clashes in Ceuta, Spain, reopen the question of the military's role: it can act neither as a militia nor as police. ABC's editorial denounces the legal limbo and the Government's drift.
English · Original discussion in Spanish · Published
Spain's soldiers stuck in a Ceuta limbo: a warning the Government ignores
What are the soldiers deployed on a tense border supposed to do when they can operate neither as military nor as police? That is the question ABC's editorial asks on 28 August, trinc the serious clashes in Ceuta on Wednesday night and into Thursday morning. The newspaper describes a rudderless Government that offers no reassurance to the people of Ceuta and repeats the mistakes of the mass crossing attempt of 31 July. Public order in the autonomous city is suffering and the Army is trapped: on the ground, but with no clear legal framework.
The soldier's legal limbo
The underlying debate is a legal one: a soldier can only act as such under a state of emergency —at the very least— or a state of siege to go further. Without that cover, their role is reduced to an ineffective hybrid. Some argue the blame lies with two decades of neglect of border duties, and that the Government has cavalierly flouted the principle that the military is not to be played with. Other analyses are harsher about the institution: they denounce a bureaucratized militia with little vocation, and point out that destination pay barely reaches 600 euros a month. Some have even compared today's selection process with that of twenty years ago, when willingness alone sufficed and there were no tests; the contrast does not flatter modern times.
A warning that should not go unheeded
At its core, ABC's editorial raises an uncomfortable question: what is the point of having an Army if it is not allowed to act as one? Until the Government defines the legal framework, the soldiers will remain what some call "funcis de verde" (green-clad civil servants). The fact that the editorial's headline provokes laughter in certain quarters says more about the state of affairs than any analysis. With the Ceuta border in turmoil, refusing to clarify the military's role is not an option: it is an invitation for the game to continue.
What are the soldiers deployed on a tense border supposed to do when they can operate neither as military nor as police? That is the question ABC's editorial asks on 28 August, trinc the serious clashes in Ceuta on Wednesday night and into Thursday morning. The newspaper describes a rudderless Government that offers no reassurance to the people of Ceuta and repeats the mistakes of the mass crossing attempt of 31 July. Public order in the autonomous city is suffering and the Army is trapped: on the ground, but with no clear legal framework.
The soldier's legal limbo
The underlying debate is a legal one: a soldier can only act as such under a state of emergency —at the very least— or a state of siege to go further. Without that cover, their role is reduced to an ineffective hybrid. Some argue the blame lies with two decades of neglect of border duties, and that the Government has cavalierly flouted the principle that the military is not to be played with. Other analyses are harsher about the institution: they denounce a bureaucratized militia with little vocation, and point out that destination pay barely reaches 600 euros a month. Some have even compared today's selection process with that of twenty years ago, when willingness alone sufficed and there were no tests; the contrast does not flatter modern times.
A warning that should not go unheeded
At its core, ABC's editorial raises an uncomfortable question: what is the point of having an Army if it is not allowed to act as one? Until the Government defines the legal framework, the soldiers will remain what some call "funcis de verde" (green-clad civil servants). The fact that the editorial's headline provokes laughter in certain quarters says more about the state of affairs than any analysis. With the Ceuta border in turmoil, refusing to clarify the military's role is not an option: it is an invitation for the game to continue.
Summary of a discussion on Burbuja.info - Foro de economía, actualidad y política., translated from Spanish and reviewed before publication. Read the full discussion (25 replies).
More summaries
-
Ceuta: the police report some say exists and others deny
A police report on Ceuta with 32 photographs, according to how it has been described, and the state of exception some are calling for, which does not fit under Article 116.3
-
Lleida teacher singles out two students for supporting Vox
Lleida History teacher allegedly called two students 'fachapobres' (poor fascists) over Vox event. Case reopens public education debate.
-
Revilla, fed up with it all: the decline of the politician who defined Cantabria
After 40 years in politics and mounting criticism, Revilla no longer hides his weariness. Is this the twilight of Cantabria's last 'paco'? An analysis of his legacy and the…
-
Monedero suspended by Madrid's Complutense University over sexual harassment claims
Prosecutors dropped the case a year ago, but Complutense University has now suspended Monedero. A campaign against Podemos or hypocrisy? Details of the new scandal.
-
France's RN: nationalists or neoliberals?
The National Rally blends nationalism with neoliberal policies, drawing criticism as 'Zionist neoliberals'. Can it hold together?
-
Sofía Puente faces lawsuit by HazteOír over alleged legal manipulation
HazteOír has filed a lawsuit against Sofía Puente for alleged legal manipulation. The PP's absence and the possible nullity of case files mark a case with far-reaching consequences.