Compare Military - note (2008) - Military - note (2003)

Compare Military - note (2008) with Military - note (2003)

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	Military - note (2008)	Military - note (2003)
Akrotiri	Akrotiri has a full RAF base, Headquarters for British Forces on Cyprus, and Episkopi Support Unit	-
Argentina	the Argentine military is a well-organized force constrained by the country's prolonged economic hardship; the country has recently experienced a strong recovery, and the military is now implementing "Plan 2000," aimed at making the ground forces lighter and more responsive (2005)	-
Barbados	the Royal Barbados Defense Force includes a land-based Troop Command and a small Coast Guard; the primary role of the land element is to defend the island against external aggression; the Command consists of a single, part-time battalion with a small regular cadre that is deployed throughout the island; it increasingly supports the police in patrolling the coastline to prevent smuggling and other illicit activities (2005)	-
Bassas da India	-	defense is the responsibility of France
Cocos (Keeling) Islands	defense is the responsibility of Australia; the territory has a five-person police force	defense is the responsibility of Australia; the territory does have a five-person police force
Dhekelia	includes Dhekelia Garrison and Ayios Nikolaos Station connected by a roadway	-
Europa Island	-	defense is the responsibility of France
European Union	In November 2004, the EU heads of government signed a "Treaty Establishing a Constitution for Europe" that offers possibilities for increased defense and security cooperation. If ratified, this treaty will give operational effect to the European Security and Defense Policy (ESDP), approved in the 2000 Nice Treaty. Despite limits of cooperation for some EU members, development of a EU military planning unit is likely to continue. The planning unit will support the EU Rapid Reaction Force, which EU ministers have said will deploy 2 "battle groups" in January 2007. France, Germany, Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg, and Italy continue to press for wider coordination. The 5-nation Eurocorps - created in 1992 by France, Germany, Belgium, Spain, and Luxembourg - has already deployed troops and police on peacekeeping missions to Bosnia-Herzegovina, Macedonia, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo and assumed command of the ISAF in Afghanistan in August 2004. Eurocorps directly commands the 5,000-man Franco-German Brigade, the Multinational Command Support Brigade, and EUFOR, which took over from SFOR in Bosnia in December 2004. Individual EU nations made commitments to provide 67,100 troops following the December 1999 EU summit in Helsinki. Some 56,000 troops from EU member states were actually deployed on various international operations in 2003. In August 2004, the new European Defense Agency, tasked with promoting cooperative European defense capabilities, began operations. In November 2004, the EU Council of Ministers formally committed to creating 13 1,500-man battle groups by the end of 2007, to respond to international crises on a rotating basis. Twenty-two of the EU's 25 nations have agreed to supply troops. France, Italy, and the UK formed the first of 3 battle groups in 2005. In May 2005, Norway, Sweden and Finland agreed to establish one of the battle groups, possibly to include Estonia forces. The remaining 9 groups are to be formed in 2007. A rapid-reaction naval EU Maritime Task Group was stood up in March 2007. (2005)	-
French Guiana	-	defense is the responsibility of France
Gibraltar	defense is the responsibility of the UK; the Royal Gibraltar Regiment replaced the last British regular infantry forces in 1992	defense is the responsibility of the UK
Glorioso Islands	-	defense is the responsibility of France
Guadeloupe	-	defense is the responsibility of France
Holy See (Vatican City)	defense is the responsibility of Italy; ceremonial and limited security duties performed by Pontifical Swiss Guard	defense is the responsibility of Italy; Swiss Papal Guards are posted at entrances to the Vatican City to provide security and protect the Pope
Iceland	under a 1951 bilateral agreement, Iceland's defense was provided by a US-manned Icelandic Defense Force (IDF) headquartered in Keflavik; in October 2006, all US military forces in Iceland were withdrawn; nonetheless, the US and Iceland signed a Joint Understanding to strengthen their bilateral defense relationship, including regular security consultations, military communications in the event of national emergencies, annual bilateral exercises on Icelandic territory, and future bilateral and NATO support to four Iceland Air Defense System (IADS) radar sites	defense is provided by the US-manned Icelandic Defense Force (IDF) headquartered at Keflavik
Juan de Nova Island	-	defense is the responsibility of France
Laos	Laos is one of the world's least developed countries; the Lao People's Armed Forces are small, poorly funded, and ineffectively resourced; there is little political will to allocate sparse funding to the military, and the armed forces' gradual degradation is likely to continue; the massive drug production and trafficking industry centered in the Golden Triangle makes Laos an important narcotics transit country, and armed Wa and Chinese smugglers are active on the Lao-Burma border (2005)	-
Macau	defense is the responsibility of China	-
Maldives	Maldives has no regular armed forces; the Maldives National Defense Force (MNDF) includes ground forces, the Coast Guard, and a small, undermanned air element; with its small size and with little servable equipment, the MNDF is inadequate to prevent external aggression and is primarily tasked to reinforce the Maldives Police Service (MPS) and ensure security in the exclusive economic zone (2007)	-
Martinique	-	defense is the responsibility of France
Mayotte	defense is the responsibility of France; a small contingent of French forces is stationed on the island	defense is the responsibility of France; small contingent of French forces stationed on the island
Micronesia, Federated States of	defense is the responsibility of the US	Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) is a sovereign, self-governing state in free association with the US; FSM is totally dependent on the US for its defense
Monaco	defense is the responsibility of France; the Palace Guard performs ceremonial duties (2003)	defense is the responsibility of France
Montenegro	Montenegrin plans call for the establishment of a fully professional armed forces	-
Palau	defense is the responsibility of the US; under a Compact of Free Association between Palau and the US, the US military is granted access to the islands for 50 years, but no military forces are stationed there (2005)	defense is the responsibility of the US; under a Compact of Free Association between Palau and the US, the US military is granted access to the islands for 50 years
Reunion	-	defense is the responsibility of France
Saint Barthelemy	defense is the responsibility of France	-
Saint Martin	defense is the responsibility of France	-
San Marino	defense is the responsibility of Italy	-
Sao Tome and Principe	Sao Tome and Principe's army is a tiny force with almost no resources at its disposal and would be wholly ineffective operating unilaterally; infantry equipment is considered simple to operate and maintain but may require refurbishment or replacement after 25 years in tropical climates; poor pay, working conditions, and alleged nepotism in the promotion of officers have been problems in the past, as reflected in the 1995 and 2003 coups; these issues are being addressed with foreign assistance aimed at improving the army and its focus on realistic security concerns; command is exercised from the president, through the Minister of Defense, to the Chief of the Armed Forces staff (2005)	-
South Africa	with the end of apartheid and the establishment of majority rule, former military, black homelands forces, and ex-opposition forces were integrated into the South African National Defense Force (SANDF); as of 2003 the integration process was considered complete	with the end of Apartheid and the establishment of majority rule, former military, black homelands forces, and ex-opposition forces were integrated into the South African National Defense Force (SANDF); as of 2003 the integration process was considered complete
Spratly Islands	Spratly Islands consist of more than 100 small islands or reefs of which about 45 are claimed and occupied by China, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan, and Vietnam	Spratly Islands consist of more than 100 small islands or reefs, of which about 45 are claimed and occupied by China, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan, and Vietnam
Svalbard	demilitarized by treaty on 9 February 1920	demilitarized by treaty (9 February 1920)
Tromelin Island	-	defense is the responsibility of France
Turkey	in the early 1990s, the Turkish Land Force was a large but badly equipped infantry force; there were 14 infantry divisions, but only one was mechanized, and out of 16 infantry brigades, only six were mechanized; a subsequent overhaul has produced highly mobile forces with greatly enhanced firepower in accordance with NATO's new strategic concept (2005)	-
United States	-	note: 2002 estimates for military manpower are based on projections that do not take into consideration the results of the 2000 census
United States Pacific Island Wildlife Refuges	defense is the responsibility of the US	-
Wake Island	defense is the responsibility of the US; the US Air Force is responsible for overall administration and operation of the island; the launch support facility is administered by the US Missile Defense Agency (MDA)	defense is the responsibility of the US
Yemen	a Coast Guard was established in 2002	establishment of a Coast Guard, scheduled for May 2001, has been delayed