As Greek standards of living nose-dive, loans to households and businesses shrink still further, and Troika-imposed PSI discussions continue, there is one segment of the country's infrastructure that is holding up well. In a story on Zeit Online, the details of the multi-billion Euro new arms contracts are exposed as the European reach-around would be complete with IMF (US) and Europe-provided Greek bailout cash doing a full-circle into American Apache helicopters, French frigates, and German U-Boats. As the unnamed source in the article notes: "If Greece gets paid in March the next tranche of funding (€ 80 billion is expected), there is a real opportunity to conclude new arms contracts." With the country's doctors only treating emergencies, bus drivers on strike, and a dire lack of school textbooks and the country teetering on the brink of Drachmatization, perhaps our previous concerns over military coups was not so far-fetched as after the Portuguese (another obviously stressed nation), the Greeks are the largest buyers of German war weapons.  It seems debt crisis talks perhaps had more quid pro quo than many expected as Euro Fighter commitments were also discussed and Greek foreign minister Droutsas points out:"Whether we like it or not, Greece is obliged to have a strong military.

http://www.zerohedge.com/news/greece-spends-bailout-cash-european-military-purchases

See that's what happens when you give someone money for free. They should be bancrupt now but some idiots in Brussels allowed them to join Euro zone so now it would have dire consequences for the whole of it.

Well, they have to defend themselves against terrors. Those scary monsters under people's beds.

They would not be bankrupt. The Drachme would just be really cheap, and Greece full of tourists.

I can't wait for the dozens of uninformed replies from people that know nothing of economics and international relations. Seems I'm just a little late to the party though, I think I'll stick to the gaming threads.

You'd be surprised. Some of the smarter posters hereabouts migrated almost exclusively to off-topic, and the discussions here can be quite in-depth.

They're buying weapons just because Turkey buys them, what Greece fails to realize is that Turkey is on a far higher level and can justify to buy weapons. Greece should stop comparing herself with Turkey and realize its only a little country, little countries should just be nice, its like Cuba measuring dicks with the USA.

Knowing the long history of ill-will that exists between your nations, i would caution you in how you choose to engage in this discussion.

Funnily enough judging by Turkish's response and the content within the thread after, the first thought that came to my mind when I saw the title was "Probably to battle the turks again". There is some serious tension there.

weapons industry seeing record growth....................lol


WW3

ok the ideal person to talk about this topic would be a greek and i happen to be one....i am very disappointed with the turkish answer because he doesn't know that the the history of my grandfather is greater that that of all turkey...i admit that we are facing a crisis but this is something every country has faced,is facing or will face and you,and i am not talkin only about the turkish, should not be so agressive with us....now....if we bankrupt it will have a lot of consequences for the global community so we need to cooperate...you should also know our tourism is probably the best in the world ...anyway this is gaming site but don't write thinks you don't know...just read some history