Swiss Accidentally Invade Liechtenstein

(AP)  What began as a routine training exercise almost ended in an embarrassing diplomatic incident after a company of Swiss soldiers got lost at night and marched into neighboring Liechtenstein.

According to Swiss daily Blick, the 170 infantry soldiers wandered just over a mile across an unmarked border into the tiny principality early Thursday before realizing their mistake and turning back.

A spokesman for the Swiss army confirmed the story but said that there were unlikely to be any serious repercussions for the mistaken invasion.

"We've spoken to the authorities in Liechtenstein and it's not a problem," Daniel Reist told The Associated Press.

Officials in Liechtenstein also played down the incident.

Interior ministry spokesman Markus Amman said nobody in Liechtenstein had even noticed the soldiers, who were carrying assault rifles but no ammunition. "It's not like they stormed over here with attack helicopters or something," he said.

Liechtenstein, which has about 34,000 inhabitants and is slightly smaller than Washington DC, doesn't have an army.

[sirgregoire-2009]

At least the Swiss army knew when they had gone too far and knew how to get out.

[stezzer]

rudy654

No, LOL. But I do know the Swiss were bankers for the 3rd Reich during WW2. While the rest of the world fought Hitlers evil regime the Swiss just made money.

But you gave me laugh.

[olebd]

I thought their Red Rider BB guns had a compass in the stock?

Bush and Rummy must have had a secret meeting with this company before this brilliant manuver. There's just no other explanation to explain how they could screw up so bad.

[djconklin]

During WW2 the Germans never attacked Switzerland because they realized that the combination of the terrain and the Swiss army could stop them cold.

In the Europa series of wargames I checked and found that if I used ALL of the best German units then I might have a chance of taking a hex per turn. So, it would take me at least a year or more to take the whole country.

[rudy654-2009]

"When countries say they're neutral, they mean cowardly."

Ah, did you get expelled a lot when you were in school for being a coward? Didn't you have enough strength to walk away from a fight? Tsk, tsk.

[bunzzee1]

I'm sure our fearless leader must have thought there were WMD involved and hey a country with no army...probably only take a couple years to stabilize and rebuild the country...that is after we insert a legally elected govt...with only 34000 people running around with purple fingers, it would be easy to see who is with us and who is against us...

[stezzer]

Swiss army? What a joke. I thought they let everyone else fight their battles for them. And no wonder, they can't even read a map.

When countries say they're neutral, they mean cowardly.

[macusweil]

No WMD were found. It is believed one Swiss solider did turn his ankle on a pine cone.

[anopinion1]

were these people trained by the bush family????

[randalds]

I wondered where Donald Rumsfeld went! He's now Minister of Defense for Switzerland! Glad to see ya got work Donny! I see you're exhibiting your usual competence.