What kind of military does Belgium need?

A discussion of the Belgian military and Belgian military policy. If you like this video, please consider making a donation using the "thanks" button or buying me some coffee, so to speak, here: https://buymeacoffee.com/shurkin.

Here's the April 2025 Belgian parliament defense paper: https://www.dekamer.be/flwb/pdf/56/08...

Who am I?
Former CIA analyst, former RAND Senior Political Scientist, Currently Director of Global Programs at 14 North Strategies and RUSI Associate Fellow. Yale History Ph.D. Find me at https://michaelshurkin.com

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My favorite books on war (Affiliate links)

Svetlana Alexievitch, “The Unwomanly Face of War: An Oral History of Women in World War II.” https://amzn.to/3GyeDIV
Haruko Taya Cook, Japan at War: An Oral History, https://amzn.to/42Dpo5j.
Vasily Grossman, "Life and Fate." https://amzn.to/4gRzFz6
Robert Heinlein, "Starship Troopers", https://amzn.to/406gqfA
Ernst Jünger, “Storm of Steel”, https://amzn.to/4lWmyji
Ahmadou Kourouma, "Allah is not obliged." https://amzn.to/3PaEfwj
Robert Leckie, “Helmet for my Pillow: From Paris Island to the Pacific,” https://amzn.to/3YrmWwe
Väinö Linna, "Unknown Soldiers." https://amzn.to/41Rnazm
Jonathan Littell, "Les Bienveillantes, or The Kindly Ones."
In French: https://amzn.to/4a0BY0A
In English: https://amzn.to/49VEhSh
Erich Maria Remarque, "All Quiet on the Western Front." https://amzn.to/4iRvnJB
Pierre Schoendoerffer, "La 317e Section." https://amzn.to/40dmvG3
E.B. Sledge, With the Old Breed: At Peleliu and Okinawa. https://amzn.to/4iSkBlu

00:00 Introduction
01:55 Part 1: Overview of the Belgian Military
03:53 Part 2: What's Belgium's military for? Belgian military policy
06:18 Chief military requirement
06:54 Cold War Belgian Military
08:13 Post Cold War cuts
09:23 Shift to expeditionary focus
10:16 CaMo
10:39 SCORPION
14:09 The Russian invasion in 2022 and the STAR plan
15:16 Part 3: Is the Belgian military on the right track?
21:38 Hesitations