Playing games with the armed forces

Greece should not return to the past when, for many years, cronyism dominated the promotion policy in the armed and security forces, causing great damage. Back then, it was much more important whose "team" an officer was in and which politician he had a close relationship with, rather than how capable he really was. People who did not deserve important promotions found themselves in key positions.

The worst part is that the country entered a vicious cycle: One political party removed capable officers for purely political reasons. Then the next party came to power and recalled them, sending its opponents into retirement. This resulted in a climate of vengefulness and low morale in the armed forces. Younger officers who saw what was happening were disappointed when they realized that the only way to rise through the military ranks was through the help of a politician or some...

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