By A strong and active military has been the slogan of many hawkish politicians and now the tone seems to change.
Ruling party legislator Mahindanda Aluthgamage, very much a key player of the Rajapaksha points out that Sri Lanka’s military strength at 247,000 is too expensive
Mahindanda Aluthgamage said that strengthening the reserve force needs to be should be considered,
“Our tri-forces amount to 247,000,” Aluthgamage, a former agriculture minister of the ruling Sri Lanka Podujana Party who is now without a portfolio, told parliament.
“In other countries of the world, when the war is over they voluntarily leave. Or they leave and are kept in reserve”
, said the former minister.
“We spend 100 billion rupees for food alone.”
Said Aluthgamage
As quoted by economy next according to Globalfirepower.com, an online defense information portal, Australia which had a population similar to Sri Lanka had 59,000 regular servicemen and 20,000 in reserve, the Netherlands which had a population of 17 million had 35,000 regular servicemen and 5,000 in reserve.
Canada which had a population of 37 million, maintained 70,000 regular servicemen and had 19,000 in reserve.
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