Fact check: Is it true that Swiss armed forces were prone to accidentally invade Liechtenstein?

1. Summary of the results

Yes, Swiss armed forces did accidentally enter Liechtenstein's territory multiple times. Three specific incidents are well-documented:

• 1985: Swiss forces caused forest fires during missile training ^[1]
• 1992: Army cadets mistakenly set up an observation post in Treisenberg ^[1]
• 2007: 171 infantry soldiers wandered over a mile into Liechtenstein during dark, rainy conditions ^[1]

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

Several important contextual factors explain why these incidents occurred and why they weren't considered serious:

• Close diplomatic ties: Switzerland and Liechtenstein share:
• Open borders
• Common language
• Similar terrain
• Switzerland represents Liechtenstein diplomatically ^[2]
• Nature of the incidents:
• The 2007 incident involved unarmed soldiers who wandered 1.5 kilometers across an unmarked border ^[3]
• Liechtenstein officials didn't even notice the presence of soldiers ^[4]
• These events are not considered true "invasions" in the traditional sense ^[5]

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

The term "prone to invade" in the original statement could be misleading because:

• These incidents are better characterized as accidental border crossings rather than invasions ^[5]
• Such incidents are not unique to Switzerland and occur between other friendly nations with open borders ^[5]
• The diplomatic response to these incidents was minimal, with both sides treating them as minor occurrences ^[4]
• The shared infrastructure and close relationship between the two countries makes such accidents more likely but less significant ^[2]

The framing of these incidents as "invasions" benefits media outlets seeking sensational headlines, while both Swiss and Liechtenstein authorities consistently downplayed their significance ^{[3] [4]}.