Ahead of the 7 November polls, the BBC Burmese service has interviewed individual soldiers in garrison towns across the country.

BBC: Burma soldiers 'refusing tasks in pay, rations protest'

But the Turkish army is happy to have a place to garrison and train a large number of soldiers.

ECONOMIST: Northern Cyprus's new president: Enter Eroglu | The

When Roman forces built Hadrian's Wall, very few of their men were Italians, most of them were Spanish, Gallic and German soldiers, while several of the auxiliary units who took over garrison duty from the legionaries came from North Africa.

BBC: NEWS | UK | England | Tyne/Wear | Romans 'were not colour prejudiced'