brussels use arm soldier patrol alongside pavement cafes selfie-snapping tourists european cities since jihadi attack risk compromise deployments overseas military leaders say belgium major military power france active eu nato missions cut back train free troop nato planners fear time armies may get good guard railway station airports fight war 15,000 soldier serve home europe say tramp streets far cry foreign adventure sign feel powerless defend militants stand around like flower pot wait smash say officer return afghanistan guard duty belgium like france troop deploy home single mission abroad security personnel target countries patrol begin temporary measure islamic state attack 2015 become permanent fixtures opinion poll show people reassure soldier show home italy soldier streets since 2008 britain use briefly year along spain prepare deployments threat level rise despite painful history germany austria debate military patrol home first time since world war two across europe political debate shift whether adapt arm force homeland role concern military leaders eye budget morale train france former military chief quit july say overstretch army head belgium land force tell reuters domestic deployment take toll see lot people leave defense force operation general marc thys commander belgium land force say interview without give number everyone agree defense ministry source italy say domestic patrol absolutely impact overseas missions train nato worry protract domestic operations make key members 29-strong transatlantic alliance less ready deploy afghanistan eastern european border russia popular public cheap police senior nato source say requirement come send lot force reinforce eastern ally ... would government will pull soldier street could challenge battle islamic state home abroad squeeze resources nato leaders seek show u.s. president donald trump reliable ally repeatedly question alliance worth give homeland operations military source experts say politicians face tough choice expand army summon reserve create new domestic security force halfway police military replace belgium choose come years mobilize many people trouble deploy people abroad u.n. eu missions say second nato source operations put 10,000 heavily arm combat troop streets france 1,800 belgium islamic state attack early 2015. number 7,000 1,200 respectively still tie roughly tenth deployable army personnel nation also bad morale mix school offices warehouse hastily convert barrack belgium bad afghanistan say soldier show picture cramp room pile high gear 45 percent soldier survey belgian military december say think quit many police away strain families lead divorce source french military make poll public say street patrol know operation sentinelle sentinelle burden whose impact soldier morale never deny thys say belgian arm force pull back foreign missions less time train take everything account homeland operation international missions go one side go side thys tell reuters france train days cut 90 59 days last year accord defense ministry report october decline 30 percent begin deployment home soil experts say long less sharp military say general sir richard barrons britain former military chief commit take brave politician turn new head france arm force thousands troop abroad fight islamist militants sahel iraq syria elsewhere say something give choose adjust commitments give us back flexibility know french army deploy year general francois lecointre cite local media say early month president emmanuel macron announce strategic review street patrol new arm force minister florence parly say tuesday would cut would make flexible italy 7,000 soldier help police defense ministry source say move around often keep bore approach france belgium put play italy escape militant attack far troop elsewhere disarm kill would-be attackers knife-wielding assailant outside eiffel tower last month suitcase bomber brussels june effectiveness hard quantify attack men uniform like paris last month familiar pattern car plow victims renew fear may draw fire shoot error france three four voters approve street patrol although nearly 40 percent doubt effective combat terrorism belgium support military 80 percent 20 percent mission pr operation nothing say wally struys professor emeritus belgium royal military academy belgium thys others see end operations give military extra argument years decline budget part landscape say saad amrani chief commissioner policy adviser belgian federal police depend soldier europe 's streets dent nato 's defense edge