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defence overhaul

Posted: Thu 11 Dec, 2003 10:04 am
by lew
I thought of putting this in the general discussion but decided it should go in here instead...

Just been watching the news and on it was a piece about the British forces, I’m sure you'll all be glad to know that the suits have decided that to better the fight against terrorism the are cutting back once again, warships, aircraft and tanks are to be cut, to apparently make Britain more flexible and fluid...

Why are these smug German looking w@#k ruining the best armed forces on the planet??? Makes me so mad next they'll be taking away our rifles and giving us sling shots :roll:

I hope there's a party that will make our nation strong again, were the 4th richest on the planet for Christ’s sake, we can afford more planes tanks and warships that most of Europe, so why don’t we get them...


lew

Posted: Thu 11 Dec, 2003 10:28 am
by Jason The Argonaut
I was watching sky news this morning and they were discussing it. One MP was saying that they would not be cutting back troop number's just warships, aircraft and tanks... yer alright mate. The way we are going our armed forces will end up like Canada's. :(

Posted: Thu 11 Dec, 2003 10:32 am
by goldie ex rmp
More cuts then............they made cuts in 1994 when i took vol redun from the RMP and got a big wedge for my trouble only to see a massive recruitment drive months later as the RMP were sooooooooo short of troops. They appear to only look short term at problems and never long term just like the Prison Service which i work for now.

Posted: Thu 11 Dec, 2003 1:34 pm
by kwew
goldie ex rmp
Your right on the money there its all about how good the figures look now, they dont seem to think about the future. We have house, car and life insurance just for the future but the government are all about the here and now, image is to high on there priority.

Posted: Thu 11 Dec, 2003 7:12 pm
by goldie ex rmp
im sure they will go ahead with the cuts no matter what we think and i assume that we will end up as the americans bitch if we need help in the future, what ever happend to GREAT Briton ? :(

Re: defence overhaul

Posted: Thu 11 Dec, 2003 9:06 pm
by Sisyphus
lew wrote:Why are these smug German looking w@#k ruining the best armed forces on the planet???
What? :-?

Re: defence overhaul

Posted: Thu 11 Dec, 2003 10:25 pm
by Frank S.
lew wrote: Why are these smug German looking w@#k ruining the best armed forces on the planet???
lew
I think the changes as announced are supposed to bring the UK more in line with US military interests. You may be placing the blame on the wrong side of the Atlantic, there.

Re: defence overhaul

Posted: Thu 11 Dec, 2003 10:25 pm
by lew
Sisyphus wrote:
lew wrote:Why are these smug German looking w@#k ruining the best armed forces on the planet???
What? :-?

When watching the news this morning the guy answering the questions about the cuts was a smug german looking w@#k, he had that I'm a superior being look on his face that only germans have...

hope that helps...


lew

Posted: Thu 11 Dec, 2003 11:34 pm
by Tab
Watching Hoone there were to many if and buts in his speech and to little substance to make an informed judgement. Some of the older ships to be sold off, may be a reduction in the RAF but there would seem to be a problem with the contract that has been signed for the fighters. It could cost government more money to cancel than it would be to buy them.
There is likely to be a reduction in heavy armour of one Brigade but there are a new range of small heavily armed tanks that are easier to move by air being designed. I think it a case of wait and see for a while just what is going to happen.

Posted: Fri 12 Dec, 2003 2:20 am
by Whitey
Lew,
Cops catch terrorist's not soldiers. Soldiers fight other soldiers.

Posted: Fri 12 Dec, 2003 2:30 am
by df2inaus
Jason the Argonaut,
The way we are going our armed forces will end up like Canada's.
Not to worry, Her Majesty's Armed Forces will NEVER end up like Canada's.

You're a real nation with interests to protect, and I sincerely believe the British public won't put up with it long term. You expect to see your fighting men on the evening news when trouble flares. Every time Canadian soldiers are seen on TV, everyone here thinks "I didn't know we had an army."

In Canada, the military was moved away from major cities and two generations of young Canadians forgot about it. I found in the UK, the army especially is a fact of life, everyone seems to know someone in the forces, plenty of recruits from all across the country. Live in a place like Plymouth and the boy or girl next door is away somewhere.

That being said, keep the issue in your MP's face. Phone them, write to them, and tell them you'll never vote Labour again or withold donations, whatever it takes. My letters to MP's here have probably led to several assistants being hired.

Damn, that means I made the government bigger :-?