Gasfitter,
Are you saying there is no level to which the service could sink before you would express your dissatisfaction? You'll just take the pain no matter what damage you see inflicted by crass policies.
Everyone has done a hell of a lot of 'just getting on with it' over the past few years and none of our leaders have drawn a line and said "enough" as the politicians push more commitments and less resources. To me that would indicate that this will continue until, one way or another, they get finally get the message that we can take no more.
With such wet middle management, I think some folks hope that sentiments posted on boards like these might actually get through to the upper management. As much as journalists are overtly reviled, some of the recent articles that seek to reflect the current sorry state of the armed forces must have have had some research based on internet forums.
You're assertion that our despair gives succour to enemies may carry some truth. But who is responsible for the morale of the troops? The troops themselves! The responsibility for the state of our armed forces lies with the government and the top servicemen. It must truly be a first for the modern British Military to be asked to fight nasty 2 wars abroad by a government who won't provide sufficient money to do so. After these 2 wars are over we will be totally spent. Furthermore, how do you think Gordon Brown will view the defence budget with no ongoing operations.
Don't blame servicemen for complaining when it is the only form of protest available short of leaving. If everyone that you class as a "whinger" did leave, your job would become intolerable and you would leave. Critical Mass I think they call it.