This thread is so depressing!
The really fightening thing is that, and here I may be wrong, but I believe that PPRuNERs represent a pretty wide, and well balanced cross section of our society. (I would say that as I'm including myself here!)
The views articulated here are generally from well-meaning, informed people whose expertise and views ought to be taken heed of by ANY government. Why is it that ALL our polititians appear to be such ignorant, ill informed ***kers especially they seem to find any excuse to jet off (at taxpayers' expense) to go on "fact-finding" missions to Afg, Iraq, FI or wherever takes their fancy.......
Maybe it is a middle age thing but I may be getting rather cynical but they all seem the SAME no matter what side of the House they sit on. They also seem to be able to totally dismiss the reported "displeasure" by Her Majesty the Queen as reported here on another thread.
The scary thing is that in an historic context spending c. 2.5 - 4.0 % of GDP on defence ought to both be considered prudent AND sustainable for a developed nation. One thing, as Bladdered alludes to above, is that History never can predict the next threat a nation might face with sufficient warning to do anything but address the threat with the "tools" i.e. weapons/platforms etc. already in the "cupboard". Even temporary reductions in spending will leave the "cupboard" totally bare as it's pretty empty already, with only old and broken toys, (C130's, Nimrods, Tristars, Pumas) left to play with.....
Effective Defence Policy is not about ignoring the threats and hoping for the best. Instead threats need to be assessed, both quantitivly and geographically, strategic and tactical considerations factored in and resources (both maerrial and financial) deployed accordingly. The alternative is we step down from the Security Council at the UN, we resign from NATO, downgrade the armed forces to coast-watch, internal unrest and ceremonial status only and declare ourselves Neutral!
Somehow I can't see any of our polititical masters being willing to up-staged by other countries' leaders, who (currently) they would prefer
call "minor states" although Cyclops seems to have a pretty thick skin following his recent "spat" with a certain Colonel in the wake of the al-Magrahi affair.
Once the UK's armed forces were truely great, never in sufficient numbers or with the best kit, the actual troops were always well-motivated (in spite of poor pay and conditions but with good leadership) and their "can-do" spirit legendary. Now all I can see happening is a mass Exodus, with the best people, as always, getting out first.
Someone, please tell me that I've got this wrong and actually things are not as bad as I paint them!
MB
Last edited by Madbob; 16th Sep 2009 at 15:48.