Thank you, and I mean that genuinely as sadly the Defence Intranet posts offer no opportunity for debate/discussion and there have been on the whole some well informed debate (although essentially fuelled by media and leaked papers).
I continue to have concern that it appears that we are repeating mistakes (sorry, Lessons Identified) from previous reviews.Where is the 'peace dividend' from the demise of the Warsaw Pact, and look what happened next. Do RUSI and the DG Strat gurus truly believe that the world is a safer place, and advising HMG/HMT as such?
I also do not get a warm feeling of coherence. One report says reduce helicopters, the next says reduce Para/Marine jumps from C130s as the troops will be ferried into ops in helicopters.
Smoke and mirrors.
Equally from a media reported Defence policy of forward intervention and power projection, then how on earth can HMG reconcile this political aspiration with the reality post a British military reduced to a a force that has absolutely no credible poise or posture, with no means to power project.
I really hope that the politicians stop deceiving either themselves and by default the British people and stop this grandiose talk of power projection and early intervention as based on these rumours the politicians should be telling the British public that an Italian style Gendarmerie is all that we will be able to deliver - with nuclear subs.
And if the British public are happy with this, then fine I will get my coat. But don't suddenly start bleating when Pakistan or Carlisle or expat evacuations or Northern Ireland enters a new phase, or the political aspiration for a withdraw in 2014/15 doesn't go to plan or terror does hit UK shores on a scale that could have been potentially prevented at source.
I was informed (and reported in press over the weekend) that the Coalition was beginning to fracture and that Dr Fox was preparing his resignation as he believed that that the UK should be re-investing in it's military during this period in history and not being forced by the Treasury to cut.
So perhaps my question has been answered and the 'main man' himself has the integrity and true strategic vision to see the potential threats and has the honour to say so.
Last edited by MaroonMan4; 16th Aug 2010 at 08:56.