Hello1 -agreed 100%, a series of stupid decisions, not improved by continuing to make stupid decisions.
You can't fight wars with a peacetime budget, I can only presume that for the better part of the past 10 years our political leadership has shied away from paying for it, whilst simultaneously refusing to give up 'our place' on the world stage... or, more directly, been too shamefaced to tell the US 'no' and admit we are no longer a major world power.
Dave