I do not think that there remains any doubt that the Forces are now significantly out of balance. The Army have used Afghanistan as their justification for avoiding the hit, but that argument has now run its course. You do not need an Army of 95,000 to deliver circa 3,000 combat troops. With the political desire to withdraw quickly it is air that will allow transition to take place not UK boots on the ground. It is Afghan boots that need to take their place now, with ISAF air support as the angel on their backs.
However, asking for cuts from another service is exactly what we should not be doing now – we will be no better than Bucknell otherwise. It would be a disgrace if a senior commander in an operational theatre uses his position to play inter-Service politics back at home. I wonder how Petraeus would feel about having a deputy who does not have his whole mind on the job?