"However you look at it, the public will not accept cuts to the branch of the forces who are losing good people every day while the other two branches lose nobody."
I think you'd be quite surprised Graham, just what the public will accept. So long as it isnt happening to them.
I'm reminded of the old analogy of putting a frog in a saucepan of cold water and then heating it slowly. So long as they're not being forced to watch said frogs being tipped into a vat of boiling water...
After all, look at what happened nearly 10 years ago with the fuel protests, sealing off the delivery depots. And that was with fuel at half the price it is now. See? The slowly boiling frog effect in action...
I think you'd be amazed how much further you're going to have to yank Joe Public's chain before he or she realises. Nobody gives a t*ss any more about anything, not just the services, unless they are directly affected.