More Internecine Bickering!
I see our fearless leaders continue their somewhat juvenile internecine bickering in the open press….
Firstly, from July’s JDW (an internationally respected serious defence journal) we have the serving AOC 1 Gp AVM Bagwell at RIAT taking a direct anti-French /anti-carrier swipe in the article “Royal Air Force Downplays Carrier Aviation”….in particular, his final (rather facile IMHO) comment must have impressed our French allies…oh, and of course, the dark blue sister service already convinced that the RAF is out to kill Carrier Strike!!
“If you want to strike at lunchtime or midnight, then go to the Charles de Gaulle,” he said “[However] if you want it 24 hours a day, then come to the Royal Air Force.”
And secondly,
Another classic riposte regarding the millions currently being spent on Italian hotels:
http://www.defencemanagement.com/news_story.asp?id=17125
MoD spends millions on Italian hotels
09 August 2011
Figures released by the Ministry of Defence have revealed a £1.3m monthly spend on hotels for personnel currently based in Italy.
BFBS reported that an average of £1,315,000 had been spent every month for around 1000 service personnel working to carry out air strikes against Colonel Gaddafi's forces in Libya.
And it was said this figure did not include the cost of food.
Costs of the Libya air campaign have been criticised by naval supporters, who have argued it would be far cheaper to carry out attacks with Harrier jets and aircraft carriers.
In April, Rear Admiral Terry Loughran, the former commander of HMS Ark Royal, told Defencemanagement.com: "If you had Ark Royal and the Harriers we would be so much better placed with the Libya no fly zone
"To take one Typhoon, dropping one Paveway bomb…it had to be accompanied by a Tornado, had to be accompanied by an in-flight refuelling aircraft…the total fuel bill was half a million pounds. If you had done the same thing with Harriers and a carrier it would be £80,000."
The news follows earlier revelations in July that the MoD had spent over £98m on hotel accommodation between 2008 and 2010.
…and so, there we have it….the constant drip feed (drivel) from both sides (although I am surprised that serving officers are allowed to get away with it….) while our people are in harm’s way!
Frankly….pathetic!
H-W