Gentlemen
I have to agree with CS. We should:
- Decide what we as a nation want to be capable of doing (NEO, stabilisation, intervention, global (thermo-nuclear) warfare etc).
- Decide what capabilities we want/need to achieve our aims.
- Decide what size manpower requirement we need to man those capabilities.
- And the bloody well fund them. Properly.
Getting rid of Trident or son of Trident will only allow more money to be spent on the UK's Sacred Cows - Education (2.5 times the Defence budget); Health (3 and a bit times the Defence budget) and welfare and pensions (6 times the Defence budget). Even our interest payment on the national debt is more than the Defence budget (thanks Labour).
The country can easily afford to spend more on Defence, our politicians just choose not to.