Queen furious at troop/kit shortages

[Razor61]

Queen 'furious' at troop shortages - AOL News (http://news.aol.co.uk/queen-furious-at-troop-shortages/article/20090907063617803605429)

I'm not surprised.... but it;s about time she said it herself, or atleast Charlie.

[vecvechookattack]

How does she know the equipment is poor....?

When do you think that the Queen will visit the boys in Afghanistan....? Did she ever bother to go to Iraq...? GWB and Obama have both been abroad to visit their troops so why not our Queen...?

Maybe if she went out to see the boys then she would feel she had the cred to gob off about poor equipment.

[parabellum]

vecvechookattack You are talking total ****e and using this forum/thread to vent your anti monarchy views.

In case you hadn't noticed she has two grandchildren who are both serving, one of whom has been to Afghanistan and within her entourage, at any one time, you will find a whole range of serving officers of various ranks.

Something else you may not have noticed is that both GWB and Obama are professional politicians, not reigning monarchs.

[MightyGem]

Vecvec: http://www.free-animations.co.uk/smileys/images/smiley_44.gif

[L J R]

...and she is 80 something....last person you want getting off at Bastion is someone that frail (god bless her BTW)

[GreenKnight121]

I'm sure Prince Harry gave her a detailed debrief when he came home.

[Jabba_TG12]

The article was also picked up by one of the sunday papers.

Whilst not exactly being a full on monarchist, I noted when reading Stuart Tootal's book that when he highlighted his concerns about what he saw as being issues that would cost 3Para in Afghan in 2006 to the Prince of Wales, that Charles said to him, should I raise it with SecDef? Tootal thought about it and then said he would be grateful if he did.

True to his word, within 24 hours, John Reid was getting a lecture from Charles. Within 36hours, the excrement rolled downhill towards Tootal via CGS.

Which to me says a couple of things - and about this particular incident specifically

1) Honorary Colonel/Commodore/Air Cdre ranks given to the Royals can sometimes be a good thing when you need someone with influence to raise the profile of an issue when you're getting nowhere

2) My understanding from the press article is that it wasnt just the Sovereign herself, Phil and Charlie have also weighed in. If you're a NewLab defence minister, having the three most senior members of the royal family on your case, when you're already unpopular with the public is not likely to win you any plaudits and should force you to focus on the issues raised.

3) Harry's service in Afghan, curtailed though it may have been, has made these matters something that the senior royals can raise with some real level of credibility - one of their own has served out there in the same environment as the rest of the troops. No current serving politician that I am aware of (and I'm happy to be corrected, there may be one or two out of the 645 honorable members who have sons or daughters serving or have served) can say that... not just counting quick in and out visits to KAF and Bastion.

I somehow doubt this is the first time that the Royals have brought the subject up with Brown's administration; chances are, this is the first time it has leaked out as the exasperation of the Royals is likely to be increasing exponentially. As I said, I'm not a devout monarchist by any stretch of the imagination, but considering that those of us who did - and those who still do - attest to serve HMQ, her heirs and successors, to get the support coming back the other way means a lot. I would venture to those out there at the moment, news of the Sovereign weighing in on their side will be important to them and give them a lift, no matter how temporary. It would to me anyway.

Good on her.

What is regrettable is the lack of noise - and indeed forethought in planning between 2001 and now - by those holding star rank. Those who could have done something but didnt and quite happily just continued climbing the greasy pole and chasing their pensions. Far too many were far too quiet for far too long.

[aviate1138]

vecvechookattack

Wait till you're eighty and see if you can do what HMQ does. Plus she has never let us down.
Unlike her offspring. Trouble is she is surrounded by absolute idiots.
Send Sarah instead! It all went wrong when the Royals appeared on "It's a Knockout", started a trend that has been downhill ever since.

[BEagle]

Queen furious at troop/kit shortages:

"Mr Brown, we are NOT amused."

If this story is factually correct - although the palace staff will never confirm it - Incapability Brown has been given a serious wake-up call.

When was the last time there was a Royal Proclamation commanding a dissolution of parliament before a Prime Minister called an election? Maybe the time is now ripe?

vec-chook-whatever, how dare you make such insulting comments as "she would feel she had the cred to gob off". If you are an officer, which I seriously doubt given your rhetoric, then go and read what is written on your commissioning scroll. If you don't agree with it, resign your commission.

[airborne_artist]

No current serving politician that I am aware of (and I'm happy to be corrected, there may be one or two out of the 645 honorable members who have sons or daughters serving or have served) can say that

Mark Lancaster, MP for Milton Keynes is a TA Major in the Royal Engineers, and his bio says:

"Mark continues to serve in the Territorial Army as a Major and spent the 2006 summer recess on active service alongside our troops in Afghanistan. This was the third time that Mark has volunteered for active service since 2000, having previous [sic] served as part of the NATO peacekeeping force in both Kosovo and Bosnia."

[Madbob]

Jabba - Well said :ok:

We'll have to see whether this HMG will take any notice of what HMQ is saying. In my cynical view I don't have any confidence in this govt and I doubt things will change much in 2010 - general election notwithstanding. :{

MB

[Jabba_TG12]

I had a feeling when I was writing it that there may have been one or two exceptions, hence the "happy to be corrected" line. Thanks for the clarification :ok:

[jindabyne]

VVHA

I'm a well-retired Wing Commander who has been to neither Iraq nor Afghanistan - therefore I presume that you'll also suggest that I have no credible knowledge. Your comments are unworthy.

[racedo]

Reckon if HM could ask members of her family to forego The Civil List payments for a couple of years it would help.

[ISO100]

Reckon if HM could ask members of her family to forego The Civil List payments for a couple of years it would help.Lets say they did ... do you think the government would put the money into the defence budget....NO they wouldn't!

I guess that what you are really saying is that the Royals should be quiet as they are paid employees of the state in your view and therfore not entitled to voice an opinion. If true perhaps you should suggest that this forum be closed down as it seems to be full of people on the state payroll voicing their view.

Now then what does HMG stand for again.........?

[racedo]

Lets say they did ... do you think the government would put the money into the defence budget....NO they wouldn't!


Nothing to stop the members of the family transferring all the cash they receive directly to help Armed forces is there ?

[parabellum]

Nothing to stop the members of the family transferring all the cash they receive directly to help Armed forces is there ?


Nothing to stop each member of the armed forces ploughing their pay back in for the next two years but that doesn't make any sense either.

We all pay tax, including HMQ, and that is where the funds should come from, the fact that it hasn't and doesn't lies entirely at the feet of the present useless government.

[GPMG]

Bl00dy good idea Racedo, let the Royal Family pay for the British Forces.

So when every soldier, sailor airman etc are on Queen Elizabeth II's payroll, she can just march them into Westminster and turf out the criminals that have been allowed to spoil this country.

And hopefully we can see the dim cyclop's in the tower. Then up across the border to whip the FRISP's back into shape.

Hoorah and Hoozah.

[vevcechookattack]

Yet another of our resident troll's imitations. He's banned - - again!

[johnfairr]

What an incredibly rude and arrogant little man you are Vecvec! For a probationary PPruner you have an inordinate amount to say for yourself. But then again you are probably using yet another name and have been equally rude on previous occasions.

Crawl back into the pond and stay there until you can conduct a civilised debate without recourse to slurs and spite.

[airborne_artist]

Note that vevcechookattack (probationary, 2 posts) and vecvechookattack (842 posts) are two different user names.

[Wholigan]

Points made and this is going nowhere except round in circles I guess, so it's now closed. Either that or it goes to Jetblast and I don't want to have to deal with it there either.