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-   -   MoD fury as Brown wields axe (https://www.pprune.org/military-aviation/313910-mod-fury-brown-wields-axe.html)

Krystal n chips 17th Feb 2008 13:56

Whilstn there is a very valid justification for the condemnation of the tertiary level sub protozoans in the MoD and Gov't,and I hate to sound negative here, but engendering the great British public to support the UK Mil ain't going to happen.

Why ?....well once the "darling boys" escalated their campaign to the UK mainland..and everybody stopped wearing uniform in public, so did the public stop realising we have Military personnel....most only see the Mil in terms of Trooping the Colour, Reds, SAR Helo's and unless they live near a Mil base, service personnel are unlikely to feature in the publics lives. A distinct lack of PR at times also compounds the problem re public awareness of the Mil functions....and of course they have other, more important concerns..like the football and "strictly come reguritated ham actors" etc...there is also one more issue shortly to hit home..it's called a recession and credit crunch..fiscal hardship for many looms....so the chances of the Mil getting even a glimmer of support are virtually nil.... The Great Leader and his acolytes...and all those sweet young things with their PPE's employed in "policy" units are divorced from reality..but they ain't that stupid when it comes to assessing the interests of Joe Public. Which is why, sadly, I feel the cuts will happen..and by then of course..it will be to late.

Turn and Burn 17th Feb 2008 14:17

How about a coup.
 
Don't suppose we could get the Pongos to park their tanks outside Westminster and show Mac Broon where real power resides. There would be no intervention from the EU. If they are frightened of taking on the Taliban they would be terrified of crossing the channel.

Whossat Forrus 17th Feb 2008 14:38

T & B. Why do you think this bunch of wierdos are trying to run down the Armed Forces in the first place. It is this very possible scenario they will bank against. Running down the scale of the threat by destroying morale, equipment, supplies and manpower (largely achieved by finding any convenient fight to get large numbers killed / badly injured) and then dismissing critics of Noo Labour should prevent the tanks arriving outside the door of Number 10 when they finally hand the keys to The Republic of The Disunited Kingdom to the real political masters who have promised great things, such as presidency of a great nation as big as Bushy has got.:ugh:

Len Ganley 17th Feb 2008 14:53

On the one hand -
£25Bn of taxpayers money to bail out Northern Rock.

On the other -

armed forces are heading for a “train crash” because the government is starving them of funds for vital equipment.
Sums up where HMGs' priorities lie.:(

endplay 17th Feb 2008 15:02

"The official, a senior defence equipment capability manager, resorted to black humour, portraying the Treasury as an axeman who has cut off the arms of his MoD victim and is saying: “Stop whingeing . . . at least you have got your legs.”

A highly apposite choice of metaphor considering the condition of some of our injured troops, I don't think.

soddim 17th Feb 2008 15:04

Why fight it? Why not accept that the democratically elected government just do not want you. Act accordingly and leave - when you stop banging your head against the brick wall life feels a whole lot better.

Eventually it will dawn on them that they have no power any more and maybe some small dissident group will kick their backsides out of Whitehall before the next opportunity to con the British public at an election. It would be wonderful to watch them trying to cobble together a defensive force from the few remaining backside lickers in MOD.

iccarus 17th Feb 2008 15:10

My plan?

March into parliament with a battalion of troops in full riot gear, grab gordon, take him down to an assortment of the worlds press and then tar and feather him...............................

Nice!

BackfromIraq 17th Feb 2008 18:36

I feel I must add, further to the financial facts and figures attributed to the Welfare State and the NHS, that over the last 10 years Labour have been VERY canny.

They've created a state where 12-year old mothers get a council house and benefits to spend however they want. Or even get pregnant to get a council house.

They give a 40-year old bloke with no qualifications and 14 kids two council houses an £40k per year to feed and clothe them. His comment, 'I can't earn £40k or anywhere near that,' so he stays at home with no incentive to be educated or work to contribute and his kids are likely to grow up with the same lack of work ethic.

They're now talking of paying children (and parents) to take exercise and eat healthily, in spite of the fact that fresh vegetables and other healthy options are often cheaper than the ready-meals and take-aways that these people eat.

They've created a sub-nation of voters (12-year-old mothers excepted, but I'm sure THEIR mothers aren't going to vote against this policy) whoare so totally dependent on handouts that they cannot afford to give up the welfare state and will, therefore, never vote for a political party who advocate a cutting of this welfare, and therefore a population who will only vote to keep Labour in power.

I don't have an answer but I believe that clothing and food coupons would be a start, and would stop some of the cash being spent on cigarettes and cheap cider, along with the state benefits reducing after a short period to the bread-line to encourage people to get off their warm behinds and go and find work; do they think I skip along the road to work with a smile in my heart every morning? Maybe I'm lucky: I enjoy my job 90% of the time, but I'd much rather be asleep at 0800.

I've watched university education be devalued over the last 10 years to the point where a bin-men will need/be able to do a degree in 'Refuse Technology' rather than a willingness to crawl out of bed a 0500 (and I've had to do it to pay my way).

We need to mobilise and motivate the silent majority, the middle classes who're being taxed back towards poverty for having a work ethic, who've been criminalised because the own a car and get them to VOTE, not retreat apathetically into the darkness shrugging their shoulders. Proportional representation would be a start, but Dave sticking to his guns and not responding to every little thing that the government (and I deliberately use a lower case 'g') do, but preaching and motivating the people who identify with him.

Rant over.
:mad:

BEagle 17th Feb 2008 19:10

Compulsory abortions for pregnant kids who are younger than 16 years and 9 months of age.

No unemployment or housing benefits to be paid for those with more than 2 kids.

And that's just for starters......

When will these brat-spawning untermensch be forced to accept that, if they can't afford their brats, they must keep their d*cks in their pockets?

JessTheDog 17th Feb 2008 19:17

The situation of under-funding of the Armed Forces is not new....it goes back decades, centuries etc.

There are a number of new ingredients in this particular situation:

- The Armed Forces are not simply for defence of the realm or attacking somewhere else. They are an arm of government. This extends into the PR realm. The government need to be seen to be doing something - simple, they send in troops. Hence the Kosovo deployment, Afghan reinforcements etc. Doing nothing or saying "we can't manage" would not be the correct message to send to the electorate and may cost opinion poll points.

- There is a genuine belief that the message can be spuin to internal and external audiences regardless of the reality.

- Parliamentary accountability and standards in public life are easily the lowest in living memory. Lying is routine, whether to internal or external audiences.

I suggest a petition in the public domain signed by serving personnel to express their discontentment. It would be a breach of the new DIN but that is an ill-conceived draconian gag in any case. If enough signed then there would be a massive impact and those signing would be immune from charges or administrative action by virtue of numbers and public support. The only way the government will act is if inaction will cost more in political terms than action.

Ali Barber 17th Feb 2008 19:32

No money and the last reserves deploying to Kosovo - would now be a good time for the firemen/police to strike/work to rule? Might be a way to see off this government without having to stage a coup - if we had anyone left here who could take part!

tablet_eraser 17th Feb 2008 19:50


Originally Posted by Jess The Dog
I suggest a petition in the public domain signed by serving personnel to express their discontentment. It would be a breach of the new DIN but that is an ill-conceived draconian gag in any case. If enough signed then there would be a massive impact and those signing would be immune from charges or administrative action by virtue of numbers and public support. The only way the government will act is if inaction will cost more in political terms than action.

I'd sign it. But then, I put in my PVR a year ago, and June 3rd is my last working day, so I'd have nothing to lose. I'll be gutted to leave my friends, but thrilled to leave an organization starved of cash and bereft of leadership.

Roll on June 3rd.

In the meantime, the only sufficiently public display of anger would be a demonstration in London. I think the parallel between angry troops demonstrating against the Government, and the anti-war demos of 2003, would guarantee headlines. But such action would also threaten participants' careers, so it's unlikely ever to happen; so, maybe it's time for veterans to take a stand on behalf of their serving comrades?

Grimweasel 17th Feb 2008 19:51

I'm sure that Argentina/China et al are laughing all the way to the tank park with these cuts. It beggars belief that HMG think less of Defence than other stupid lefty social programmes that keep useless oxygen thieves in flats, paid for by the Tax payer. I'm sick of handing out taxes to house these vermin that have cash etc handed to them on a platter.
The best thing we can all do is leave. After all why should one put one's life on the line fighting for a public / government that couldn't give a toss, to be frank??

It's all well and good handing out money to these low life idiots that have no ambition in life other than to sponge off the state, but without defence of the national interests they may be no 'state' in the future.

Did HMG not cut the services back to bare bones in the 30's just prior to WWII?? In a world with diminishing natural resources and an insatiable global demand for them, we need to start building a credible defence force to protect our resources etc from other states, not cutting them to the bone!

I really hope that wretch Brown comes a cropper with this one and leaves a legacy as the man that broke the UK

edward england 17th Feb 2008 20:14

Put my papers in to leave last Autumn having been 99% sure it was the right decision, I will now sleep well tonight being 100% percent sure that now is the right time. I'm sad to leave and will miss many people, but I won't miss the continual feeling of being deserted by a spineless government. Des Browne - I bet you don't sleep as well as I do!

Regie Mental 17th Feb 2008 20:28

No, I bet he sleeps soundly every night.

SirToppamHat 17th Feb 2008 20:36

In the interests of sticking with democracy for the timebeing...

What's to stop a Serviceman registering to vote by making a 'Service Declaration', for a postcode of, say, KY3 9HX (Burntisland), and thereby voting in the Parliamentary Constituency of Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath?

I know this right exists for Sevice pers posted overseas, but I understood we in the UK (and our dependants) could vote in the area where we would choose to live if we were not in the Armed Forces. Can anyone verify this?

Mr Brown won his seat with a majority of 18,000. 18,000 service voters added to the electorate for his constituency might focus his attention somewhat.

Of course, we would all have to agree which alternative to vote for - may I suggest that Monster Raving Loony might send an appropriate message?

STH

Guzlin Adnams 17th Feb 2008 21:11

:= I could have a huge rant but two words will do me...
Brown out !:mad:

Fugazi1000 17th Feb 2008 21:48

Brown has been slowly but surely pushing his version of a Marxist state onto the UK. The UK is almost there. Sadly there are very few who can (or want) to do much about it, not least the dwindling armed forces.

Sadly. :{

passpartout 17th Feb 2008 21:59

"When will these brat-spawning untermensch..."

Probably best to keep your personal politics out of this Beagle.

I think that we should face facts. We are devalued. We are also utterly reliable. We won't strike or mutiny. Our bosses won't resign on a point of principle.

So who cares what we think?

Beatriz Fontana 17th Feb 2008 22:23

Brown has to realise that there are rough men who help people sleep peacefully at night.

They are our armed forces. That was a quote from Orwell.


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