Self Merged: Defence Review, Korea and Wiki Leaks
 

Now over the last month there has been much comment and debate on the SDS 'Review', but ignoring all of the single service waffle, letters to the Telegraph and political sound bites, forget me as a rotary mate being worried about his future - I am now more worried about the country's defence and the worlds future stability.

And if we think for one moment that we are going to follow a US islolationist policy of the 1920s then our politicians and the public we serve are making a severe error of judgement that ours and their children will pay costly for.

From my perspective as an informed tax payer, I see the current H M Government taking a huge gamble - far in excess of John Nott in the 1980s. The SDSR and subsequent cost cuts were all predicated on a withdrawal from Afghanistan and greater 'partnerships' and 'coalitions'.

So our Prime Minister now knows exactly what our US and European 'allies' think of him (so much for alliances saving our bacon in the future).

How can the Prime Minister remove such vast swathes of capability with absolutely no strategic peace dividend seen (if anything the world is looking far more unstable since the demise of the Warsaw Pact/FSU). I am certainly not a Fishead lover, and don't particularly like the egos of the Fast Jet community, but not having the option to launch fast jets (JFH) and helicopters from the sea removes even an attempt at deception (remember Op Granby?). If the recruiting tap and flying training pipeline is being turned off (which it is) due to these cuts, but Flight International back pages are seeing the airlines, Bond et all recruiting again (as the 'baby boomer' demographic trough forseen in the airline industry is still very much there), then what will happen when the experienced aircrew and military personnel all depart to the 'hallowed' Private Sector leaving plenty of very enthusiastic youngsters with very little or no experience.

The Wiki leaks are not being challenged by the US and therefore have credibility that now blow wide open the whole political/treasury thinking behind the Defence Review - and I welcome RUSI to enter debate.

We have been cut down due to a political drive to cut costs. Lets hope that these financial costs do not result in future human life costs - both civilian and military.

Oops...
 

Royals caught in secrets leak - World - IOL | Breaking News | South Africa News | World News | Sport | Business | Entertainment | IOL.co.za

But which part of the 'royal' information in that particular cutting is actually a threat to security? Other leaks probably are, but others are probably just embarrassing.

I thought it was a financial drive to cut costs.

"But which part of the 'royal' information in that particular cutting is actually a threat to security? Other leaks probably are, but others are probably just embarrassing."

Indeed

So far we've "learnt"

everyone in the UN spies on everyone else

A member of the royal family might be a bit loud when he's had a few

the rest of the middle east is sh*ting it self about Iran having nukes, but want other people to do the hard work

people say rude things about each other in private


Can't wait for next weeks shock revelations about what bears get up to down the woods!

BEagle

I don't know about you, but I had a great time over the years being forced to spend time in expensive hotels because the people who were organising things (STC) had failed to get their act together.

One I remember well was landing in Bermuda and our Ground Eng found a fault which would prevent engine start the next morning. No problem, we signalled UK gave them the part number and details of BOAC flights from Heathrow. The part would arrive in time to enable us to depart on schedule.

Well, that was the plan!!! We finally got the 4th spare and departed after 5 arduous (?) days.

Having read through the digest of the leaks, I don't see what the USA has got to be embarassed about.

Previously I mostly had to read US foreign policy through those unctious double-talking presidential spokespeople who appear on CNN. The leaks actually tell the truth about US policy and it is more credible as a result.

Thread drift, cazatou, but it was indeed well-known for many an Ascoteers' 'kerching' holiday to kick in when spare bits for ageing jets were sent by less-than-efficient means...

Some were bordering on the bizarre. The TriShaw which need a new nose tyre, but the RAF wouldn't sanction one being obtained from a local airline which flew the same model. So an Albert ambled its way slowly over the pond with the essential spare aboard. Or the Vulcan stuck in Hawaii (must have been hell for them) which needed some more hydraulic fluid. Which, of course, had to be flown out as DAC on a 'special' Albert...

I'm told that a Victor once needed a replacement PFCU to be sent to Offutt; when the box arrived after several days and was opened the Victor crew were somewhat bemused to find that it contained a 4-tonner crankshaft...:rolleyes: I don't actually believe that tale - but I've certainly received the wrong part after 2/3 days even though the correct description had been provided...:\

Does such fun still go on?

And now back to our regular programme.

I think this is the correct thread to say that it speaks volumes for the inability of the US to apply the most basic of security measures to sensitive documents. It's also a cracking example of how information aggregation can turn a routine piece of drudgery into something quite different.

Exactly, TS, That's why they are all so embarrassed - it's one thing to be suspected of being a mealy-mouthed lying tw@t, quite another to have it confirmed in writing.

I was just thinking exactly the same.

All the lengths that Foreign Nations goto to meet "strict US security demands" - and then you have some (assume low ranking) intel guy in Baghdad able to access sensitive embassy reports about a member of the royal family. Why on earth does that type of info need to be widely accessible by anybody?

Even noting the information superiority benefits of generally being able to access anything anywhere - there is surely something seriously wrong with the access permissions (or total lack thereof), is there not!

US could have prevented all of this using their own unique methods but what puzzles me is why they didn't.

The data that will come out will expose many countries for what they are and Governments for the way they deal with one hand and deal with the other which could have interesting consequences.

It also send a clear message to some countries that what they thought was secret was in fact compromised from the word go which adds its own complications as organisations spend time finding leakers and setting up new networks which no doubt the US will know about and control.

It will be interesting times ahead.

Leaked on purpose, so that we all know what the score is??????