Army cuts

[Mancie]

I think the young lad on question time tonight summed it up.. we grieve almost daily on the deaths of our lads fighting for our way of life ...and then this government say we don't need 20,000 of you.. disgusting

[gynn]

If we cut the number of troops in the armed forces, maybe it will lead to us contributing our fair share, and no more, to international disputes.

Here is a list of current troop numbers in Afghanistan

United States 90,000
United Kingdom 9,500
Germany 4,812
France 3,935
Italy 3,880
Poland 2,560
Romania 1,938
Turkey 1,786
Spain 1,552

Source: NATO

NATO troops are in Afghanistan to protect the western world from the threat of terrorism. That threat is as real in Germany, France, Italy and Spain as it is in the UK, so why do we have between two and five times the number of troops there?

The USA can justify their own position.

[accyman]

i would say the threat is more real for the UK than germany simply because it was the UK that lied and fabricated evidence so the UK could support america and drag the rest into it.

hence why we got bombed on 7/7 and america got 9/11 .The UK and usa are viewed as the main instigators of this so called war on terror which the UK and usa started by invading iraq a country that had absolutely nothing to do with 9/11

do we need to keep our troops ?

as long as our government runs around kissing americas backside and upsetting the middle east we damn well do

[Benipete]

I find it strange that none of the 23,000 Bureaucrats employed by the M.O.D are getting the push.
Oh yea I forgot they are the ones that drew up the plan.

Over the hill with a fixed ballpoint chaps.

[jaysay]

Originally Posted by Benipete

I find it strange that none of the 23,000 Bureaucrats employed by the M.O.D are getting the push.
Oh yea I forgot they are the ones that drew up the plan.

Over the hill with a fixed ballpoint chaps.

Beni its the same in the NHS, none of the managers on telephone number salaries, not forgetting the car, have gone down the road, this could only happen in the public sector, if this was the case in the private sector it would go bankrupt, but its a bottomless pit funded by the tax payer

[DaveinGermany]

Originally Posted by MargaretR

In view of DaveG's former army connections, and his present location, I ask him to please report any incident the german media may report, because it is not likely to be reported in UK media.

All quiet on the Western front.

As was expected, the Lads (& Lasses) of the Battalion remained professional throughout. Freedom of the City parade, March past & military band, there was more a feeling of sadness than outrage despite the disrespect & disdain exhibited by the British political classes to these young warriors.

Troops will bitch & moan, but at the end of the day they knuckle down & get on with the job regardless of their personal doubts, distaste or disagreement with an issue. That has every been the way of the Tommy & it's this resilience in the face of adversity that earns our forces such respect the world over, but sadly not from our own "leaders".

[MargaretR]

It is a pity that they didn't protest in some way - a two fingered salute maybe

The movement for a protest in UK appears to be gathering momentum.
There are Facebook pages for regiments as well as a main protest page.
They are arranging gatherings of soldiers, ex soldiers and members of the public, at war memorials on 24th July.

The national gathering is to be at the Cenotaph, but whether that will be the 24th or 28th appears undecided yet.

Many war veterans are planning to attend and to return their medals.

[Royboy39]

Originally Posted by MargaretR

It is a pity that they didn't protest in some way - a two fingered salute maybe

The movement for a protest in UK appears to be gathering momentum.
There are Facebook pages for regiments as well as a main protest page.
They are arranging gatherings of soldiers, ex soldiers and members of the public, at war memorials on 24th July.

The national gathering is to be at the Cenotaph, but whether that will be the 24th or 28th appears undecided yet.

Many war veterans are planning to attend and to return their medals.

That comes across as the bigoted "Opinion" of a union leader.
Stick to what you know about.
I would sooner see our troops performing in ceremonials than coming back in boxes.The days of numbers for cannon fodder have long gone and so it should be.

[Less]

Originally Posted by Benipete

Over the hill with a fixed ballpoint chaps.

Not without hi-vis jackets and an assesment from H&S, GOOD HEAVENS Sir, they are professional pen pushers!

[MargaretR]

Originally Posted by Royboy39

That comes across as the bigoted "Opinion" of a union leader.
Stick to what you know about.
I would sooner see our troops performing in ceremonials than coming back in boxes.The days of numbers for cannon fodder have long gone and so it should be.

Speaking as one pacifist to another (seemingly).
I have never been a 'leader' in anything - union or otherwise.
Soldiers 'bodies in boxes' is as abhorrent to me as it is to you.
In this thread I relay what I have read about the ordinary soldiers reaction to redundancies.
They appear to be very angry, and missed an opportunity to vent it in Germany.
Whether their anger is justified or misplaced is not for me to say, since you so rightly say I don't know enough about it (never have, or even aspired to be, a soldier)

[cashman]

Originally Posted by Royboy39

That comes across as the bigoted "Opinion" of a union leader.
Stick to what you know about.
I would sooner see our troops performing in ceremonials than coming back in boxes.The days of numbers for cannon fodder have long gone and so it should be.

So would everyone i know!! But thats sod all to do wi cuts etc that are depriving long serving people from there "Full Pensions" Which has nowt to do wi what yeh know about, nowt to do wi union leaders, more to do wi fairness n decency, maybe thats n area you are lacking in?

[Less]

Originally Posted by MargaretR

and missed an opportunity to vent it in Germany.

They are professional soldiers, they were on duty, they are a well trained force not a rabble, duty first then they'll gripe.

Whatever would it have looked like if those squaddies had marched past like an uncontrollable mob on a picket line?

It is up to us, the citizens to protest on their behalf.

At least they will find The WMD they were sent to seek, at last, (Welfare Massive Depression).

Perhaps we are meant to get 'hot under the collar'?

Whatever are they pushing through that will be well hidden when they back down on this one?

Drastic actions call for drastic measures, this looks drastic to me.

[Royboy39]

Originally Posted by cashman

So would everyone i know!! But thats sod all to do wi cuts etc that are depriving long serving people from there "Full Pensions" Which has nowt to do wi what yeh know about, nowt to do wi union leaders, more to do wi fairness n decency, maybe thats n area you are lacking in?

After 21 years service he will have a bigger pension pot than you or I ever had,
take into consideration redundancy payment and resettlement allowance for that amount of service, how much will he loose?
There are many service associations, not unions, who would not allow this to happen to the man's pension.
I would guide him in the right direction, not send him to the nearest barrack-room lawyer.

[cashman]

Originally Posted by Royboy39

After 21 years service he will have a bigger pension pot than you or I ever had,
take into consideration redundancy payment and resettlement allowance for that amount of service, how much will he loose?
There are many service associations, not unions, who would not allow this to happen to the man's pension.
I would guide him in the right direction, not send him to the nearest barrack-room lawyer.

Still don't get it,Still missing the point, Yer previous reply to MargaretR, makes you sound like a barrack room lawyer.

[Eric]

Originally Posted by jaysay

Beni its the same in the NHS, none of the managers on telephone number salaries, not forgetting the car, have gone down the road, this could only happen in the public sector, if this was the case in the private sector it would go bankrupt, but its a bottomless pit funded by the tax payer

And the biggest office building in the world is the Pentagon Thing is tho', you can't privatise the military ... altho' "private security forces" seem to be popular in the US. And I don't see the private sector as being all that efficient. Unless that efficiency is directed towards shady dealings which benefit only the top execs ... Barclay's comes to mind for some reason

It used to be "we've got the ships, we've got the men, we've got the money too" ... not any more. The bottomless pit no longer exists, except as a piece of empty rhetoric.