Non Guitar: British Defence Budget

[Buc McMaster]

Keeping up with the news, I read of the cutting of the British Defence budget and how it is effecting the standing military and the civilian workforce that supports it. Any of our friends across the pond directly affected by these measures? Sad tale to read.

[albertjohn]

Keeping up with the news, I read of the cutting of the British Defence budget and how it is effecting the standing military and the civilian workforce that supports it. Any of our friends across the pond directly affected by these measures? Sad tale to read.

While I have never served, my father served in the Royal Navy for close to 40 years. I grew up surrounded by Navy life and was very privaleged to live in Hong Kong twice, Malaysia, Singapore and Scotland as well as Portsmouth and Plymouth. I don't have too many regrets in life but not joining up is near the top.

 

The defence cuts announced yesterday were inevitable. It's a great shame that very soon we will not have an HMS Ark Royal, a name synonimous with the history the RN and the UK itself.she is 1 of the 3 current aircraft carriers currently in service. The 2 new carriers are going ahead (it would be more expensive to cancel the contracts) which is great for British shipbuilding jobs but now that the Sea Harrier will be withdrawn, we will have no planes for them until the Joint Strike Aircraft comes into service, some years down the line. One of the new carriers is likely to be sold soon after it comes into service.

 

Having said all that the UK is still 4th in terms of defence spend behind USA, China and France.

 

Interesting times we live in!

[EpiSheriMan]

It's actually refreshing that this government is actually trying to do something about the staggering National Debt!!!!!

 

I

[ChrisA83]

It's actually refreshing that this government is actually trying to do something about the staggering National Debt!!!!!

 

I

 

+1

 

Everyone is fighting their corner, saying "no cuts here", but they have to be made somewhere. They just better not affect me

[Shambolic]

It's actually refreshing that this government is actually trying to do something about the staggering National Debt!!!!!

 

I

 

well what this government is doing is doing is a real hot potato and many economists are scratching their heads but as far as defense spending, maybe it's time to put the days of the Empire behind us and realize we are no longer a major world power.

[Buc McMaster]

....maybe it's time to put the days of the Empire behind us and realize we are no longer a major world power.

 

In regards to defense, this will be absolutely true. Decommisioning the Ark Royal, mothballing one of the new carriers after it's completed, the other without planes until 2020, only able to project a maximum of three brigades world wide.......indeed it is the end of empire-like power. In addition they say nearly 500,000 civilian jobs will be lost over four years. Painful adjustments to the reality of the national economic situation. France is trying to bite the bullet and the people are rioting in the streets. When will this kind of pain come to America? As the rest of the world economically awakens, the traditional world powers struggle to hang on to their place in the world. As the global influence of China, India and others rise, the USA and Europe watch their fortunes begin to wane. The world is changing right before our eyes......and quickly. What will things look like in 50 years?

[jannusguy2]

[quote name='Buc McMaster' timestamp='1287582591' . When will this kind of pain come to America?

 

it's already here. it's just taking the form of political turmoil in this mid-term election. no one is willing to admit what needs to be done and no one wants it done to them. tea baggers scream about socialism and deficits while milking medicare and social security. and they don't get the irony. cut gov't spending! just not what's spent on me. i have no children and no expectation of "golden years". hell, if i'd known i'd last this long i'd have taken better care of myself. i won't be around to see the long term consequences of this stupid BS taking place right now. i'm ok with that. I actually admire the Brit gov't for what they're doing. at the same time i admire the French for rising up against the changes being proposed in their country. i like the idea of gov't bowing to the will the people instead of the the other way around. now that corporations have person- hood and our congress is a subsidiary of those corporations, i guess we can forget that. good luck to us all, we're gonna need it. in the meantime, i have me some fine Gibson guitars that make everything ok in my little world.