MP Drax condemns defence cuts (From Bournemouth Echo)
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MP Drax condemns defence cuts
6:00pm Friday 25th January 2013 in News
MP: Richard Drax is a former Coldstream Guards officer
SOUTH Dorset MP and former Coldstream Guards officer Richard Drax, inset, has criticised the government’s latest round of defence cuts.
A third round of cuts, announced yesterday, will see 5,300 soldiers lose their jobs and the British Army reduced to 82,000 personnel – its lowest level since the 1700s.
Defence Secretary Phillip Hammond blamed the cuts on “the defence deficit this Government inherited and the consequent scale of downsizing required in the army”.
However, many critics argue downsizing the armed forces while the UK still faces real or potential threats around the globe is a huge error.
Mr Drax, pictured, told the Daily Echo: “My view is that the defence of our country should be our top priority.
“We live in increasingly unstable times, as this latest outrage in Algeria has proved.
“The Prime Minister has not ruled out putting boots on the ground in North Africa and our generals and other senior officers are saying we are stretched to the limit.
“The armed services will always do what they are told, that is what is so wonderful about our armed services.
“But if they give us this loyalty, we owe them a loyalty and duty to ensure they have the right kit and the right amount of manpower.”
Comments(4)
Upkeep
says...
9:23pm Fri 25 Jan 13
Yankee1
says...
12:24am Sat 26 Jan 13
billd766
says...
2:13am Sat 26 Jan 13
The problem is the enourmous costs of running the military, for example to replace a broken part on a vehicle or aircraft in Afghanistan costs so much because
1 procuring it in the first place
2 storing it in the UK until needed
3 shipping it by air
4 the number of people actually involved may be up to 10 including accounts, stores, transport, aircrew and groundcrew, delivery and accounts at the other end plus the guy to fit it.
Much of this cost CAN be easily reduced.
Firstly the government(s) of the day should figure the cost of starting a war, how long they expect it to last, what the human costs will be and then triple that amount and tell the country what THEY are going to do and WHY it is so important.
The New Labour got the UK into Iraq and then Afghanistan many years ago with no real idea of why or how long or how much and now the whole country is paying for it and will be for generations yet.
The country will also pay in the future for the current cost cutting of the military as you cannot simple double the size of the mitary overnight without being able to properly equip it, train it, find somewhere for them to live and be with their families.
In fact you may not even be able to get enough people to join up after they see the way the military are treated now.
The military will always do their best with what they have.
Blame the politicians of all sides most of whom couldn't even find a military boot if it kicked them in the ***e.
Tango Charlie says...
8:25pm Fri 25 Jan 13
British Government cuts forces.
Financial Crisis left by poor monetary constraints .
Build up of nationalism.
Failure of crops.
Then pleased check against international wars...
(I did not tell you, you can find out by yourselves).