Cutting of 17 Army units faces criticism

[Del]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-18731157

Government plans to cut the Army by 17 major units and 20,000 regular soldiers by 2020 have been criticised by MPs and former soldiers.

Labour said they were short-sighted and could put the UK at risk, while the Welsh First Minister described cuts to the Royal Welsh as a "severe blow".

But Defence Secretary Philip Hammond said the Army would be a "forward-looking, modern fighting machine".

Four infantry battalions are among the units to be scrapped.

The number of regular soldiers is set to fall from 102,000 to 82,000, while reservists will double to 30,000.

The Army will be about half the size it was during the Cold War era - it had more than 163,000 troops in 1978.

 

[Pblueman]

To put it into perspective, after the cuts you will be able to seat the WHOLE army in wembley stadium

 

[bluejock]

David Cameron and his stooges single handedly ripping the heart and soul from the Armed Forces.

[Poor language removed] of a man.

 

[Del]

To put it into perspective, after the cuts you will be able to seat the WHOLE army in wembley stadium

With seats to spare mate

 

[Goat]

They gonna be sorry when ZE GERMANS come back.

 

[Allezfan]

The way we've treat the army over the last ten years is an utter disgrace.

 

[kenada_blue]

And they won't plug the hole where big businesses.dodge billions of tax every year

 

[Pblueman]

only get worse too

 

[TheBlueGibbon]

The way we've treat the army over the last ten years is an utter disgrace.

Armed forces generally tbh. Pissing about with whether or not to keep trident, the flip-flopping of what planes will be on the Queen Elizabeth type carriers, underfunding and underequipping them in Afghanistan and Iraq etc.

 

[kev101]

Why do we need a ****in-g massive army?

 

[Allezfan]

Why do we need a ****in-g massive army?

When we fight three wars at once, like we were last year.

 

[bluejock]

Why do we need a ****in-g massive army?

100,000 man army is not "f*cking massive."

All three armed services are being cut back more and more at the same time as the workload and overseas commitment is being increased.

More lives are being put in danger by ridiculous decisions made by men who sit in an air conditioned office in Whitehall and haven't got the second f*cking clue how a military operates or what it's like to bullets whiZing around their ears.

 

[kev101]

You mean when we invade other peoples countries?
I'm not knocking the men on the ground. These days armies are for scoring points for political parties.
Obviously we need some armed forces, for say martial law or peace keeping etc but war??? I don't think so.

 

[kev101]

100,000 man army is not "f*cking massive."

All three armed services are being cut back more and more at the same time as the workload and overseas commitment is being increased.

More lives are being put in danger by ridiculous decisions made by men who sit in an air conditioned office in Whitehall and haven't got the second f*cking clue how a military operates or what it's like to bullets whiZing around their ears.

I've no doubt you're right about that.
So how about we pull out of these unlawful & immoral 'wars' & save a few lives that way, instead of piling more troops etc over to be put in danger for no reason.

 

[bluejock]

I've no doubt you're right about that.
So how about we pull out of these unlawful & immoral 'wars' & save a few lives that way, instead of piling more troops etc over to be put in danger for no reason.

I've been advocating pulling out of Afghanistan for years now. But to cut the number of soldiers BEFORE the withdrawal is tantamount to signing the death warrants of tens, maybe hundreds mor British forces.

Look at the cutbacks in the RAF. the ridiculous decision to scrap Nimrod MRA4 must've seemed great to them at the time. A saving of £3.6 billion. Except the money had already been spent. They aircraft were paid for. The savings were minimal at best.

Fast forward 2 years and there are two dead aircrew somewhere in the Moray Firth who's lives may have been saved if a rapid reaction search and rescue platform (the best maritime patrol and SAR aircraft ever designed) had been available. At worst, at least their bodies would've been recovered to their families.

Defense cuts in manpower and equopment cost lives. Start by trimming the number of generals on £100k+ salaries and use the money to help those at the sharp edge of the sword do their jobs and come home safe.