UK should rethink army cuts after Crimea, says former army chief - Polidicks

[url]http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-26710855[/url] [quote]The UK should recruit more soldiers in light of the Ukraine and Syria crises and retain 3,000 troops in Germany, the former head of the Army has said. Lord Dannatt said that amid Nato concerns over Russian forces in Crimea, the West must have "muscle behind our message". But the Ministry of Defence currently plans to reduce the size of the Army. And Prime Minister David Cameron said he didn't think it was "necessary" to change those restructuring plans. Lord Dannatt, who was chief of the general staff between 2006 and 2008, warned that despite the "war-weariness and war-wariness" felt by the UK, if the country was going to send "diplomatic messages" it was "better to do it from a position of some strength rather than a position of weakness". He said that extra troops would signify that the UK took "defence and security seriously".[/quote] [img]http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/61372000/gif/_61372435_army_cuts_464gr.gif[/img] [img]http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/73775000/gif/_73775963_uk_troops_624.gif[/img]

[quote]muscle behind our message[/quote] What's our message exactly?

[QUOTE=WeekendWarrior;44343829]What's our message exactly?[/QUOTE] Fuck off russia

[QUOTE=smurfy;44343834]Oi Russia u cheeky cunt I swear 2 god m8 I'll smack u in the fucking gabber if u don't fuck off right[/QUOTE] More like

We should rather build a shared army within European Union. If all countries of EU shrunk their national military budget to half and pooled the rest into a common army, that army would still have about half money more than the entire Russian army does, and actually it would be the third best funded army in the world after USA and China.

UK troops in the US? What

[QUOTE=LoganIsAwesome;44344095]UK troops in the US? What[/QUOTE] You actually fell for the whole "independence" thing, lmao [editline]24th March 2014[/editline] Nah there are like [url=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_military_deployments#Europe]9000 American troops in the UK[/url] too. It'll just be general NATO cooperation shit I assume

[QUOTE=Awesomecaek;44343900]We should rather build a shared army within European Union. If all countries of EU shrunk their national military budget to half and pooled the rest into a common army, that army would still have about half money more than the entire Russian army does, and actually it would be the third best funded army in the world after USA and China.[/QUOTE] We have the [URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eurocorps"]Eurocorps[/URL] but it doesn't seem to get much love

Yay, endless military spending for a conflict we're too scared to have.

[QUOTE=LoganIsAwesome;44344095]UK troops in the US? What[/QUOTE] You filthy colonists better sleep with one eye open [editline]24th March 2014[/editline] [QUOTE=Steele92;44344161]We have the [URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eurocorps"]Eurocorps[/URL] but it doesn't seem to get much love[/QUOTE] Eurocorps sounds like something out of a video game

[QUOTE=Sega Saturn;44344192]Yay, endless military spending for a conflict we're too scared to have.[/QUOTE] Meh, UK defence budget isn't that big [img]http://imgkk.com/i/39l9.png[/img]

[QUOTE=Awesomecaek;44343900]We should rather build a shared army within European Union. If all countries of EU shrunk their national military budget to half and pooled the rest into a common army, that army would still have about half money more than the entire Russian army does, and actually it would be the third best funded army in the world after USA and China.[/QUOTE] Can you imagine the logistical problems it would have though? So many different inventories, doctrines, languages, historical rivalries and the like.

[QUOTE=smurfy;44344126] Nah there are like [url=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_military_deployments#Europe]9000 American troops in the UK[/url] too. It'll just be general NATO cooperation shit I assume[/QUOTE] Officers schools actually, US Officers Schools tend to get British, Egyptian, German, French and American troops. Those 9000 troops in the UK are probably part of a small Naval Base.

[QUOTE=LoganIsAwesome;44344095]UK troops in the US? What[/QUOTE] Joint training, Had to teach a bunch of redcoats new Breaching methods a couple months back, they needed us to hold hands the entire way. nah i'm kidding you guys are cool, but one of you fuckers stole my leatherman. [QUOTE=Swilly;44346872]Officers schools actually, US Officers Schools tend to get British, Egyptian, German, French and American troops. Those 9000 troops in the UK are probably part of a small Naval Base.[/QUOTE] that and i do believe mountaineering and air rescue schools also do training there.

[QUOTE=Swilly;44346872]Officers schools actually, US Officers Schools tend to get British, Egyptian, German, French and American troops. Those 9000 troops in the UK are probably part of a small Naval Base.[/QUOTE] It's airbases I think [url]https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Air_Force_in_the_United_Kingdom#USAF_bases_in_the_United_Kingdom[/url]

[QUOTE=Psychokitten;44346847]Can you imagine the logistical problems it would have though? So many different inventories, doctrines, languages, historical rivalries and the like.[/QUOTE] Of course it wouldn't be easy to set up and there would be overhead but I think the potential is worth it. Consider that on the other side, the portfolio of technology the army would have available without having to go trough international arms trade, plus to some degree, once some sense would be made of it, the mix of doctrines would be something that could be beneficial in the end, making the army extremely versatile. Rivalries, if kept under control, can lead to striving for more perfection, and I think that within europe, there isn't any national rivalry trained army men couldn't get over.

[QUOTE=Awesomecaek;44343900]We should rather build a shared army within European Union. If all countries of EU shrunk their national military budget to half and pooled the rest into a common army, that army would still have about half money more than the entire Russian army does, and actually it would be the third best funded army in the world after USA and China.[/QUOTE] I think that would be a bad idea, the EU represents mostly an union of values and economic cooperation and I think its powers should stay limited to civil issues. I'm not opposed to shared armies though, apart from the Eurocorps (which is independent from the EU), there are quite a few others that are shared between various member states. It's a good development but separation of powers is important and the EU's field is legislation, not executive.

[QUOTE=smurfy;44344252]Meh, UK defence budget isn't that big [img]http://imgkk.com/i/39l9.png[/img][/QUOTE] Where does all that money in social protection go to?

[QUOTE=godfatherk;44349593]Where does all that money in social protection go to?[/QUOTE] [IMG]http://img2.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20091223234549/half-life/en/images/c/cb/Metrocop_blue_eyes.jpg[/IMG] civil protection

[QUOTE=smurfy;44346952]It's airbases I think [url]https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Air_Force_in_the_United_Kingdom#USAF_bases_in_the_United_Kingdom[/url][/QUOTE] Yeah, and after some research it looks like those UK troops are probably at US Nuclear sites as part of a duel key sort of thing.

Having a large military force isn't always the best thing. Especially in the 21st century when having the best technology can really shift the battle.

[QUOTE=Awesomecaek;44343900]We should rather build a shared army within European Union. If all countries of EU shrunk their national military budget to half and pooled the rest into a common army, that army would still have about half money more than the entire Russian army does, and actually it would be the third best funded army in the world after USA and China.[/QUOTE] This would have to go paired with greater European influence in its member states though, and a lot of people are still opposed to that. Euroscepticism is prevalent, mainly because people in rich countries think they're paying for people in the poorer countries, and people in poorer countries dislike the larger 'foreign' influence. However I do like the idea of a common EU army capable of holding its own. It'd help in building a common identity for European citizens too.

[QUOTE=godfatherk;44349593]Where does all that money in social protection go to?[/QUOTE] I believe it mostly goes towards pensions, with a minority being used for JSA. (or more correctly being used to find the private companies to try to scare people away from JSA and sanction them for random reasons)