Green paper reveals military budget cuts

[-:Undertaker:-]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...ce-France.html

• Afghanistan top priority with £5bn funding next year
  
• More cooperation with allies as spending cuts bite
  
• Prospect RAF and Navy could merge
  
• New aircraft carriers still likely despite 'tough choices'
• Trident nuclear deterrent's £20bn update to go ahead

The Tories questioned Labour's call for Britain to rely more on France on defence today as it attacked its commitment to recent conflicts. Shadow defence secretary Liam Fox queried how much the UK could afford to rely on European allies after the Government said this would be increasingly crucial. Defence Secretary Bob Ainsworth, in a green paper, warned spending cuts would mean greater cooperation with other countries as well as the U.S. But Dr Fox said: 'For us there are two tests: do they invest in defence? And do they fight? Sadly, too few European allies pass both these tests.'

France vehemently opposed the invasion of Iraq in 2003. Its president Jacques Chirac created a diplomatic crisis by warning he would veto a second UN resolution. They did join Nato-led forces in Afghanistan in 2001, despite not being part of the alliance. They now have around 3,500 troops in the country - roughly a third of the British contingent - and 38 have died there. Britain's death toll stands at 253.

Today's paper came as Gordon Brown faced fresh accusations that he imposed 'arbitrary' cuts on the Armed Forces while he was Chancellor. Published ahead of a full-scale strategic defence review after the election, it did not refer to specific programmes, other than to confirm the decision to go ahead with the £20billion update of the Trident nuclear deterrent. But it made clear that the SDR would be set against a backdrop of tightening budgets as the Government battles to reduce the £178billion deficit. 'The wider financial context means resources across government will be constrained. We should not underestimate the scale of that challenge,' it said.

France? - the country which refuses to help the United Kingdom and United States in the face on conflict. The country which detests everything about the UK-US close alliance and thus tries everything along with Germany to weaken UK-US power both militaraliy and economically. It would be a very sad day to see the RAF/Royal Navy merged. I'm glad the Trident project is being preserved though as thats the most important part of our defence although we shouldnt be having any of these cuts if we cut our international aid to nations such as India and China which have vast nuclear weapon programmes and increase their military spending year on year, not to mention the various other wastes we give our money to.

Another step via the backdoor to the creation of an EU army.

Thoughts, should the armed forces be cut & what would you cut?

[Technologic]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...ce-France.html

• Afghanistan top priority with £5bn funding next year
  
• More cooperation with allies as spending cuts bite
  
• Prospect RAF and Navy could merge
  
• New aircraft carriers still likely despite 'tough choices'
• Trident nuclear deterrent's £20bn update to go ahead

France? - the country which refuses to help the United Kingdom and United States in the face on conflict. The country which detests everything about the UK-US close alliance and thus tries everything along with Germany to weaken UK-US power both militaraliy and economically. It would be a very sad day to see the RAF/Royal Navy merged. I'm glad the Trident project is being preserved though as thats the most important part of our defence although we shouldnt be having any of these cuts if we cut our international aid to nations such as India and China which have vast nuclear weapon programmes and increase their military spending year on year, not to mention the various other wastes we give our money to.

Another step via the backdoor to the creation of an EU army.

Thoughts, should the armed forces be cut & what would you cut?

The RAF already owns and operates all the sea harriers....

[-:Undertaker:-]

They are not merged though, which this paper seems to suggest they should be. I don't agree with them being merged due to 'lack of funds' - why on earth should our military be cut when we continue to donate to China/India who are increasing their military budgets year on year?

Not to mention the fact we are in the middle of a war in Afghanistan.

[Alkaz]

Another step via the backdoor to the creation of an EU army.

We need our own forces so I dont know how they could even consider the cuts. If anything goes wrong and one country needs the forces, it will only take another country for the EUC's to say we cant use them :/.

[-:Undertaker:-]

We need our own forces so I dont know how they could even consider the cuts. If anything goes wrong and one country needs the forces, it will only take another country for the EUC's to say we cant use them :/.

Well common sense would say that but in the EU common sense is a rare thing to come across. The leaders across Europe all want an European Union Military. Infact the Treaty of Lisbon (which we were promised a vote on but were never given one) laid down the foundations of what they call 'common defence policy' which basically means scrapping national military and creating one big military. It all helps them in the long run you see, because when people call for us to leave they can turn around and say 'we cant because if we leave we wont have any defense' just like they have with the economy - whenever somebody says we should leave the EU the usual reply is 'we cant because its far too economically dangerous to leave'.

[AlexOC]

The RAF and Royal Navy being merged won't be so bad.

[Jordy]

I don't know of any countries in the world who have merged their Navy and Air Force. To be fair, both play an enormous part in our history, especially the Navy and I couldn't imagine it being any other way.

I think a closer relationship with the US is needed but if the conditions were right, I can't see why a French coalition wouldn't work when it comes to defence.

Bare in mind this is on about defence not a merger of armies or an agreement to be side by side in all conflicts our armies are involved in. They may of opposed both the war in Iraq and Afghanistan but that was attacking, not defending. If we had some sort of an agreement with France that we both come to each others defence in the case of an attack, I can't see any harm in that.

The US aren't much use when it comes to defence, although if we keep being a strong allies of them, that will deter any countries attacking the UK.

[alexxxxx]

military spending should be cut and many of our troops should be brought home from Afghanistan.

[xxMATTGxx]

I hate the idea of "budget cuts" regarding the military. We don't need the cuts, we need the money and the equipment. Merging the RAF and the Navy is a joke. :/

[dbgtz]

Heres an idea for Gordon brown, REMOVE THOSE FREAKING STUPID BENEFITS and keep our defence like it is, gawd. Some violent countries might see this as weakness and nuke us.