It breaks my heart...

[tommo8993]

With talks of "defense cuts" in the British media and what Ive read up on them I'm absolutely devastated to learn that the RAF is going to be cut to its smallest number since world war 1, the army is going to loose a lot of tanks and trucks (stuff not needed in Afghanistan) and the poor navy might loose its two new carriers before their built. This sickens me, the MOD is only thinking one thing:AFGHANISTAN. We (Britain) has the 2nd largest defense budget on the planet, where is it going if we are loosing our navy and air force.

Britain the once great nation controlled a quarter of the world, then gave it all back...



(rant over)

[Oberon]

I hear ya Tommo....I hear ya... :wah:

[papa_smurf]

Beggars belief:nope:

[tommo8993]

If this is true, Argentina is going to float straight over to the Falklands...
Its OK to focus on Afghanistan now, our troops need equipment but all going to plan the UK will be out in 2015, but what about 2020.


http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/campaigns/our_boys/3151008/Youve-shrunk-brour-battleships.html?OTC-RSS&ATTR=Our+Boys

[tommo8993]

Well, no jets on carriers until 2020...
I didn't think it would be that bad.

[TLAM Strike]

Actually the UK as the 3rd highest defense budget after the PRC. The UK is projected to go down to #4 with France being #3.

2010 Data:
USA: 661 Billion $
PRC: 100 Billion $
Fra: 63.9 Billion $
UK: 58.3 Billion $
Ru: 53.3 Billion $
JP: 51 Billion $

Sorry to say but we could by the Queen's Military out of our petty cash jar... :O:

[frau kaleun]

Sorry to say but we could by the Queen's Military out of our petty cash jar... :O:

How much for just Prince Harry? And please keep in mind I'm expecting a discount on account of the ginger thing. :O:

[Axeman3d]

If we sacked the royals we could buy a couple of carriers no problem. I'm quite sure we could invent some sort of hand shaking, holiday taking machine that could take over much of the 'valuable work' they do.

[TLAM Strike]

If we sacked the royals we could buy a couple of carriers no problem. I'm quite sure we could invent some sort of hand shaking, holiday taking machine that could take over much of the 'valuable work' they do.

Your royals only cost you 37 million pounds a year, not even enough for one lousy F-35. :nope:

[Captain Nemo]

With talks of "defense cuts" in the British media and what Ive read up on them I'm absolutely devastated to learn that the RAF is going to be cut to its smallest number since world war 1, the army is going to loose a lot of tanks and trucks (stuff not needed in Afghanistan) and the poor navy might loose its two new carriers before their built. This sickens me, the MOD is only thinking one thing:AFGHANISTAN. We (Britain) has the 2nd largest defense budget on the planet, where is it going if we are loosing our navy and air force.

Britain the once great nation controlled a quarter of the world, then gave it all back...



(rant over)

Didn't have much choice but to give the empire back after WWII because we were broke and had to pay the US back large sums of money. A very similar situation faces the UK today, but it wasn't a war what done it, it was those greedy bankers:nope:.

Nemo

[Captain Nemo]

Your royals only cost you 37 million pounds a year, not even enough for one lousy F-35. :nope:

Still a waste of money though:down:.

Nemo

[Axeman3d]

I think if we shake them down you'll find there's a bit more than £37 million to be saved. The Queen is one of the richest women in the world, possibly because we give her millions a year and pay for all her palaces, castles, etc. Impound her bank card and sell the multiple homes of the multiple royals that we fund and we'll have a few bob to spare.

[Herr-Berbunch]

I'd rather personally give HM 66p per annum than the billions Darling promised Scotland conveniently before the last election, so Labour could retain seats! :yep: I won't carry on about the unjust proportions between the countries of the UK.

A vast income from tourism aside, the land owned by The Crown Estate has an income to the UK economy well above what the Queen costs. More than makes the royal family 'worth it'!

[Axeman3d]

I hear the tourist attraction defence a lot. Most tourists never see a royal, they see the castles and guards doing what they do. I would prefer cardboard cutouts of royals in the windows to real royals sucking down millions in tax. I just cant see a good side to sustaining a bunch of inbred nuts.

[Tarrasque]

I hear the tourist attraction defence a lot. Most tourists never see a royal, they see the castles and guards doing what they do. I would prefer cardboard cutouts of royals in the windows to real royals sucking down millions in tax. I just cant see a good side to sustaining a bunch of inbred nuts.

Perhaps you would prefer the royalty take back the land that they gave the country in exchange for their income?

The income generated for the country by their land far, far, outweighs the relatively small amount asked for.

[Axeman3d]

You think they had a choice? You think they got that land through hard work? Do you think if Prince Charles decided to play it like his namesake and kick out parliament that we would all happily follow him? I am not happy being a 'subject' of anyone, let alone someone who believes in magic.

I think if we are keeping them just because they are tourist attractions, it has reached a level where the country could do without them. If it comes to keeping that anachronism running and leaving ourselves wide open to any half developed economy that doesn't sell all its military assets, I'm for losing the Sax-Coburg Gothas. If we are cutting jobs because we are so skint, lets cut Royals rather than Navy personnel as they are far less useful.

[Tarrasque]

Axeman,

So we stop paying for the royals in breach of what was agreed.

They get their land back.

Net effect = Loss of money to the economy.

What's your real name? David Cameron?

Sounds like one of the stupid, moronic ideas he and his cronies are coming up with.

[V.C. Sniper]

hope all the money they saved goes to education and research/development into new technologies.

[Captain Nemo]

I'm with Axeman3d on this one. I think the Royal Family has passed their sell by date and should be put out to grass. In some ways in recent years they have become an embarrassment. Once the Queen has popped her clogs I think they should be abolished. The tourism argument is a lame one. Do tourists stop visiting other countries in Europe because they no longer have a royal family? No of course not. The history will still be there, just that the royals won't.

Nemo

[Herr-Berbunch]

Even the Aussies had a choice and the chose to keep her as head of state! So let's have one big referenda to choose the way the UK should go...

Sovereign or republic

EU or not EU

Currency euro or pound

One big happy UK with one parliament making decisions on behalf of the whole UK or separate parliaments (or school assembly for the Welsh) including separate treasuries, border controls and defence.


One final point, for now, if (when) we did become a republic we'd only get the same sorry-arsed politicians running for el presidento we have now, and maybe the odd 'celebrity'. At least with the royal family you know what you're getting into, and spending - how much would security cost just for previous el presidentes every few years? Smile, it could be worse :D

[tommo8993]

And today i read in the papers that argentina has increased its defence budget by 100% (doubled).

[raymond6751]

After each of the big wars, they cut the military down. Each time a war starts they are scrambling and desperate.