Where is Great Britain?

[Jimbuna]

Nothing much left of the 'Great' anymore but still doing its best punching above its weight for fear of becoming an isolationist.

[August]

I was listening to an NPR report the other day that basically said Britain is stepping off the world stage. Hope it's not true. John Bull has been a force for far more good than bad and his loss will be keenly felt.

[XabbaRus]

To be honest I think there are other priorities that need to be tackled now.
I was once a staunch defender of Trident and the armed forces but seeing what we have got ourselves into of late I wonder is it worth it. Being a father and with my daughter now in secondary school and my son following a few years later I think the money saved on defence could be better spent elsewhere. Free education for one thing, including a first degree. Does that mean Britain can't have world beating defence technology companies, would it meant BAe Systems would wither and die? Of course not. Sweden doesn't have a huge defence budget but she sure as hell exports a lot.

The fact is a lot of European countries look at the UK and how she is kind of in Europe but not and think she isn't worth it. That is why France and Germany have led the negotiations and the process regarding the Ukraine. The UK needs to make a commitment to the EU one way or the other. But we just antagonise people. Ergo - no one really wants us involved.

[Oberon]

You can't be a power without the muscle to back it up. We've been putting this off since WWII bankrupted us and whilst we've tried to do more with less, it's gotten to the point where we just can't do it any more.
We're going to have to fall back for a couple of decades to rebuild ourselves. I think that even the US will have to do a similar thing in the coming century as the debt ceiling is pushed ever higher.
We'll still be around, not as a great power, but as a regional one and if we're called I dare say we'll answer to the best that we can.
In regards to Trident, it is, I fear, a necessary evil in a world where the possibility of nuclear proliferation is still high, but we'll just have to see where the next government, in whatever form it takes, will do.

EDIT: I think our future lies as part of a European power bloc, rather than isolated and alone. We just don't have the clout for individual actions any more.

[Eichhörnchen]

We are, are we not, supposed to be subscribing to this European Rapid-Reaction Force? That's something, I suppose, but more about putting fires out than enforcing Policy.

[MGR1]

1: There's a General Election campaign going on, so no one's really paying attention to the rest of the planet.

2: The UK is currently undergoing a monumental identity crisis which has come to a head after the Scottish independence referendum last year.

3: The UK's fundamentally broke and none of the political parties have any real idea as to how to fix it.

As for Trident, it's regrettable necessity, but it'll have to be moved from Faslane. Not because I support the SNP's position, but it'll hopefully stop Glasgow gurning about it!! I'm fed up with the constant "We're no wantin' it hear, pal"!!!!! If they're prepared to take the jobs hit, I'm sure somewhere else would simply love to have the boost to their economy!

Arguably the best location for it would be Cornwall or Devon as those are the closest to the continental shelf and deep water.

Mike.

[Oberon]

Originally Posted by Eichhornchen

We are, are we not, supposed to be subscribing to this European Rapid-Reaction Force? That's something, I suppose, but more about putting fires out than enforcing Policy.

I meant more as an entity, rather than the infighting collection of nation states we have right now. Individually none of the states in the EU can compete on an international level with the likes of the US, Russia or China, but together as a whole entity, it's one of the most powerful economic and political forces.

[STEED]

Great Britain.

[Herr-Berbunch]

Originally Posted by Eichhornchen

We are, are we not, supposed to be subscribing to this European Rapid-Reaction Force? That's something, I suppose, but more about putting fires out than enforcing Policy.

Pass, but we are (or at least were) part of the Allied Rapid Reaction Corps, which may have evolved into ERRF. Did some exercises with them in Germany, all good fun.

[Jimbuna]

Originally Posted by Herr-Berbunch

Pass, but we are (or at least were) part of the Allied Rapid Reaction Corps, which may have evolved into ERRF. Did some exercises with them in Germany, all good fun.

'Major' Wreford-Brown and his men are off to Canada for exercises in the summer as part of the UK Army's spearhead brigade