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Britain’s ability to sustain campaigns in Iraq and Afghanistan was called into question last night as it emerged that almost half of all military personnel are ready to quit.
The first survey to assess attitudes across the Armed Forces reveals unprecedented levels of concern over equipment, morale and pay. It found that the sense of overcommitment means that 47 per cent of soldiers and army officers think regularly of handing in their resignations…
Hand in their resignations?! Try that in Uncle Sugar’s volunteer army.
Dissatisfaction with equipment and resources was also a common theme, reflecting the criticisms voiced by coroners. Andrew Walker, the assistant deputy coroner for Oxfordshire, has attacked the MoD numerous times during soldiers’ inquests for failing to provide enough of the right equipment to protect the troops.
Of course, here in the States, we have Congress working to protect the needs and rights of our troops. Eh?
As few as half?
Well, looking at our own military, at least the concerns of today’s servicemen are justified when compared to the kids who were complaining during Kosovo because they had only joined the military for college money and didn’t expect they would actually be made to deploy somewhere and fight.
ha, 6 month tours. What are they touring with Damn Yankees?
Well… that’s what happens when you send people off, and endanger their lives, for meaningless military fiascoes with no clear cut goals or end game.
The UK should draft the Muslims in their country and send them there to fight each other.
The British could invade easier nations if they still want to become a colonial power. I’m sure the Zulus are just as easy to invade as they were in 1879
Not all that surprising. As I’m sure the average british soldier is better educated than their american counter parts. What the UK needs to do it crank out their own style of pro-war movies, the equivalent of what Hollywood makes, to inspire their boys to stick it out til the bitter end. But I gather the British have lapsed a bit, in the propaganda department. Or have been relying on the Americans to do this. And maybe our flavor of reckless heroism doesn’t appeal to the commoner brits anymore. The average british soldier also has a lot more to live for, like their universal health care plan. But I suppose it really boils down to this. None of their skyscrapers were destroyeed by arab terrorists. They’ve mostly had to deal with Irish terrorists. So being invited along to help the americans, does inspire them into believing that they’re fighting a meaningful war. And if this one lasts as long as Vietnam did, the next generation of american soldier won’t know what they’re fighting for either. As they will have been in grade school when the Trade Center tower fell. So they’ll begin to avoid the whole messy affair. That’s why wars have to be shorts as possible. The propaganda factor can only be stretched for so many years.
The average American GI knows better than to give an honest opinion about this fiasco. Especially if he hopes to soldier on to early retirement and benefits. If he survives the current administration’s blundering that is.
Isn’t it an almost ancient tradition for the
troops to gripe about there lot in life?
The American generals certainly know that. If they want retirement and rank, they tell Bushie he’s doing a great job.
The only one that so far has made the mistake of being honest is Major General Taguba. They ran his ass out of the military so fast he didn’t have time to clean his desk.