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On a serious note, as a European I was embarrassed at the amount of 🍑 licking that went on towards “The Donald”. Having to rely on the Americans for security on our own patch is nothing short of disgraceful.
Russia is as weak now as its ever been and we have been handed an opportunity to get rid of Putin once and for all but instead we’re pussyfooting around him talking about peace treaties when we should be in Ukraine taking him down.
The only person who got all his work done by Friday was Robinson Crusoe.
Anything i post over three lines long please assume it is an article lol.Brydo I think we will soon find out if the Russians position is weak.If they do any kind of deal with Trump after the U.S. military aid cut then that would be a clear sign that at this moment in time they don’t have the resources to finish off the Ukrainians.Unfortunately this looks like an open invitation for Putin to push on and I think that’s what will happen as the ‘we want peace’ garbage coming out of the Kremlin is just that imo and is only to portray Zelensky as the one who won’t come to the negotiating table.We will find out soon I suspect,but the abandonment of Ukraine by the U.S. is an utter disgrace as one way or another it will give Putin the ‘win’ he is seeking.
…..talking about peace treaties when we should be in Ukraine taking him down.
May I ask who the ‘we’ is/are? Are you volunteering?
If you are referring to the Armed Forces of the United Kingdom in isolation, you would be condemning our meagre number of armed forces personnel to a lose/lose scenario.
Since the ‘Peace Dividend’ following fall of the Berlin Wall and Soviet block, our Armed Forces have been systemically hollowed out by successive governments. We now have less combat troops, tanks, aircraft and ships since any time in both recent and far history.
The numbers alone arguably make the current entire size of the UK Armed Forces little more than a UK Defence Force – just about capable of defending our shores in time of war – nothing more.
I know I and possibly many here served during the Cold War, along with Northern Ireland, the Falklands, Balkans, Gulf War, Iraq and Afghanistan. However, we could not do these things again with the personnel and kit we currently have.
We could only go into the Ukraine as a junior member of a multi-national coalition force (for God’s sake don’t call it NATO or Putin will get very upset).
Many other countries including the US seem lukewarm at best about doing so, hence it does rather rankle when our politicians ‘volunteer’ 10,000 UK troops (which. with its support echelon will be at least double or triple that number). It could even be upto half of the UK army involved at any one time, particularly for a longer term commitment where there will be a need to rotate troops.
Yes, as usual Ze Germans will send 3 soldiers and their field kitchen, the Belgians two soldiers and some chocolates etc etc. Only France has a serious number – but most likely will only match us.
Without the might of the US, we are on a hiding to nothing, as sad as it is to say. Particularly with ‘the Orange One’ in charge.
But then, of course, comes the elephant in the room of who is going to pay for it? Wars (and/or peacekeeping missions) do not come cheap. Particularly over a prolonged period. From a UK perspective, paying for it equates to us, the tax payer!
If anyones interested in the forces numbers or the lack of!
@BigDave Completely agree about UK armed forces “just about capable of defending our shores in time of war”.
Would go a step further in the capabilities of the RAF and Fleet Air Arm whose leading interceptors and strike aircraft are from the USA. If we seriously displease the Orange One, he is quite capable of stopping delivery of aircraft and spares on order; could probably remotely ban the use of some “secret” US controlled avionics (they did this with Chinooks in the past) and render all our US aeroplanes grounded.
So we’ll have to rely on our own aviation industry… oh… forgot… the USA destroyed that back in the 1960s.
I do not know enough about Royal Navy’s dependence on US materiel to make a judgement for the RN. But a similar, vulnerable situation may apply.
If anyones interested in the forces numbers or the lack of! https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/quarterly-service-personnel-statistics-2025/quarterly-service-personnel-statistics-1-january-2025
Those figures are both worrying and very depressing Kezo.
The current full time trained strength of the UK Armed Forces only 127.040 – we had more than that in Germany (BAOR/RAFG etc) alone during the Cold War.
Infact the RAF and RN (without the Army) had a total full time strength far in excess of this back in the 1980’s and early 1990’s.
Yes, we will certainly need all our 29.000 Reserves if (when?) the crap hits the fan. But then who will backfill them in industry and the NHS etc, (bearing in mind the large amount of medical/nursing reserves who work in the NHS)?
It really is a mess nowadays and to be honest I feel very sad for the men & women currently serving. They will no doubt be getting crapped on from a great height.
Personally, I am pleased to be out of it (and I never really thought I would ever say that).
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