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UK armed forces would last just ‘five days’ in a war, senior MP warns
Financial times ^ | 2/11/23 | George Parker and John-Paul Rathbone

Posted on 02/11/2023 7:35:03 AM PST by JonPreston

Tory chair of defence committee says cost of replacing kit sent to Ukraine and high inflation had created ‘a really grim picture’

Britain’s armed forces would “last about five days” if there was a war, a senior Conservative MP has claimed, as pressure increases on the chancellor to boost defence spending in next month’s Budget.

Tobias Ellwood, Tory chair of the Commons defence committee, told the Financial Times that high inflation and the cost of replacing equipment sent to Ukraine had created “a really grim picture” and left military supplies seriously depleted.

Jeremy Hunt has vowed to consider the case for more military spending in his Budget in response to an update of the government’s 2021 foreign and defence policy, expected in the coming weeks.

The revamping of the so-called “Integrated Review” by John Bew, a historian and member of the Number 10 policy unit, will take account of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The original document was billed as a “tilt to the Indo-Pacific”.

In the meantime the lobbying for more military spending is increasing, with defence officials privately discussing a range of eye-catching measures to save money.

(Excerpt) Read more at ft.com ...


TOPICS: News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: armedforces; givememoremoney; militarylobbyist; nonsense; uk
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This is out strongest NATO partner and it's wobbling. So is NATO.
1 posted on 02/11/2023 7:35:03 AM PST by JonPreston
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To: JonPreston

It doesn’t matter. The Americans run the show in NATO.


2 posted on 02/11/2023 7:38:23 AM PST by MinorityRepublican
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To: MinorityRepublican

Yes they do, and Trump was right; NATO is a hollow army, unable to defend itself.


3 posted on 02/11/2023 7:40:44 AM PST by JonPreston
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To: JonPreston

Germany is also in bad shape.


4 posted on 02/11/2023 7:42:09 AM PST by laplata (They want each crisis to take the greatest toll possible.)
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To: JonPreston

The US attacked Germany when it blew up the pipeline. I don’t think NATO will last too much longer.


5 posted on 02/11/2023 7:43:47 AM PST by ClearCase_guy (“You want it one way, but it’s the other way”)
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To: JonPreston

US Armed Forces would last 2 days up against China if we went in to help Taiwan. Chinx would sink all our large ships within 36 hours with their standoff missiles. Aircraft carriers, destroyers etc sunk or disabled within 36 hours.

Same as today’s tanks going up against “hand held” modern antitank missiles. The most advanced actually zig-zag upward to slam down into the tank’s vulnerable turret and ammunition stores. KAYBOOM!


6 posted on 02/11/2023 7:48:55 AM PST by dennisw ("You don't have to like it. You just have to do it")
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To: JonPreston
NATO is a hollow army, unable to defend itself.

Depends on who. The Poles are in good shape. The French seem to be all right. The Germans are in bad shape. A lot of others haven't been pulling their weight. Finland is supposed to join NATO soon. They're formidable. They know they have to be serious because their neighbor is Russia and they've fought them in the Winter War.

7 posted on 02/11/2023 7:49:30 AM PST by MinorityRepublican
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To: JonPreston

Let’s just cut the BS and admit that NATO is a joke! No US, no NATO.


8 posted on 02/11/2023 7:49:47 AM PST by deener
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To: dennisw
US Armed Forces would last 2 days up against China if we went in to help Taiwan. Chinx would sink all our large ships within 36 hours with their standoff missiles.

We're not going to intervene in Taiwan in that scenario.

9 posted on 02/11/2023 7:51:20 AM PST by MinorityRepublican
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To: deener

100%


10 posted on 02/11/2023 7:52:17 AM PST by JonPreston
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To: JonPreston

What really matters is that the sun never sets on the British propaganda empire.


11 posted on 02/11/2023 7:53:00 AM PST by cgbg (Claiming that laws and regs that limit “hate speech” stop freedom of speech is “hate speech”.)
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To: deener

And the Woke US military is losing effectiveness and strength for a number of reasons.

A chain is only as strong as its weakest link and there are a lot of weak links in NATO.


12 posted on 02/11/2023 7:53:21 AM PST by laplata (They want each crisis to take the greatest toll possible.)
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To: dennisw

I am sure the US will just stand by and let it happen.


13 posted on 02/11/2023 7:53:41 AM PST by riverrunner
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To: JonPreston

You can’t fund an expansive welfare state and a formidable military at the same time.
Something’s gotta give.


14 posted on 02/11/2023 7:55:31 AM PST by Leaning Right (The steal is real.)
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To: laplata
And the Woke US military is losing effectiveness and strength for a number of reasons.

Ever since Obama became President, I would say we are losing 1% of our strength every year due to the woke crap. Trump was able to halt it for four years during his Presidency. But the slide has continued under Biden. Our military is still pretty good but that's due to our legacy and the infrastructure we have. Wait 20 years and see what happens from now.

15 posted on 02/11/2023 7:59:27 AM PST by MinorityRepublican
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To: JonPreston

The British have been such cheerleaders in Ukraine pathetic.


16 posted on 02/11/2023 8:02:26 AM PST by Nextrush (FREEDOM IS EVERBODY'S BUSINESS-REMEMBER PASTOR NIEMOLLER)
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To: JonPreston

Many Southern families who have sons and believe in God and church attendance will not let their sons join the Woke U.S. Marine Corps. My passed grandfather a former Marine would turn in his grave if he knew of today’s Marines. Our culture is one big rot.


17 posted on 02/11/2023 8:07:25 AM PST by Lonely Are The Brave (A man's got to know his limitations. Dirty Harry Callahan)
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To: MinorityRepublican
It doesn’t matter. The Americans run the show in NATO.

LOL. Yeah, imagine the USA mustering a 700K army to travel 5000 miles away, to kick Russia out of Ukraine.

Sure, its possible. But the we would go into a civil war domestically. Guaranteed.

18 posted on 02/11/2023 8:11:25 AM PST by PGR88 (, )
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To: MinorityRepublican
We're not going to intervene in Taiwan in that scenario.

Of course we are and so is Japan, S Korea, Singapore, Australia, Vietnam, Thailand and the Philippines. All of those countries know they are next if Formosa falls.

19 posted on 02/11/2023 8:11:50 AM PST by jpsb
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To: JonPreston

If NATO is in such bad shape, then Putin had no credible fear that NATO would use Ukraine to invade Russia.


20 posted on 02/11/2023 8:18:13 AM PST by Salohcin
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