Armed forces 'face tinpot future' {former UK Admiral speaks out}

[CJCRANE]

"Britain's armed forces could be reduced to a "tinpot gendarmerie" because of a lack of investment, the former head of the Royal Navy head has warned.

Admiral Sir Alan West said the Ministry of Defence was behaving "like these tinpot countries" that do not put money into major equipment programmes."

"He said reshaping the forces for "anti-terror" campaigns in places like Iraq may risk the UK's long-term security."

"Sir Alan warned that in 10 years' time the threat facing the UK could be something "far more dangerous than terrorism in central Asia".

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6207267.stm

[oblivious]

1. Hahahahahaha. UK tinpot forces. Oh how I wish. No more meddling.

[dave_p]

2. Tinpot admiral

Well he would say that, wouldn't he? This is why it's best not to take political orders from armed forces chiefs, and not to leave strategy to cowardly politicians whose idea of having "been through war" is a succession of photo opps.

Britain's latest armed escapade's succeeded only in making its people a target for rataliation against a criminal war. UK defence policy already admits that "The most demanding expeditionary operations, involving intervention against state adversaries, can only plausibly be conducted if US forces are engaged, either leading a coalition or in NATO." You can't get much more tinpot than that.

Admiral West should take his tinpot little navy and their pals in Blair's tinpot little army & air force and sail off into the sunset, taking Britain's ludicrous aspirations of a global role with them. Then maybe fewer of his own people will wind up as dead adjuncts to other people's wars.