The government won't listen...such a shame

[gruntygiggles]

Following on from the thread that I can't find with the search function...it seems a nerve has been hit all the way through to the top.

Even with former Naval Officers of this calibre, the government won't listen, but I still find myself hoping that someone will see sense.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-11723589

"BBC defence correspondent Jonathan Beale said the strongly-worded letter from a group which includes two former heads of the Royal Navy - Lord West and Sir Julian Oswald - confirmed the deep anger felt in the Royal Navy over the cuts.
The letter is also signed by Vice-Admiral Sir Jeremy Blackham, Vice-Admiral John Mcanally and Major-General Julian Thompson.
They say the prime minister was badly advised over the decision to scrap the Harrier force and HMS Ark Royal and to rely entirely upon Tornados.
They say the Harrier is more versatile and will be cheaper to maintain.
The letter says: "The existing Tornado force will cost, over 10 years, seven times as much to keep in service as Harrier. Was the recent exercise not supposed to save money?"

[Viney]

Isnt that life in general? The heads won't listen to people who ACTUALLY know what they are talking about and not some think tank of yes men, and women, that tell them what they want to hear? No one in this strange life wants to hear things as it is. They dont want problems, they dont want to hear the truth basicaly. Im in that situation at work and i am sure that many people are as well. So 'uck, let them screw it up, and then they can sit there and say, told you so!

Senior officers know things?

That is a shock.

[andrewsmith]

V come 2015 27 million will say told you so!!!

The way I'm looking at this shamble is that they've called wrong and we'll be joining Greece and Spain next year.

I don't blame the SNP wanting to dissolve the union, if they get it; I'm joining the republic of Scotland

They never listen, except maybe whenthey want your vote.

I'min favour of a US style system with elections every 2 years to keep them on their toes.

[Bri w]

I felt strongly enough to email my MP - new one for me. I got a reply yesterday asking me if I would like to receive party political leaflets, contribute/join the party. I replied thanking them for their email but added that seeing as he/they can't be bothered to respond to the content of my email they could shove their leaflets where the sun doesn't shine.

[Bibio]

Originally Posted by andrewsmith

I don't blame the SNP wanting to dissolve the union, if they get it; I'm joining the republic of Scotland

but you would be living nearer to me

[andrewsmith]

had that one from a road safety minister.
And the second response was a lot stronger as i told this person what i thought of him and wont be voting for the party in question

[andrewsmith]

Originally Posted by Bibio

but you would be living nearer to me

Bib i'm nt wooly enough 4 u and don't bleat

Ok so what are you going to get rid of then? The Tornado carries more, goes faster and hits harder than the Harrier. Harriers are good for small carriers but its now getting very long in the tooth, needs specialised pilots, cant go supersonic and have a low payload. The Falklands has its own force of fast jets now and a heavily fortified runway (in 1982 they didn't have any of this). We tend to rely on using the runways of allies these days not waiting for carriers to turn up. I've love to have both plus Concorde flying, plus a replacement to the Vulcan, plus a few nuclear powered full sized carriers with sea adapted Typhoons and a supersonic Harrier but we aint got the cash.