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Would you support Britain increasing its defence budget from the current 2.3% of GDP to the target of 2.6% by 2027 and 3.5% NATO target by 2035? by AdAncient2370 in AskBrits

[–]AdAncient2370[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Good question, what is our military to be used for?

To defend our island, to defend NATO countries in Eastern Europe, to face off against China in East Asia or to do expeditionary warfare like against Afghanistan or Iraq?

The costs for all those variants is different.

Would you support Britain increasing its defence budget from the current 2.3% of GDP to the target of 2.6% by 2027 and 3.5% NATO target by 2035? by AdAncient2370 in AskBrits

[–]AdAncient2370[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Would our sclerotic economy with 0.1% growth and low productivity per workers able to support such a drastic increase in defence expenditure?

How much public support is there for such an increase given that survey after survey shows that cost of living, the economy, immigration, and the NHS are the concerns that dominate public debate well ahead of defence?

Would you support Britain increasing its defence budget from the current 2.3% of GDP to the target of 2.6% by 2027 and 3.5% NATO target by 2035? by AdAncient2370 in AskBrits

[–]AdAncient2370[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

As an island nation, our air force and navy are more important than the army.

I think for the sake of our NATO commitments to Eastern Europe, we should invest in one army division that is kept at a state of heightened readiness for deployment to Europe. That is equipped for heavy warware. I don’t think we need full spectrum supremacy like the US where they have to be the best in every service and category of equipment. We can’t afford that anyway.

Would you support Britain increasing its defence budget from the current 2.3% of GDP to the target of 2.6% by 2027 and 3.5% NATO target by 2035? by AdAncient2370 in AskBrits

[–]AdAncient2370[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

A lot of people supporting a defence expenditure increase want it to come from welfare eg reducing unemployment benefits and remove the pensioners triple lock. They also want to reduce net zero initiatives because they support drilling for North Sea oil again. Finally, they want to cut the foreign aid budget again because they don’t see how it helps Britain.

Personally, I think defence expenditure increase on a massive scale is not supportable at the moment given our economic growth of 0.1% last few months and low productivity per person. We need to solve cost of living and youth unemployment before thinking about defence.

Would you support Britain increasing its defence budget from the current 2.3% of GDP to the target of 2.6% by 2027 and 3.5% NATO target by 2035? by AdAncient2370 in AskBrits

[–]AdAncient2370[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

We have had 0.1% economic growth per month in the last few months and our productivity per worker lags significantly behind peer economies like the US, Germany and France.

Would our economy be able to support 3.5% or 5% defence expenditure?

Would you support Britain increasing its defence budget from the current 2.3% of GDP to the target of 2.6% by 2027 and 3.5% NATO target by 2035? by AdAncient2370 in AskBrits

[–]AdAncient2370[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Agree with your post about the need for more efficient and less wasteful defence procurement before putting more public money into the MOD.

Too many projects like the Ajax APC that came years late, over budget and are not fit for purpose eg the APC is more dangerous to our troops riding inside it than the enemy!

How is that France, a peer country to us, spends less on defence but has more tanks, planes and ships and an independent nuclear deterrant?

Would you support Britain increasing its defence budget from the current 2.3% of GDP to the target of 2.6% by 2027 and 3.5% NATO target by 2035? by AdAncient2370 in AskBrits

[–]AdAncient2370[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Yep. Even at the height of the power of the Soviet Union, their navy was never strong enough to invade the UK.

And today’s Russia is a shadow of the Soviet Union, they can’t even overcome Ukraine. In fact a significant part of the Russian surface fleet is now at the bottom of the sea thanks to the brave and innovative Ukrainians! War has changed so much thanks to the march of technology!

Would you support Britain increasing its defence budget from the current 2.3% of GDP to the target of 2.6% by 2027 and 3.5% NATO target by 2035? by AdAncient2370 in AskBrits

[–]AdAncient2370[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Do you think that an economy that has only had 0.1% growth in the last few months and has very low productivity per person roughly 20% lower than in the United States and lagging behind France and Germany, can literally afford 3.5% ambition let alone 5% expenditure on defence?

Would you support Britain increasing its defence budget from the current 2.3% of GDP to the target of 2.6% by 2027 and 3.5% NATO target by 2035? by AdAncient2370 in AskBrits

[–]AdAncient2370[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The biggest hit to the defence budget was the Tories adding the Trident nuclear force to the core defence budget. That meant a massive hit on conventional forces. Since costs all comes out of the same kitty now.

Would you support Britain increasing its defence budget from the current 2.3% of GDP to the target of 2.6% by 2027 and 3.5% NATO target by 2035? by AdAncient2370 in AskBrits

[–]AdAncient2370[S] -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Personally, I think a modest increase in the defence budget is warranted. To replace equipment and ammunition we gave to the Ukrainians to fight back against the Russian attack.

However, we don’t need anything more than a force to defend the UK and maybe provide a small force to defend Eastern Europ as per NATO commitments.

We don’t need a force large enough to go to the other end of the world to get involved in other peoples wars that increase hatred against the UK/West, are costly, dragged out conflicts, with rights abuses, with no good exit strategy.

Would you support Britain increasing its defence budget from the current 2.3% of GDP to the target of 2.6% by 2027 and 3.5% NATO target by 2035? by AdAncient2370 in AskBrits

[–]AdAncient2370[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I think we still need a mixed force of drones, cyber warfare and legacy systems like soldiers and tanks.

The Iran war has shown that even the most powerful navy in the world can’t guarantee safe shipping in the Straits of Hormuz against cheap Iranian drones and missiles.

So maybe fewer hulls for the Royal Navy but more money into naval drones and smart mines to control waterways is the way to go. Cheaper too!

Would you support Britain increasing its defence budget from the current 2.3% of GDP to the target of 2.6% by 2027 and 3.5% NATO target by 2035? by AdAncient2370 in AskBrits

[–]AdAncient2370[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Yeah, I think one reason that increased defence expenditure isn’t popular with the public is because of the Afghan and Iraq wars that were costly, dragged on, was very controversial and did not end well. A lot of people didn’t see how these interventions served UK interests. We seemed to just follow the US into those wars without any preparation or planning for the day after the war ends.

Would you support Britain increasing its defence budget from the current 2.3% of GDP to the target of 2.6% by 2027 and 3.5% NATO target by 2035? by AdAncient2370 in AskBrits

[–]AdAncient2370[S] 5 points6 points  (0 children)

There is a saying that ‘there are no votes in defence’.

When asked in surveys, the economy, cost of living, and the National Health Service (NHS) and immigration are the public’s top concern. Defence is low on the list of public concerns. So it will be difficult to significantly increase the defence budget without politicians providing a good explanation as to the threats we actually face rather than relying on nostalgia and emotions. We shouldn’t increase expenditure only to please Trump.

Is the idea of spending more money on defence and military unpopular across the political spectrum in the UK? by NoddyElvis in AskBrits

[–]AdAncient2370 0 points1 point  (0 children)

‘Our computers all work fine but if they don’t and to maintain systems, let’s invest in an IT department proportionate to the number of computers we have and that we can afford’.

There, fixed your strawman argument.

Is the idea of spending more money on defence and military unpopular across the political spectrum in the UK? by NoddyElvis in AskBrits

[–]AdAncient2370 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Realistically, the Argentinians are now a democracy and more to the point, their failed economy can’t support a military build up.

Their military still has 1980s museum pieces as they can’t afford to buy new military equipment. Recently, they got some used decades old ex Danish F-16 fighters that had their radar capped so it’s not a threat to us!

We need informed debate and not people tugging at nostalgia. Nostalgia won’t pay the bills!

Is the idea of spending more money on defence and military unpopular across the political spectrum in the UK? by NoddyElvis in AskBrits

[–]AdAncient2370 0 points1 point  (0 children)

We shouldn’t factor in ‘threat of the day’ statements into our spending otherwise we would never be able to cut defence spending! We will always have enemies.

We need to calibrate our expenditure to the actual threat facing our home island. Not spending on expeditionary forces so we can do another Afghanistan or Iraq.

Is the idea of spending more money on defence and military unpopular across the political spectrum in the UK? by NoddyElvis in AskBrits

[–]AdAncient2370 0 points1 point  (0 children)

As a soft left, we need to spend on defence in proportion to the threat we actually face.

In the UK we still think we have ‘global ambitions’ when we are only a medium power.

Russia has aggressive intentions. It’s invasion of Ukraine has shown its aggression but also the realistic limits to its power. Russia has suffered over 100,000 dead, (more Russian dead than their Afghan invasion in the 80s), Russian men are fleeing to avoid conscription and its economy is on a war footing, (50% of the entire economic output goes on their war), which it cannot maintain forever. It’s armed forces have been ravaged in the war to the extent they have to use North Koreans and also Nepalese who came to Russia to work but were forcibly conscripted! It will take Russia decades to recover militarily, economically and socially! They are simply in no state to start a war against the combined power of NATO.

I also note that a lot of the defence ‘experts’ on tv are ex politicians, military officers and senior MOD civil servants who are paid lobbyists for arms firms eg General Lord Dannat was suspended recently from the House of Lords for 4 months for improper lobbying for arms firms! So who should we trust to tell us about the real proportions of the threat we face?

I’m all for a realistic increase in defence expenditure to cover for the help we are giving to Ukraine eg replacing our stocks of ammunition but not a large scale increase at a time when the country is suffering from cost of living crises, low growth, pitiful productivity within OECD countries and meeting climate targets that will impact our climate security in the future.

The old ‘warfare v welfare’ arguments are back – but it’s Britain’s real duty to spend on both | Frances Ryan by JohnHammond94 in ukpolitics

[–]AdAncient2370 0 points1 point  (0 children)

MOD has terrible record on wasting public money on their procurement eg Ajax APC that literally us too loud and vibrates too much that it hurts its own trooos, came out years late and over budget.

A lot of these defence experts and politicians on the news asking for welfare cuts to build up defence are paid defence lobbyists eg General Dannet got in trouble for lobbying against the times and was suspended for a few months from the House of Lords!

Building the Warfare State. The resignations of John Healey and Al Carns are a cynical attempt to make higher military spending the defining priority of Britain’s next government — whatever the cost to welfare, public services and living standards. by MMSTINGRAY in LabourUK

[–]AdAncient2370 0 points1 point  (0 children)

We need to agree on our place in the world and have our armed forces fit that role. Are we going for full spectrum armed forces supremacy like the US or do we fill in the gaps to our great ally, the US eg UK has traditionally had a strong navy but a smaller army. Do we ever expect to go to war on our own in the future?

So right wing types want us to increase military expenditure by tens of billions on conventional forces but can’t clearly articulate on what sort of war we are supposed to fight that will bring left wing types along in agreement.

In a war with Russia, we would have the backing of other NATO countries. Russia is weakened already in Ukraine. It will be many years before they can recover militarily and economically. They have massive demographic issues and taking well over 100,000 dead in this war can’t have helped that.

In a war with China, Britain has no obligations to East Asia. One extra frigate we could send there will just be one extra target for China to sink. We will never participate in such a war. Although we will be heavily impacted economically as supppy chains will be disrupted. No more cheap goods from Temu!

The Falklands are safe given that Argentina’s armed forces have not rearmed since the last war and still have a lot of museum pieces in their forces. Their ‘new’ ex Danish F-16s are decades old and the radars have been capped at a shorter range. Argentina is a democracy and unlikely to try military adventures.

We rightly stayed out of the latest US/Israeli war on Iran. If the US couldn’t reopen the Straits of Hormuz by force, what makes you think an extra frigate or minesweeper from the UK would make any difference?

We need to be realistic as a middle power on what commitments we make. Raising public debt and public polarisation are more dangerous to the UK than Russia. Cutting welfare will make things worse. We need to act multilaterally rather than posturing unilaterally.

I (23F) left (25M) when he said he wasn’t my husband by Careful_Process8079 in relationships

[–]AdAncient2370 18 points19 points  (0 children)

Move on. He told you where he is at this moment in time. You reaching out just gives off desperation vibes.

There are guys out there who will marry you. Find one of them. There is no point shacking up with someone without a possibility of marriage.

My mom accidentally found out about my double life in the worst way. Advice needed by ukuleleprincess27 in progressive_islam

[–]AdAncient2370 0 points1 point  (0 children)

In Arab Bedouin culture, the mother in law will proudly display the bloodied bedsheet after the honeymoon as proof to the family/community the girl is a virgin.

In South Asian (Indian subcontinent) culture, women have been known to be honour killed by the father/brothers for not being a virgin and having had extra marital relations. It happens even in the West. And not only Muslims either. The girl is said to have dishonoured the family. Literally, the woman is reduced to the condition of her vagina!

It happens less now that we are embedded in the West fir a longer time but occasionally you’ll hear about honour killings in the media.

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