I suggest to anyone interested in the fate of Britain, of the Armed Forces, and keen on the country finally choosing what place it wants to have in the world, and how to obtain it, to read the reports from the Parliamentary Defence Committee hearings.
They are true eye-openers, particularly those involving ex Defence Chiefs and ex serving high officers, as being "ex" they can express what they think with sincerity. It truly is an eye-opener, and i see in these reports a continuity: current and past Defence Chiefs and Officers of all three services, and experts called in, all have been drawing the same picture, without hesitations.
A picture that Dave Cameron hopelessly tries to hide.
It truly is worth reading this and previous Hearings Reports.
Today the last hearing took place, and it involved Nick Harvey being forced to admit that the 2015 funding increase is only an aspiration, not a commitment. And this is only what was picked up by the press: i'm sure that, once the report is published, there will be much more juice dripping from it.
These reports are a must-read.
I think the idea that 2015 increases where always a daydream. That's why I think there are many many hard choices to be made. From those in the main building MoD, SDSR didn't come close to sorting out the budget problems.
ReplyDeleteSomeone described it as; the options to properly balance the budget with a realistic 2015-2020+ budget as 'having blood on the walls.'
Not to reopen the arguement/discussion on here and TD, but I suppose that's why CVF is such a massive issue.
May i suggest you read the suggestions in the reports of the hearings? Believe me, it is worth the time it takes, every single minute.
ReplyDeleteThey might well be, I might have a look. Although I'll admit they tend to be a little dry for me.
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