Support the troops

[Dragon Star]

Look, saying "It's Bush's fault, he doesn't care, he won't buy Super Vehicle X because he wants to save money and the troops are just cannon fodder to him" is just flat out ridiculous.

Hey wait a cotton pickin' second! I know your type, the kind that say that Bush didn't cause Katrina, the same kind that say Bush wasn't responsible for people buying homes they couldn't afford, or the fuck up that is Medicare. I bet you're even the same kind that says Bush wasn't responsible for 9/11!!!

People these days...

[Heid the Ba]

Look, saying "It's Bush's fault, he doesn't care, he won't buy Super Vehicle X because he wants to save money and the troops are just cannon fodder to him" is just flat out ridiculous. The president doesn't approve every single item of military minutiae. It was the Marine's decision not to buy them; the Army has been using these vehicles since at least last year. I think I even remember hearing about them being there as early as 2006 in limited numbers. I know that the current secdef has specifically mentioned buying more of these kinds of vehicles as a priority.

And Air Force generals like fighters so billions get spent on air superiority that isn't needed, Admirals like carriers for the Navy's unnecessary fighters, etc.

Our squaddies are short of body armour but we are going to replace our Trident submarines.

[Мастер]

Our squaddies are short of body armour but we are going to replace our Trident submarines.

What will happen to the old ones?

[KLA2]

They'll sell them to Canada. (Although the official report says the HMCS Chicoutimi incident was caused by crew error.)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMCS_Chicoutimi_(SSK_879)

When workers set to work restoring the Chicoutimi, some areas of steelwork, but not the hull itself, were discovered to be corroded well beyond a safe extent. Some hull valves were cracked, air turbine pumps were defective, and the Chicoutimi had been looted for usable parts ...

... Nine crewmembers were affected by smoke inhalation and the ship was left drifting without power in heavy seas. Three of these crew members were airlifted to Sligo General Hospital in the Republic of Ireland the next day, with one listed in 'critical' condition. Later, on October 6, Canadian Prime Minister Paul Martin confirmed that one of the Chicoutimi's crew, Lieutenant(N) Chris Saunders, died in transit to hospital ...

Following claims made in the Canadian media about the cause of the fire, blaming the UK for supplying an unsafe vessel, the situation was further exacerbated by controversial comments made by Secretary of State for Defence Geoff Hoon. He accompanied his condolences for Saunders with a proposal that the Royal Navy would charge Canada for the cost of the rescue while also stating that Canada as the buyer had to beware. In Canada, many World War II veterans were outraged by his comments, considering Canada's sacrifice for the British.

In April 2006, it was announced that repair priorities had shifted; Chicoutimi would remain in drydock until at least 2010, and would likely not be seaworthy again until 2012.

[Мастер]

They're probably too expensive for me anyway :(

[KLA2]

They're probably too expensive for me anyway :(

Plus, you'd have to get a bigger bathtub ... :wink:

[Enzo]

Instead of a Trident sub, perhaps settle for a nice Monodent. You no longer need all that room in the back for the kids.

[Heid the Ba]

They'll sell them to Canada. (Although the official report says the HMCS Chicoutimi incident was caused by crew error.)

Or warehoused at Rosyth where they will happily rust.

[Dragon Star]

Or they will just take them, chop them up and individually wrap them for personal oral hygiene!

[Enzo]

Good idea, something to chew on anyway.