Guest 645- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 4,463
21 November 2009
22:1733636#1
Liam Fox has stated that if the Tories gain power at the next general election then he sees no reason to keep 20.000 British troops stationed in Germany.
How do ex servicemen feel about this? Where will they go? or is it a way to reduce the forces number?
I'd be interested in your views. Ian the Croc and Guzzler my ol' mates
Marek
I think therefore I am (not a Tory supporter)
Guest 649- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 14,118
21 November 2009
22:4833638#2
If there are 20,000 U.K. troops in Germany at this time,I also think with what is going on at this time around the world some of them could be used in other parts.
As for reduceing the number it must be a big no to that,we need more not less.
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
21 November 2009
22:5233639#3
sounds like a very ill thought idea.
where will they house these 20,000 troops and their families?
marek may well be right, spending cuts know no boundaries.
Guest 658- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 660
21 November 2009
23:4133642#4
Its a total non starter,army bases in Germany are all leased if you default you will pay big time. RAF Bruggen now called Javelin Bk's is do to close in 2024 the bill for cleaning the site is in excess o 10 million euros. All service bases in Germany are classed as toxic and must be cleaned up.
Plus we have no bases in UK to house them or there families also Germany is the only place that large armoured formation can train and live fire.
beer the food of the gods
Guest 658- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 660
21 November 2009
23:4433643#5
Also on a lighter note it may result in the closure of some German breweries.
beer the food of the gods
Guest 645- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 4,463
21 November 2009
23:4733644#6
Thanks for that info Guzzler.
Fox went on to say that there is no need for our troops to be in Germany and they would be better utilised around the world.He obviously hasn't thought his ideas through or the costs involved. This in turn leads me to think that because of the extra cost involved in closing these bases there will be " natural wastage" another term for job losses.
Marek
I think therefore I am (not a Tory supporter)
22 November 2009
01:0333647#7
So: either ineptitude by Fox or deviousness by the tories. Hmmmmmm...........
Guest 645- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 4,463
22 November 2009
09:1433657#8
Bern
Well put.
Why can't politicians be truthful and just come out with it.......ie "we need to make cuts so we are shutting down Baden-Baden & Munchen and reducing troop numbers" etc rather than window dressing it up with lies.
Marek
I think therefore I am (not a Tory supporter)
Guest 672- Registered: 3 Jun 2008
- Posts: 2,119
22 November 2009
10:3033660#9
Some very good points coming out here, you can't say we are pulling the troops out just like that, did they think it all out?
When the Airborne division first came to dover, their deployment airport was Manston, a stones throw away from here for speedy action, after it was handed over for private use the deployment airport became Brize Norton, how silly was that.
German bases are all geared up for such events, not far to travel and fast deployment.
Where do you put 20,000 troops plus famillies ( 60,000? ), Britain has been closing barracks not building them.
You could say Germany is central to the rest of the world deployment wise and they have the room.
Knock on effects, job losses for the Germans from bus drivers to suppliers.
I could go on and on with a whole list of No Nos as all of us could.
Any way, to me it is a complete non event.
grass grows by the inches but dies by the feet.
Guest 687- Registered: 2 Jun 2009
- Posts: 513
22 November 2009
10:3933664#10
I believe our troops should leave Germany.Why should we continue to be in a country whose army is far better equipped than ours, employing thousands of German civilians when by being based in the UK the army could be employing our own. The spending power of servicemen and their families is immense,based in UK that spending power would go into the Brit economy.
As for where to put them, I can think of one place not a million miles from Dover, in fact not even a mile from Dover and then there is Folkestone.
So in conclusion, those who fought to keep Connaught Barracks should fight to ensure it is reopened should the troops retutn from Germany thereby rejuvanating our local economy and reducing local unemployment.
Guest 686- Registered: 5 May 2009
- Posts: 556
22 November 2009
11:0833668#11
Surely, if the original reason(s) for our troops to be based in Germany is no longer valid then maybe it is time to reconsider the deployment, or at least the size of it. Just how useful is it to have a sizeable proportion of our forces billetted in a foreign country we're not at war with?
Don't take that the wrong way. I'm not suggesting that we should withdraw or even reduce our troop numbers in Germany but to consider the necessity and the options that best serve this nation. These decisions shouldn't be made in a political environment but in a military one and for sound military reasons.
Phil West
If at first you don't succeed, use a BIGGER hammer!!
22 November 2009
11:2233671#12
It is way more complex! The forces provide much more than just a few blokes with arms - the remit is wide and complex and most actul troops know that! Phil is right, though, that re-evaluation can't hurt - I suspect it is already underway if it is being leeched out to us now............
