Posted on 07/22/2004 3:14:29 PM PDT by scotsman1
BLACK DAY FOR SCOTS ARMED FORCES Jul 22 2004
DEFENCE SPENDING REVIEW
By Pippa Crerar
THOUSANDS of Scots military jobs - and one historic Scottish army regiment - face the axe.
Last night the Black Watch emerged as most likely for the chop in the biggest armed forces cuts for a generation.
And Scotland's other five infantry regiments will be amalgamated into two - possibly the Highland and Lowland regiments.
The father of Black Watch lance corporal Barry Stephen, one of the first soldiers killed in Iraq, said the regiment had been stabbed in the back.
Alistair Stephen added: 'It seems so heartless that they should even think of axing such a fine regiment.'
Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon said 21,000 posts would go across Britain .
Sweeping reductions in aircraft, warships, tanks and the infantry could see thousands of jobs lost north of the Border. RAF Kinloss in Morayshire could lose hundreds of staff and eventually face closure as its fleet of Nimrods is slashed from 21 to as low as 12.
Neighbouring RAF Lossiemouth will lose out when its helicopter maintenance work is put out to contractors.
Navy ship-building at the Scotstoun and Govan shipyards on the Clyde was threatened after vital contracts were cancelled.
The RAF will shed 8000 jobs across the UK, the Navy and Army 1500 each and 10,000 civilian posts will go.
The MoD employ 25,000 people in Scotland with a further 6000 jobs depending on defence contracts and 15,000 on local bases.
But there will be a boost to the SAS and SBS. They will be expanded and given new equipment.
The Scots regiment to be disbanded will be named later this year.
Hoon told the MPs that 'restructuring' the military was needed to meet the threat of terrorism and the 'forces of instability'.
But former defence chiefs warned the cuts would leave Britain open to major 'strategic risks'.
The Tories denounced them as 'reckless' and said military personnel would feel 'betrayed politically and morally'.
But Scots Secretary Alistair Darling insisted last week's £3.7billion boost to defence spending would be good for Scotland.
General Sir Michael Walker, Chief of the Defence Staff, said the MoD had faced hard choices but British forces would 'remain the best in the world'.
And General Sir Mike Jackson, Chief of the General Staff, insisted the cuts had 'emphatically not' been driven by financial constraints But Lieutenant General Sir John MacMillan - the former General Officer Commanding, Scotland - said: 'Penny-pinching will cost more lives down the line as soldiers struggle to do their jobs properly.'
http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/
HERE IS THE ONLINE PETITION.........TO ANY WHO SIGN,THANK YOU......
http://www.petitiononline.com/Blackwat/
www.petitiononline.com/Blackwat/
Uh so where's James bond Sean Connery to the rescue?
He's got mega bucks to bail them out.
Hey Sir Connery, open your wallet you cheap
son of a *$#@!!!!
http://www.petitiononline.com/Blackwat/
My grandfather was a Gordon Highlander, and my mother's first husband was an RAF pilot, killed in the Battle of Britain.
I'd sign a thousand times if I could.
My Great Uncle Ozzie was in the Watch.
Of course I signed.
You're kidding, right? I'm a piper, so I have a tape of the movie because people tend to request tunes from the movie. It's dull and the plot is about as likely as the Queen doing an Irish Jig.
"The Regiment will bury her Colonel ... There'll be nae cheesy tunes, only the tunes of glory!!!" (Alec Guiness)
We are in the middle of a war to the death with Islam. The British army is overstreached. Yet Tony Blair's government is going to make big cuts in the Army, Navy and Airforce.
Stark, raving and mad.
WRONG! Tunes of Glory had one of the BEST written scripts ever. Sorry if it didn't have a lot of action scenes but the psychological drama was INCREDIBLE. Instead of simplistic bad guy (John Mills) who initially we think is an uptight prig, it turned out to much more complex than time. And goodtime Alec Guinness character had many interesting levels. Just when we despised him for causing his colonel's suicide we then sympathized with him because of his guilty conscience. I ALWAYS watch this movie when it is on the tube.
And why is this plot unlikely?
Don't have any trouble cutting jobs and rearranging the military. But, wouldn't it be a major PR blunder to disband the Black Watch?
I'd sign a thousand times if I could
I know how you feel. I am a descendant of clan Gordon, and it pains Me to see this happening.
CC
Signed it for ya!!
Clan Sinclair
It's all about streamlining Europe's many small militaries into one larger EU Dept of Defense based in Brussels.
I love reading how my many UK "friends" who love Peace, hate Bush, are so ticked off about this. Some actually blame this on Bush.
If you don't think violating international law & murdering 300,000 people is grounds for war, what then is the Black Watch for?
May it & Europe RIP, from a American-Scot.
this may be of interest to you
Thanks all who have signed,a fantastic response so far after just an hour or so.Keep it going!
As you can see, my British cousin by the replies here, we value the men and women in uniform in this fight for freedom serving under the flag that gave us the Magna Carta. Even though I've not been able to read the reports of this dastardly deed to Britain I'm sure that the deepest scrutiny of just who is really proffering this lunacy, would reveal that they are the appeasers supporting the policies and thinking of Lord Chamberlain.
We too are engaged in a great struggle of our own for the leadership of the United States; between a domestic Churchillian leader now and an opponent more closely akin to Chamberlain in his thinking.
Stand firm and with the resolve of PM Churchill. We both shall defeat our respective "Lord Chamberlains" to "Victory."
Your American Cousin.
SandRat
As one who spent 6 years in the US Army and served with our British allies in Europe in the 70's, I can assure you, with some certainty, that the two main characters were so mentally unfit to command a regiment that the scenario could only happen in Hollywood or Pinewood Studios. The premise of the drama was silly. A regimental officer committing suicide because his men didn't like him. Not bloody likely!
And "Cock 'o the North" is not a cheesy tune!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.