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/
Except that was NOT the reason he committed suicide. He committed suicide because he saw himself as compromising his integrity by letting Jocko off on charges of hitting an enlisted man.
IN FACT,--WE ARE AT WAR!!
Our Problem Is, We--In the West--are NOT YET AWARE of our Peril!!
SADLY, Those of us who have enjoyed the "Peace & Prosperity" of our Western Culture, Are NOW REQUIRED TO FACE the BARBARISM of "ISLAM!!"
FEW "Westerners" are "Equipped to" Understand or Comprehend or "Deal With" the BARBARISM of "Islam!!"
Most of Us CANNOT COMPREHEND the "EVIL" we Now Face; We ARE, Sadly, "Babes-in-the-Woods!!"--Our "Leaders" are Mostly Trained by "Chivalry, & Christian Concepts of 'Conflict!!'"
Our Current "Opponents" are of a "Different Stripe."
We NOW FACE 12th Century PSYCHOPATHS!!
We NO LONGER have the "Luxury" of "Capturing & Converting" our Foes; we must KILL THESE VERMIN, or they will Kill Us!!
Despite our "Better Instincts," we are in a TERMINAL BATTLE for Survival!!
Doc
OK! You win. It's a great movie. At least the pipers in it can do justice to "The Black Bear".
Yes, but not in years. Is the VHS available?
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