Gen Nick Carter - a year in post as CGS. Give us a progress update?

[Sarastro]

I'm sure he went back to his think tank with the impression that he'd really made himself look good in front of a room full of soldiers.

I could swear that a mate who knows him told me he either is in the Reserves or is planning to go to RMAS. Sure he will make some colour sergeant a very happy man.

 

[Caecilius]

I could swear that a mate who knows him told me he either is in the Reserves or is planning to go to RMAS. Sure he will make some colour sergeant a very happy man.

He's certainly a reservist. He told me which unit but I've forgotten; I've got a nasty feeling it was Artists rifles.

 

[rabid spaniel]

It explicitly turned down the chance as it was 'too involved and challenging'...

The important and worthwhile things always are.

 

[Sarastro]

He's certainly a reservist. He told me which unit but I've forgotten; I've got a nasty feeling it was Artists rifles.

Think that's unlikely. Mate who knows him is there, and I'm 98% certain they aren't the same unit. He did introduce me to a couple of blokes from there though, so possibly you met one of them.

 

[Stonker]

I would rather have a flawed reformer than a matey traditionalist. It might have been possible to talk like a human being with Wall, but nothing was ever going to change as a result of your chat.

The key to this is in that last phrase. If nothing changes for the better, then there is nothing to choose between the two styles.

The Machine just grinds on . .

 

[Mediaeval]

I thought it was particularly special when he decided to tell us that the Trotsky quote we'd heard three times already was a misquote, only to come up with a misquote himself. I'm sure he went back to his think tank with the impression that he'd really made himself look good in front of a room full of soldiers.

You did well to avoid the CGS event. It was a series of people who didn't understand what level of issue to raise to CGS and him swatting away awkward questions. He didn't go in for the impressive off the record honesty that General Wall did most of us came away feeling like we'd just been given the party line. That being said, it is amusing watching him try not to upset the politicians when talking about women in the combat arms; he clearly disagrees with opening up the infantry to girls but knows that he can't get away with saying that.

Well, y'see Penny, there's really no role for the female reservist at the sharp end....

 

[Stonker]

These are issues which MoD should be involved in,

True enough, but experience tells us that any decision will ultimately be driven by UK internal politics, rather than by millitary/strategic considerations, and CMD and company have got a long way to go before parliament (even a parliament that is increasingly concerned about stemming the refugee tide) is likely to enthuse about extending UK military involvement in the mid-east, in my view. If/when they do, my money is on Biggles not Tommy being called to action.

 

[Mr_Fingerz]

True enough, but experience tells us that any decision will ultimately be driven by UK internal politics, rather than by millitary/strategic consideration, and CMD and company have got a long way to go before parliament (even a parliament that is increasingly concerned about stemming the refugee tide) is likely to enthuse about extending UK military involvement in the mid-east, in my view. If/when they do, my money is on Biggles not Tommy being called to action.

If Corbyn becomes Labour leader, CMD has intimated that even Biggles going off on a Jolly to the ME won't happen.

 

[smallbrownprivates]

Look up his keynote speech at DSEI today - some very interesting concepts and ideas once the buzzwords* were unpicked.

2 down points:
a. Pitched at 2020-25 when he'll be long gone
b. Incorporated a new wheeled purchase


*he didn't say synergy - just gave it's definition...

 

[One_of_the_strange]

True enough, but experience tells us that any decision will ultimately be driven by UK internal politics, rather than by millitary/strategic considerations, and CMD and company have got a long way to go before parliament (even a parliament that is increasingly concerned about stemming the refugee tide) is likely to enthuse about extending UK military involvement in the mid-east, in my view. If/when they do, my money is on Biggles not Tommy being called to action.

Foreign deployments involving significant numbers of ground troops are electoral poison these days. And I'm not so sure that sending the RAF and RN to blow stuff up is that popular either. Like it or lump it, that's the fallout from what the electorate sees as two failed, pointless ground campaigns in recent memory.

I also note the following in the Telegraph:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ukn...emboldens-our-enemies-says-defence-chief.html

It may be summarised as "Turkey wishes to pretend it's still Easter."

 

[Archibald]

I read that as look at the mess my predecessors and cohort have gotten us into, now lets blame it on the Politicians and the public

Archie

 

[Riddickulouse]

Nothing will ever happen in Syria or any of the other countries/areas that are destabalising the West by flooding it with refugees until the UN reforms itself into a proper organisation that does what is should.

The UN will never reform itself into anything like an effective organisation until it can move away from the hand to mouth existence that underpins its funding.

The fact that only 20% - 30% of all pledges of funding for a variety of issues are ever handed across to the UN and subsidiary parts (UNHCR, UNICEF etc), which inevitably result in inefficient planning and service delivery. The fact the UN organisation is effectively reliant on 'charitable' funding from a handful of the major donor countries to subsidise an organisation ostensibly responsible for world order is a major flaw.

 

[Gassing_Badgers]

b. Incorporated a new wheeled purchase

...which apparently will rely entirely on the capabilities of a tracked vehicle to support it.

On, and apparently the age-old maxim of "don't mix wheels and tracks" no longer applies. Why?
Because CGS says so.

 

[plant_life]

Look up his keynote speech at DSEI today - some very interesting concepts and ideas once the buzzwords* were unpicked.

2 down points:
a. Pitched at 2020-25 when he'll be long gone
b. Incorporated a new wheeled purchase


*he didn't say synergy - just gave it's definition...

Replacement for Land Rover Wolf perhaps? They're now 20 odd years old and are being to show their age now, with reduced mechanical reliability.

 

[smallbrownprivates]

...which apparently will rely entirely on the capabilities of a tracked vehicle to support it.

On, and apparently the age-old maxim of "don't mix wheels and tracks" no longer applies. Why?
Because CGS says so.

The chap chatting before him was discussing Daech and as a "hybrid" force they seem to make a combination of tracks and wheels work.

UAE in Yemen seem to be doing alright with a mix too.

I'm curious whether there will be a re run of the trials of truth, though this time with an in production model being selected

 

[Tinman74]

The chap chatting before him was discussing Daech and as a "hybrid" force they seem to make a combination of tracks and wheels work.

UAE in Yemen seem to be doing alright with a mix too.

I'm curious whether there will be a re run of the trials of truth, though this time with an in production model being selected

UAE in Yemen?

Doing all right with the mix of armour?



Hahahahahahahah.

 

[bumgrapes]

Foreign deployments involving significant numbers of ground troops are electoral poison these days. And I'm not so sure that sending the RAF and RN to blow stuff up is that popular either. Like it or lump it, that's the fallout from what the electorate sees as two failed, pointless ground campaigns in recent memory.

I also note the following in the Telegraph:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ukn...emboldens-our-enemies-says-defence-chief.html

It may be summarised as "Turkey wishes to pretend it's still Easter."

My bold

Does anyone not think this?

 

[Mr_Fingerz]

My bold

Does anyone not think this?

Preaching to the Choir.

 

[Archibald]

Foreign deployments involving significant numbers of ground troops are electoral poison these days. And I'm not so sure that sending the RAF and RN to blow stuff up is that popular either. Like it or lump it, that's the fallout from what the electorate sees as two failed, pointless ground campaigns in recent memory.

I also note the following in the Telegraph:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ukn...emboldens-our-enemies-says-defence-chief.html

It may be summarised as "Turkey wishes to pretend it's still Easter."

Didn`t think Turkey celebrated Easter

Archie

 

[smallbrownprivates]

Didn`t think Turkey celebrated Easter

Archie

Didn't much need to after 1915...