British army head warns troops feel devalued, angry

[maddezmom]

Source: Reuters

LONDON, Nov 18 (Reuters) - The head of the British army has warned that underfunding and wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have left his troops feeling "devalued and angry", according to a report in the Sunday Telegraph newspaper.

General Sir Richard Dannatt, chief of general staff, said the level of operations to which Britain is committed was unsustainable, the newspaper reported, citing an internal report.

He also said the army was undermanned and that increasing numbers of troops were disillusioned.

Britain's involvement in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan has brought criticism by soldiers and opposition politicians that the Labour government has failed to provide adequate supplies in battle and support for families and injured soldiers at home.

Dannatt said in the report that the government's military covenant with the army was clearly out of kilter and called for better pay, accommodation and medical care.

Read more: http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L18640912.htm

[Robbien]

1. These are current UK military leaders

How do currently active UK military leaders get to voice their opinions while in the US the military leaders have to retire first before opening their mouths.

[Greeby]

2. Maybe because their commander-in-chief is the Queen

Not the Head of Government? :shrug:

[dipsydoodle]

3. Sounds right

.

[progdonkey]

4. very true...

I read somewhere a while ago an article where the author was pointing out the irony that the Founders wanted to have a weak president out of fear that he would become like the King (or Queen) of England, yet because we have no king or queen, the people's desire for something grand like royalty gets redirected at the president. So, in the US, the president can be both the head of state and the embodiment of the State itself, making many people unwilling to criticize him, as though they're criticizing the nation itself. In England, on the other hand, the role of the "embodiment of the State" is taken up by the Queen, so the English can feel free to criticize the Prime Minister all they want without any feelings of criticizing the nation itself. The PM is just an office holder, the Queen is the Country.

[xchrom]

5. it's sad but true.

britain does need to spend more on it's military --