Should GB be a world power

I forgot Iran who are with Russia on keeping Asaad in power

POGS, I am quite aware of the agony of a family with a son / daughter at war, I was wondering what a mother thought of her son/daughter being in ?Syria considering the mess of Iraq and Afghanistan . If I wanted to ask - are you worried, I would have asked, But I know the answer so why should I ask thst.

Horrific indeed - and also the potential backlash and the loss of non-combatant lives.

Anniebach

I realise that you have brought the safety of our serving forces into the equation as obviously they are on the front line , they already are/will be the ones to be hands on in the fight.

However if you have to ask what a parent, grandparent feels about their son/daughter being on active service then I don't think you would understand their answer if you were told. Do you think those with loved ones in the services simply shut it out of their mind, do you think they are chipper to know they may never see them again.

You asked the question but if you can't answer yourself as they probably would and say 'I am scared shitless every day to be honest' then I don't know why you even had to ask.

If we join the bombing it will be unbelievably frightening. Just to think of any of our pilots getting shot down and captured is horrific.

I would truly hate either of my grandsons to go into the forces.

Two years ago we wanted to join with America to bomb Syria because Assad had to be got rid of. Russia wanted Assad to stay in power, then IS grew there and want Assad out. Now America wants IS defeated and Assad replaced but Russia are still supporting Assad. If IS if defeated in Syria they will emerge in a other country meanwhile we are stuck with America and Russia back to the Assad problem .

It is so complicated I am unsure who stands where, are Canada, Australia and countries in Europe - apart from France - in or out

Is America using France ? I don't know, just thinking about it

VampireQueen

I noted in my post your OP was aligned to defense and weapons of mass destruction, why didn't you just ask the question outright.?

Your post 17.11 makes me think you are more concerned with stating your view over defense spending rather than really asking for others opinions. Personally I thought the responses by some were interesting before you posted that you were not asking about cultural , economic power but only military power.

There will be a worse mess unless it is stopped.

Mothers will always worry, and more so if their children are in the Forces, but in fact children is the wrong word to use.

Because Ana, much was said by families of armed forces serving in Afghanistan, the calls by the public to - bring our troupes home , yes their choice but I wondered if mothers thought this mess in Syria was worth the deaths of their children

I am sure there are many who have had members of the family in the Armed Services if not just at present. They are always on alert ready to be called anywhere if needed.

Although I feel as I wrote in my post, I have to say that I do have reservations about Trident. I'm not sure what I think about whether we should keep it or not. Trouble is none of us have the crystal glass, so it's hard to know what is best.

I'm afraid you won't be getting any comments from me, anniebach although I certainly fall into the category you mentioned.

Why would it be good? Our children and grandchildren have to make their own decisions, and if they choose to join the forces so be it.

Of course their nearest and dearest worry, what else would you expect?

Don't you stb, I think it our be good to hear from someone who waited through the Afghanistan conflict and are now waiting to hear - where next

Thank you nigglynellie , hopeful much will resolved before your granddaughter enlists .

I wondered if there was anyone who had son/daughter, grandson/granddaughter serving now, they may be the boots on the ground in Syria

I am not sure/dont think it is a good idea for some to necessarily answer that Ab.

I have a 15 year old granddaughter who is planning on a career in the army, and son's partners daughter is a serving army officer. If either were deployed to a dangerous part of the world of course it would be a worry, but also a source of pride.

I would like to hear the views of someone who has a son or grandson in the armed forces.

I agree that we shouldn't sit on the sidelines and let other countries bear the burden of ridding the world of this evil or any other evil come to that. Our armed forces are, without doubt, the best in the world, both in attitude, training, and commitment. How could we just take the attitude that the present troubles are somehow nothing to do with us? How could we expect other countries to finance, risk the lives of their men and women, and expect to be kept safe by them at no risk to ourselves? I actually think that would be shameful. So yes, I think we should have armed forces, small in number though they are, who will make a valuable contribution to the unenviable task of trying to keep us and the people of the country they're deployed in, safe.

No-one suggested that When did they - using wmd?

Just that I agree with soon about fence-sitting - we are part of a group of nations that wish for peace; we can't isolate ourselves from what is going on and exist in a bubble.

I'm sorry I should have been clearer in my OP. I meant a military power not an economic or cultural power

That is a shame, I thought the discussion of alternative strengths more positive than dismissing the UK as an insignificant country just because we no longer have the firepower of the 19th century.
So off topic, but I prefer to look at our positive, life- affirming assets. For me that is the future I would like to look forward to for my children and grandchildren.

IMO we have great armed forces who could do a tremendous job in many circumstances, as they did, for example, in helping to organise things during the Ebola outbreak. They can train other countries' armed forces. They can be involved in peacekeeping operations. They can, if necessary, be involved in armed conflict. What we don't need is weapons of mass destruction aimed at Moscow and St Petersburg. We can't use them without America's say-so (President Trump, anyone?) and we can't use them in any conceivable circumstances anyway. They are of no use against terrorists. I think we should scrap them and invest the money as vampirequeen suggests, and also in our conventional forces. We need to call on NATO aircraft from elsewhere to escort Russian planes away from our coastlines!

If anyone really thinks that our WMDs deter ISIS and the like, may I suggest that you resite them near your grandchildren, rather than near mine? In the meantime, CND and SCND are always happy to have new members!

oops, I mean rq

Agreed jb!

and vq