There goes Sunday! I was in quite a good mood when I got up this morning - but then I read a column by Col. Tim Collins in The Mail. In it, he describes the British Army, in fact, all the British services, as "chubby, drug-addled and right on". One picture is worth a thousand words!
As usual, the fault lies with that collection of ambitious, smarmy, creeping bunch of wankers who constitute our High Command, none of whom has the guts to tell our effete politicians that Political Correctness might be OK for the Civil Service but has no part in a fighting army.
Is it time to reset our opinions of 'The Donald'? I am not going to indulge in a forensic examination of his two years in the White House but where-as I began by flinching at some of his behaviour and trembling at some of his decisions, gradually, as I have peeped out from behind my fingers, I sense that perhaps, just perhaps, he is getting things more right than wrong. His re-action to the hysteria over the Saudi murder has been a fine example of real-politik and up in heaven, or perhaps down in hell, the likes of Bismarck and Talleyrand are raising a glass in support. Still early days, of course . . .
The 'Hefferlump' goes all out DD: No, no, not David Duff but David Davis! In a brief but pointed article in The Telegraph today, he urges Tory MPs who are hesitating over sending in letters urging Mrs. 'Muppet' to resign, to just get on with it and rid us all of that dim-witted woman. Somewhat to my surprise, he throws his support behind David Davis as a new Prime Minister. Well, Boris cannot be trusted and the 'Moggman' would not go down well in the country. Davis, however, comes across as a fairly normal 'one of us' and his service in the SAS can only help.
This made me giggle: The American Thinker site is always worth a visit, not least for the witty cartoons they publish:
Spot on, methinks!
Not sure I could cope with this one: I refer to the latest history book produced by Max Hastings which, normally, I would snap up in seconds. Alas, the title of this one is "Vietnam: An Epic Tragedy 1945-1975" and the prospect of wading through that unmitigated bloodbath is more than I can contemplate. To be honest, the fact is that it will remind me in the most painful way of how wrong I was to support it 'back in the day'! It also reminds me that whilst I am fascinated by the war at sea during WWI, I cannot read very much about the 'slugfest' that took place on land. It shares with Vietnam an enormous casualty list and a cornucopia of stupidity from both the commanders and the politicians and, er, me!
"How high the moon?" 'I dunno' but apparently it's getting higher! Or to be more precise, it's moving away from us, according to Prof. S. Fred Singer at The American Thinker. He, being a proper swot, offers some scientific explanations but, with all due respect, I put it down to JK's habit, on full moon nights, of hurling empty bottles of 'Barney Magroo's Finest' in its direction as he bewails the loss of all those 'gals' in every port he ever visited! Well, you can't blame the moon, I mean who wants to live next door to noisy neighbours!
Right, pay attention, all you 'Yankee-doodles'! Your Commanding Officer, er, well, your ex-Corporal, actually, is about to give you your orders. This afternoon you will stop watching all that 'stop 'n' start' version of rugby you play 'over there' and instead you will retune your TVs in order to watch (Sir) Lewis Hamilton waltz off with the F1 World Championship at the American Grand Prix. (Actually, that was damned difficult to type given that I had all my fingers crossed as I did it!) If any of you live nearby and you are handy with a Winchester rifle, please feel free to shoot out the tires of that damned Hun!
(Sir) Lewis, Her Maj will not be amused! My goodness, what an excellent race! And what an excellent circuit! So, decision time moves to the Mexican Grand Prix to be held at a circuit named after the late Rodriguez brothers, both of whom were killed at different times in motor races. I once knew, very slightly, Pedro Rodriguez, a quiet man but a terrific racer. Meanwhile, (Sir) Lewis remains poised to take the championship but we will just have to wait!
No more rumbles today!
And as the ex-head if MI6 says ...
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2018/10/19/russia-carried-salisbury-attack-brexit-has-made-britain-weak/
... now Blighty's out in the big bad world with no EU or US solidarity, the big bad wolf is going to start picking on us.
And that fat knacker is all there is between Vlad and MBS's murderers et al, and you and yours truly.
The West has committed fragmentation suicide with the nationalist movements of Trump, Brexit, and the euro-right.
Well done for weighing in with your contribution: Good call 23rd June 2016.
SoD
Posted by: Loz | Sunday, 21 October 2018 at 10:35
SoD, the "ex-head of MI6" is just another senior civil servant, or in other words, another creeping, arse-licker. If he seriously believes that we can rely on Brussels to defend us he's obviously smoking the wrong sort of stuff!
Posted by: David Duff | Sunday, 21 October 2018 at 10:53
So far this week you've slagged off the civil service, Westminster's pols, and the armed forces, quite rightly. Maybe the last month or so the Crown Prosecution Service, further back the NHS, Social Services, and the state education organisation.
'bout covers the entire panoply of Blighty's authorities.
And then in the same breath you say, "But it's alright, because at least they're ours".
Isn't it perhaps time you started to view alternate power structures as useful competitors to Westminster, to keep our pols in check and oblige them to raise their game? To raise their game or else we, the third estate, will go elsewhere, either with our money or by walking? And that to shackle us to one authority, come what may, invites monopoly, incompetence, negligence, corruption, and abuse?
Things like that not even worth a look-in?
SoD
Posted by: Loz | Sunday, 21 October 2018 at 10:54
It is precisely because I am able to criticise and, more importantly, to assist regularly in the removal of our politicians, that makes me exceedingly proud and protective of our British institutions which, I would remind you, SoD, have developed over centuries and cost us much in blood and treasure.
Now tell me, who asked you for your opinion in appointing 'Junck the Drunk' as your, er, 'beloved' Leader, and even more important, who asked you whether you wanted Martin Selmayr, the virulently anti-Brit Hun to take over the job next year?
Posted by: David Duff | Sunday, 21 October 2018 at 12:03
As to the Salisbury attack, it took place whist we were members of the EU. Fat lot of help they were!
Posted by: Pat | Sunday, 21 October 2018 at 12:21
The British Army of one generation ago:
http://dailytimewaster.blogspot.com/2018/10/a-british-m32-arv-pass-by-american-gis.html
Posted by: Whitewall | Sunday, 21 October 2018 at 12:35
Hillary must invite the 'spirit world'. No mortal man would get within a mile of her.
Posted by: Whitewall | Sunday, 21 October 2018 at 12:53
"that makes me exceedingly proud and protective of our British institutions"
I'm really sorry to go on about this (no you're not ...Ed), but how come you slag Blighty's institutions off incessantly - and quite rightly, imho, including, but not limited to ...
Armed Forces
Civil Service
Police
CPS
Social Services
State Education system
NHS
(Err, that's enough state institutions ...Ed)
Well actually Ed, that's about it on the mainstream list of state institutions today. In the 1970's the list included ...
Gas
Electricity
Water
Telco
Transport
Coal Mining
Steel Manafucaturing
Car manufacruting
And guess what? They all sucked balls too, and you went on incessantly about them as well!
And while in the EU, I can have my say about these state institutions by voting with my feet and choosing 1 of 27 others, a true, meaningful vote. Now I won't have that vote shortly.
Ref Junck-the-Drunk and Selmayr: If Blighty were to remain in the EU then Blighty's PM would have a 1 in 28 say in their appointment. Which is more than I had in appointing Blighty's PM.
SoD
Posted by: Loz | Sunday, 21 October 2018 at 12:57
Personalizing Brexit is beside the point. The EU is primarily a trading bloc and business has only one concern:
https://www.apnews.com/7fef67bdbdd94e6fa87a317e8314688f
Should you crash out of the EU, it might not be easy to feel good about being 'purely' British.
Btw, you American gun nuts will love this, and it might even help make up for Brit troops that waddle:
https://gazette.com/military/army-might-have-found-its-new-rifle-in-colorado-springs/article_96cd214c-c290-11e8-9d41-27b5a0e767a4.html
Posted by: Bob | Sunday, 21 October 2018 at 14:56
No, Bob, the EU is definitely and absolutely not just "a trading bloc". It is a political empire on the make!
Posted by: David Duff | Sunday, 21 October 2018 at 15:08
David, a Winchester Rifle? Will a Henry Rifle do?
Posted by: Whitewall | Sunday, 21 October 2018 at 17:57
Not sure what a 'Henry Rifle' is but if it can puncture tyres - start shooting!
Posted by: David Duff | Sunday, 21 October 2018 at 18:46
We need to introduce National Service if only for a laugh and watch the mass exodus from the UK.
Posted by: Jimmy Glesga | Sunday, 21 October 2018 at 20:49
Somehow, Jimmy, I can't see our little 'petals' coping with it!
Posted by: David Duff | Sunday, 21 October 2018 at 21:26
Bob
The AR-15/m-16/m-4 is a general purpose infantry weapon. Where we need weapons that are special purpose we have them and use them. The reason it hasn't been replaced is that for practical purposes the proposed replacements, when used as a general purpose infantry weapon can do every thing the an AR-15/m-16/m-4 can do at an extra $1000 to $3000 a copy. If that can be developed to be a reliable general purpose infantry weapon at a couple hundred dollars less a copy the Army will surly adopt it. Do not hold you breath.
Posted by: Hank | Sunday, 21 October 2018 at 21:53
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/sorry-but-jamal-khashoggi-doesnt-matter-that-much
***
Posted by: JK | Monday, 22 October 2018 at 00:34
David, do you mean the same way the signatories of the Treaty Formerly Known as NAFTA are a political empire, and the Canadians and Mexicans are complete slaves to the US?
Hank, the US defense contractors have to do something with all those tax dollars. Having worked in the military/industrial complex myself, where frugality is not the highest priority, it seems likely at least some of the concepts in the ribbon gun will find their ways into future rifles.
Posted by: Bob | Monday, 22 October 2018 at 14:46
Bob,
"Having worked in the military/industrial complex myself, where frugality is not the highest priority, it seems likely at least some of the concepts in the ribbon gun will find their ways into future"
Well they, meaning "the concepts" already have, in typical Department of Defense procurement fashion massively scaled up and eye-wateringly expensive - and as yet "not working as wished" - I give you the USS Gerald Ford for the Navy's example. And that's just the one (of I seem to recall) eight either on the drawing board or, in testing.
Posted by: JK | Monday, 22 October 2018 at 15:59
JK,
That kind of stuff is also annoying from an engineer's point of view. The reason a lot of that stuff doesn't work the first time is that the Pentagon and top-level contractors often put arbitrary drop-dead dates on projects and pieces of projects.
When I was still in the biz a new missile was scheduled to be tested for Caspar Weinberger. The science and tech people on the project knew it wouldn't work and told management so, but they went ahead with the test anyway. The thing exploded not far from the launch pad. Caspar and the other big wigs probably shared a good laugh and some 50 year old scotch afterward.
Posted by: Bob | Monday, 22 October 2018 at 17:36
Dearie me, the Brexiteer mob just shit their pants in public ...
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2018/10/22/have-theresa-mays-critics-unwittingly-bought-time/
Do you think you'd ever catch Junck-the-Drunk being half as stupid even after a bottle of Dom P and Remy Martin chasers?
And you want those foetus-brained turnips in the driving seat?
SoD
Posted by: Loz | Monday, 22 October 2018 at 20:47