Defense of the Realm:

This report about the Brits and their long history of military service and history, and want to dominate others in many cases, is a mirror into our own National Security and National Defense as these two occupations have stretched beyond the limits many issues connected to both.

We gave those that developed the hatreds from our long running World Policies towards them exactly what they wanted, that's Guerrilla Insurgency, only on a world scale and fought with criminal terror from all involved.

Britain's Armed Forces Crisis

Self created major problems! Creating more and more hatreds within regions and beyond those of this planet towards the so called powerful nations while pushing those that serve their countries over the limits of that service and with, at least in our country the U.S., the majority of the citizens that cheered on these wars losing interest in them and those serving. Except when they are needed by some and their politicians, called patriotism, to claim how strong they are as to defense of the country, same not wanting to pony up the costs for especially the long term results of the service of the few and the failed policies of these hired to represent and lead the Nations!

Battle Politicians say troops in Afghanistan deter terror at home. But the war is unpopular Eros Hoagland / Redux

Rebecca Marsden, a 25-year-old cadet, says there will be no problem with that: "We can't wait to go to Afghanistan." But it's not just the Taliban that Sandhurst's alumni will have to worry about. As it prepares for a general election on May 6, Britain is having to come to terms with a grim reality: its armed forces are in a state of crisis. Soldiers are profoundly battle weary. Grim statistics tell one part of the story: 179 British soldiers killed in Iraq between 2003 and 2009; 280 lost to the conflict in Afghanistan since 2001. Silent crowds gather to pay respects each time casualties are repatriated to an air base on the edge of a town in southwest England called Wootton Bassett, but displays of public sympathy for the troops mask plunging support for British involvement in faraway wars.

(See pictures of British soldiers in Afghanistan.)

Politicians continue to justify the adventures in Iraq and in Afghanistan, where British troop levels now stand at 9,500, in terms of national security. Britain, it is said, must take the fight to the bad guys to keep its citizens safe. Yet as the list of rickety states and terror havens has continued to expand, defense spending has failed to keep pace even as equipment costs have spiraled upward. The prospect of lean times as Britain reins in its budget deficit has pitched army, navy and air force commanders into open turf wars. Lower down the ranks, the endemic overstretch expresses itself in a stark statistic: according to Britain's Ministry of Defence, 1 in 5 troops is unfit for frontline duty, often as a result of injury or psychological damage. -->-->-->

The past decade, and continuing, has only enhanced what was and will continue into the coming decades. This is the legacy we're leaving the coming generations!

This should not be a call to more defense spending and the corruption and waste from, but a call to live in a world of "Winning the Hearts and Minds of others!" for better security, ours and theirs!

Many Nations talk a good game while playing that game with rules just the opposite and condemning others while doing what we condemn ourselves. That 'game' is extremely destructive and deadly!