ℙ𝕚𝕖𝕣𝕤 ℂ

You can ignore reality, but you cannot ignore the consequences of ignoring reality.

Ayn Rand

[ℙ𝕚𝕖𝕣𝕤 ℂ @PiersC5]

When considering any opinions or "stated facts" on social media, it is worth remembering that perception is nine-tenths of the flaw.

[ℙ𝕚𝕖𝕣𝕤 ℂ @PiersC5]

@tgdesrosier You're not wrong: not just Naval assets, either. 36 years of neglect and incompetence, starting with "Options For Change* in 1990 have, all too often, seen our military sent to war with the wrong stuff (ie snatch landrovers) or not enough of the right stuff.

And here we are now.

[ℙ𝕚𝕖𝕣𝕤 ℂ @PiersC5]

@campbellclaret The May locals surely showed overall dissatisfaction with LAB's performance during its time in government? The by election, by contrast, shows how deeply Starmer himself is disliked, as it paves the way for leadership challenge. Locals were political, by election is personal, no?

[ℙ𝕚𝕖𝕣𝕤 ℂ @PiersC5]

@TomSoede He is astute and politically savvy, comfortable swimming in the cesspool of contemporary politics. Personally, I see him as a catalyst rather than a politician: I certainly do not see him as fit to be PM. But that's who we're getting if the other parties don't raise their game.

[ℙ𝕚𝕖𝕣𝕤 ℂ @PiersC5]

@Daractenus A good illustration of alternative reality.

[ℙ𝕚𝕖𝕣𝕤 ℂ @PiersC5]

@JohnCleese Fundamentalism is ugly in any religion.

[ℙ𝕚𝕖𝕣𝕤 ℂ @PiersC5]

@PreetKGillMP You may choose to believe him, but that does not alter his being a pathological liar, as his record both before and during his time government proves. As long as Labour MPs continue to accept his word at face value, the credibility of every single one of you remains in question.

[ℙ𝕚𝕖𝕣𝕤 ℂ @PiersC5]

@DesmondSwayne Yet, that was the deal: pay your NICs, get a state pension. Had those of you in the Westminster bubble had been less profligate, less irresponsible with all this dosh we gave you to look after our futures, funding it now would not be a problem.

More politcians' broken promises.

[ℙ𝕚𝕖𝕣𝕤 ℂ @PiersC5]

@MichaelShurkin The gentlemen of 3RTR, QVC, 2KRRC & 1st Bn The Rifle Brigade at Calais, along with 4RTR at Arras and 51st Highland Div at St Valéry would like a word.

[ℙ𝕚𝕖𝕣𝕤 ℂ @PiersC5]

@johnredwood Piffle. It's down to 40 years of neglect, predominantly by Conservative governments.

[ℙ𝕚𝕖𝕣𝕤 ℂ @PiersC5]

@campbellclaret 36 years since Options For Change and EVERY SINGLE GOVERNMENT SINCE HAS FAILED THE MILITARY.

Monstrous negligence, inexcusable incompetence.

[ℙ𝕚𝕖𝕣𝕤 ℂ @PiersC5]

@David__Osland USMC deployment in the ETO was limited. Britain was the jumping off point for the AEF's liberation of Northern Europe; would the Red Army juggernaut have halted on the Elbe had the US Army not been there? Continental Europe would likely have been speaking Russian for 80 years.

[ℙ𝕚𝕖𝕣𝕤 ℂ @PiersC5]

@WilliamJHague "Top" leaders send the rest of us out to fight their wars. Why should they be any less vulnerable to direct fire than we are?

[ℙ𝕚𝕖𝕣𝕤 ℂ @PiersC5]

@joni_askola @lukemcgee "Lies, damned lies and ..." world leaders' promises?

[ℙ𝕚𝕖𝕣𝕤 ℂ @PiersC5]

@johnredwood You undermine your own credibility with every post you make. A Tory govt, with Osborne as Chancellor and Cameron as PM, cut the defence budget by £80bn, increasing a decline caused by Options for Change, another Tory review in 1990. The British Military didn't vanish overnight.

[ℙ𝕚𝕖𝕣𝕤 ℂ @PiersC5]

@AdamKinzinger And the real shame of it is that, although we know this is all down to Trump and not Uncle Sam, the faith has been so damaged in such a short time, the mutual trust so torn, that even if the US and Europe started a major charm offensives tomorrow, recovery would take decades.

[ℙ𝕚𝕖𝕣𝕤 ℂ @PiersC5]

@Muinchille @thinkdefence Uncle Sam provided over 100 AIM-9L Sidewinder missiles, satellite intelligence, 12.5 million gallons of fuel at Ascension Island, and an offer of a US aircraft carrier (USS Iwo Jima). The US also joined the EEC in imposing economic sanctions on Argentina for the duration.

[ℙ𝕚𝕖𝕣𝕤 ℂ @PiersC5]

@haynesdeborah @FennellJW US bases in Europe facilitate the projection of US power into Europe and the Middle East: membership of NATO is why those bases exist... If this is anything more than simple rhetoric, US influence in 2 important regions becomes less than a given.

[ℙ𝕚𝕖𝕣𝕤 ℂ @PiersC5]

@stacey_mc1990 @haynesdeborah Neville Chamberlain would like a word.

[ℙ𝕚𝕖𝕣𝕤 ℂ @PiersC5]

@johnredwood We'd have a damn sight more ships available if successive Tory governments hadn't run The Andrew down between 2010-2024.

[ℙ𝕚𝕖𝕣𝕤 ℂ @PiersC5]

@JamesMelville Remember when it used to be The Department of Defence? But I guess that monicker didn't work so well with The Board of Peace.