I disagree with the criticism of Andy Burnham's comment 'defence can't come at the expense of social security'. One of the lessons of Ukraine is that a whole society response is needed which incudes providing help to evacuees (social security) as well civil defence and good infrastructure. It's also about having the resilience and will to fight i.e. having a society 'worth fighting for'. To frame the debate as a choice between having strong defences or a decent, resilient society is like purchasing 100 tanks but not providing the fuel to operate them. For example there is no point spending billions on sophisticated US weapons systems that we may never be permitted to operate if we can't provide education for engineers, scientists or NHS services to our combatants or civilians in peacetime. I think we really need to move on from seeing defence and security as only a military matter. If those with the brodest shoulders have to pay a bit more tax then so be it. I think that's the point Burnham is making.
Totally agree. Why should anyone put their lives on the line for a state that has consistently abused them and theirs. Forty years of cruel anti community Neoliberalism has served to socially devastate the UK and the US. To the extent that one could almost believe that both Reagan and Thatcher were unknowing Russian assets !
I appreciate this clear exposition. However, think all of this advice is probably a day late and a dollar short. Fit for a pre Putin era. The post 1989 focused Russian infiltration of Western democracies via entering participation in City of London/Wall St. global high financial networks, corporate partnerships in energy supplies and brilliant mirror propaganda operations across social media, particularly in the US and UK, first demands an honest analysis of what we have already lost, how and where and through whom.
How the independence movements in Cornwall, Wales and Scotland are also a potential achilles’ heel for any hostile foreign agent to deploy against state funded attempts to create a popular and effective wartime narrative for the entire UK population needs urgent addressing.
Also, how advances in drone technology is bringing the possibility of kinetic military action literally to everyone’s doorstep and within anyone’s private reach, urgently needs to be factored in to any UK state war plans.
I disagree with the criticism of Andy Burnham's comment 'defence can't come at the expense of social security'. One of the lessons of Ukraine is that a whole society response is needed which incudes providing help to evacuees (social security) as well civil defence and good infrastructure. It's also about having the resilience and will to fight i.e. having a society 'worth fighting for'. To frame the debate as a choice between having strong defences or a decent, resilient society is like purchasing 100 tanks but not providing the fuel to operate them. For example there is no point spending billions on sophisticated US weapons systems that we may never be permitted to operate if we can't provide education for engineers, scientists or NHS services to our combatants or civilians in peacetime. I think we really need to move on from seeing defence and security as only a military matter. If those with the brodest shoulders have to pay a bit more tax then so be it. I think that's the point Burnham is making.
Totally agree. Why should anyone put their lives on the line for a state that has consistently abused them and theirs. Forty years of cruel anti community Neoliberalism has served to socially devastate the UK and the US. To the extent that one could almost believe that both Reagan and Thatcher were unknowing Russian assets !
Are you mad? How can you not believe Trump’s not a Russian asset?
I appreciate this clear exposition. However, think all of this advice is probably a day late and a dollar short. Fit for a pre Putin era. The post 1989 focused Russian infiltration of Western democracies via entering participation in City of London/Wall St. global high financial networks, corporate partnerships in energy supplies and brilliant mirror propaganda operations across social media, particularly in the US and UK, first demands an honest analysis of what we have already lost, how and where and through whom.
How the independence movements in Cornwall, Wales and Scotland are also a potential achilles’ heel for any hostile foreign agent to deploy against state funded attempts to create a popular and effective wartime narrative for the entire UK population needs urgent addressing.
Also, how advances in drone technology is bringing the possibility of kinetic military action literally to everyone’s doorstep and within anyone’s private reach, urgently needs to be factored in to any UK state war plans.
well this is the gerasimov doctrine. point by point.