British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Tuesday (9 July) said he would fulfil a campaign commitment to increase UK defence spending to 2.5% of GDP, but underlined he would only do so when the country could afford it and after a review of defence strategy.
  • TheGrandNagus@lemmy.worldEnglish
    174·
    6 months ago

    Good. The UK’s military (just like seemingly everything else lol) saw a major hit under the Conservatives.

    The world is, unfortunately, becoming more hostile and Europe needs to be prepared for this.

              • 5714@lemmy.dbzer0.comEnglish
                6·
                5 months ago

                Are you against military spending in general or against the oppurtunity costs of military spending for something specific?

                • meep_launcher@lemm.eeEnglish
                  91·
                  5 months ago

                  I think this guy is a revisionist Tankie. Russia and China have a history of expansionism and conduct provocative military exercises near NATO and Southeast Asian country borders.

                  Best to ignore them and they can sit in the mud of downvotes for others to read and realize they are full of beans.

          • TheGrandNagus@lemmy.worldEnglish
            71·
            5 months ago

            You’re joking, right? Russia regularly threatens to nuke the UK, has done several misinformation campaigns in our political system, and even carried out an assassination using fucking chemical weapons on British soil. Sounds pretty hostile to me.

            China has spoken at length about intending to take back Taiwan, an ally, and the west can’t let that happen, it would be disastrous. They also had a violent crackdown on Hong Kong which the UK has a unique vested interest in for obvious reasons, state-sponsored Chinese hackers have on multiple occasions targeted UK institutions, including hospitals and the Ministry of Defence.

            And yes, various other countries. What, you think nowhere is hostile? There’s active battle against Houthis who are attacking merchant and military vessels right now, for example.

            If you think countries don’t need defensive capabilities, you are wrong. You’d think that would be plainly obvious right now, considering a country in Europe is being fucking invaded right now.

              • TheGrandNagus@lemmy.worldEnglish
                31·
                5 months ago

                Lmao you’re acting like the press in Russia is free. It isn’t. Nuke threats on state TV, large government-backed papers, government staff, and Putin-allied ex-presidents are government sanctioned.

                What obligates the UK to defend its allies? Oh I dunno, promises made, morals, and the cold-hearted pragmatist view that losing Taiwan would be a complete disaster for the UK and the world in general. Semiconductors are kind of a big deal. There’s this new invention called the microprocessor - they’re pretty neat, and used practically everywhere!

                I don’t know why I’m bothering talking to a tankie. No matter what I say you’ll never shift from your position that Russia/China good, west bad.

                  • TheGrandNagus@lemmy.worldEnglish
                    21·
                    5 months ago

                    Youve described Taiwan as ally

                    Because they are.

                    while Britain doesn’t not even recognise them as a state

                    Very few do. That’s unfortunate, but countries can’t really get by if China decides to sanction them. They’re very embedded in the world economy. So we support Taiwan while not officially recognising them as a state wink wink.

                    The UK has recognised them more than most though. There are embassies, there have been state visits (extremely rare when it comes to Taiwan), and the House of Commons Foreign Affairs Select Committee have stated that “Taiwan is an independent country” - in other words, the UK has went as far as you can go in recognising Taiwan without having sanctions from China.

                    If you put any thought into the geopolitical and economic ramifications of it, you’d understand why it’s a lot more complex than the primary school-level understanding you appear to have of the situation.

                    You think the world is run on morals

                    Never said that. You asked why the UK should defend allies being invaded by dictatorships like Russia or China, and I gave that as one of the reasons to do so.

                    and that Britain needs semiconductors from TSMC

                    Because they do, along with everybody else.

                    but you can’t tell me which promise

                    Committments made to help allies.

                    or why we can’t use semi conductor from any of the other manufacturers.

                    Omg are you actually this clueless? Practically everyone uses TSMC. The world would be set back so much without TSMC. They’re the market leader. Even Intel uses TSMC.

                    and morals

                    You don’t see what’s morally wrong with Russia or China invading their neighbours, killing thousands, and making them live under a dictatorship? You don’t see what’s morally wrong with Russia committing a genocide now? The rape and torture they’ve committed and are committing right now?

                    Jesus. I mean I know you’re a tankie, but that’s fucked up even for them.

                    It’s not unfair to call to you a fucking know nothing Moron, educated by YouTube.

                    Ironic.