Portsmouth News: "Falklands Fighter Ace Calls For Cost Controls Over UK’s £9.2bn F-35 Project"

[Deleted 59428]

That's at least arguable as it is an emanation of the High Court of Parliament.

Now that would be something interesting for the International Court to get its head round.

 

[huwshpis]

Now that would be something interesting for the International Court to get its head round.

No international court has jurisdiction to answer that question, it's purely a UK constitutional law issue.

 

[Magic_Mushroom]

Rants need not be inaccurate. MOD would no doubt find them irritating but would have far more credibility if they stated outright that they were lies, giving Sharkey, or anyone else, the opportunity to let a Court decide.
MOD is not a Court and should not conduct itself as if it is.

The MoD is not acting as if it’s a court. It’s merely following government guidance regarding FoIs and other public enquiries. I sense that you have little understanding of quite how much staff time is already wasted answering a constant stream of often quite ridiculous (if sometimes well meaning FoIs), of which probably 90% have previously been answered and are readily available on line. The last thing we want is the enormous cost and additional time of having to push things through courts.

Meanwhile, I encourage you to read any of Mr Ward’s missives; you’ll find quite a few factual inaccuracies. Here’s one of his latest.

Factual inaccuracies in this one include:

1. HMS Invincible was planned to be sold to Australia not NZ in 1982.
2. The USS Ponce supposedly being bought by Argentina is already in the process of being broken up.
3. ASuW does not stand for ‘Area Search’ Warfare.

Although his old blog and articles in the Phoenix Think Tank have been wisely removed, there are other articles which remain such as this one. Amongst other howlers, he mentions the ‘F-18 Super Growler’ and that RAF Tornados are unable to tank or reach Kurdistan from Cyprus.

Regards,
MM

 

[Deleted 59428]

The MoD is not acting as if it’s a court. It’s merely following government guidance regarding FoIs and other public enquiries. I sense that you have little understanding of quite how much staff time is already wasted answering a constant stream of often quite ridiculous (if sometimes well meaning FoIs), of which probably 90% have previously been answered and are readily available on line. The last thing we want is the enormous cost and additional time of having to push things through courts.

Meanwhile, I encourage you to read any of Mr Ward’s missives; you’ll find quite a few factual inaccuracies. Here’s one of his latest.

Factual inaccuracies in this one include:

1. HMS Invincible was planned to be sold to Australia not NZ in 1982.
2. The USS Ponce supposedly being bought by Argentina is already in the process of being broken up.
3. ASuW does not stand for ‘Area Search’ Warfare.

Although his old blog and articles in the Phoenix Think Tank have been wisely removed, there are other articles which remain such as this one. Amongst other howlers, he mentions the ‘F-18 Super Growler’ and that RAF Tornados are unable to tank or reach Kurdistan from Cyprus.

Regards,
MM

Regarded by many as something of a maverick,Commander Ward has a reputation for ruffling feathers within the military establishment.

Given the abject mediocrity often to be found within the Ministry of Defence,we regard that as a very good thing.

Who on earth would say a thing like.

I have every idea what time- consuming rubbish civil servants have to deal with. That's what theyre paid for. Served in The Colonial Service after the navy and dealt with much dead wood in the FCO and elsewhere. In some respects I know how Canadian born Sharkey feels.

 

[Magic_Mushroom]

Regarded by many as something of a maverick,Commander Ward has a reputation for ruffling feathers within the military establishment.

Given the abject mediocrity often to be found within the Ministry of Defence,we regard that as a very good thing.

Who on earth would say a thing like.

I have every idea what time- consuming rubbish civil servants have to deal with. That's what theyre paid for. Served in The Colonial Service after the navy and dealt with much dead wood in the FCO and elsewhere. In some respects I know how Canadian born Sharkey feels.

Even mavericks need to get their facts correct to establish credibility.

Sadly, your sweeping generalisation regarding the MoD, reluctance to comment on Ward’s factual errors, and belief that it’s only civil servants who deal with FoIs suggest that you’ve made your mind up.

Therefore, comparing yourself to Mr Ward may be apposite

Regards,
MM

 

[Deleted 59428]

Even mavericks need to get their facts correct to establish credibility.

Sadly, your sweeping generalisation regarding the MoD, reluctance to comment on Ward’s factual errors, and belief that it’s only civil servants who deal with FoIs suggest that you’ve made your mind up.

Therefore, comparing yourself to Mr Ward may be apposite

Regards,
MM

I am aware of the proliferation of uniformed arm chair drivers in Whitehall and beyond. Surely there must be something more worthwhile for them to do.

 

[Magic_Mushroom]

I am aware of the proliferation of uniformed arm chair drivers in Whitehall and beyond. Surely there must be something more worthwhile for them to do.

Quite a few of those ‘arm chair drivers’ have CGCs, DSOs, DSCs, MCs, DFCs, MiDs and other operational awards, or are missing limbs.

Such comments do you no credit whatsoever.

Regards,
MM

 

[Purple_twiglet]

I must have imagined the RAF Wing Commander that I worked with who had 2 x DFC for his service in Afghanistan flying helicopters.

More to the point, most posts and areas are one man deep. Replying to an FOI takes the expert off the job the taxpayer wants them to do in order to spend time replying to the latest deeply tedious missive from someone who shouts at clouds regularly.

Sharkey may have been a good pilot 36 years ago. That doesnt mean he is any good at writing on the state of the modern armed forces though.

 

[wave_dodger]

Given the abject mediocrity often to be found within the Ministry of Defence,we regard that as a very good thing.

That's a cretinous and unevidenced remark, moreover it insults the Junior Rates, Senior Rates, Officers and Civil Servants who work there.

I have every idea what time- consuming rubbish civil servants have to deal with. That's what theyre paid for. Served in The Colonial Service after the navy and dealt with much dead wood in the FCO and elsewhere. In some respects I know how Canadian born Sharkey feels.

You're an anachronism from another generation - no experience or relevance to the MoD now, hence your uninformed bilious comments.

 

[clonmel]

Now that would be something interesting for the International Court to get its head round.

What on earth is the International Court in this context please?

If you mean the International Criminal Court or the International Court of Justice, neither have jurisdiction over internal parliamentary or constitutional matters.

Dammit, just noticed Huw's post #26.

 

[Deleted 59428]

What on earth is the International Court in this context please?

If you mean the International Criminal Court or the International Court of Justice, neither have jurisdiction over internal parliamentary or constitutional matters.

Dammit, just noticed Huw's post #26.

Mentibus Legalis
must ponder.
We'll leave it there.

 

[Seadog]

Mod Notice:

I’ve warned ratsrobpin about his multiple sock accounts before. Should he find that one or more of his accounts vanish, he shouldn’t be surprised.