British general unconstitutionally advocates war on Syria, nuclear weapons

This video from Britain says about itself:

NHS NOT TRIDENT – CND talks to Katharine Hamnett CBE

15 January 2015

Katharine Hamnett CBE talks to Kate Hudson, chair of CND, about public money being wasted on the Trident nuclear submarine system in the UK.

By Will Stone in Britain:

Stalling on Syria a ‘let-down for allies’

Monday 9th November 2015

Chief of Staff Houghton makes dangerous political intervention

AS THE country paid tribute to the fallen yesterday, armed forces head General Sir Nick Houghton was accused of “cheerleading for war” after saying that Britain was “letting down” its allies by not bombing Syria.

The general argued that it “makes no sense” that RAF air strikes on Islamic State (Isis) in neighbouring Iraq had to stop at the border when Isis’s stronghold was in Syria.

“In the most simplistic way it’s like being asked to win a football match but not being able to go into the opponents’ half,” Mr Houghton told Sky’s Murnaghan programme.

But Gen Houghton’s comments sparked an angry backlash from politicians and campaigners, who have accused him of breaching constitutional rules that the military should remain politically neutral.

Stop the War convener Lindsey German reminded him that the foreign affairs committee had just published a report recommending no British air strikes in Syria without a coherent strategy.

“The last thing we need is an unelected general cheerleading for war,” she told the Star, saying that the bombing of Iraq and Syria had been disastrous.

Gen Houghton made his comments as the country spent Remembrance Sunday recalling the millions of working people who lost their lives in the line of duty.

“He should not be using Remembrance Sunday to justify more wars,” argued Ms German.

She also pointed out that his political intervention had come during the biggest refugee crisis since World War II.

“The political Establishment does not want to pay money to look after refugees but is willing to pay greater sums on waging wars,” she said.

Gen Houghton also attacked Jeremy Corbyn, stating he would “worry” if the Labour leader became prime minister given his stance against using Trident.

“It is a matter of serious concern that the chief of the defence staff has today intervened directly in issues of political dispute,” said Mr Corbyn.

“It is essential in a democracy that the military remains politically neutral at all times.

“By publicly taking sides in current political arguments, Sir Nicholas Houghton has clearly breached that constitutional principle.”

Mr Corbyn will write to Defence Secretary Michael Fallon asking him “to take action to ensure that the neutrality of the armed forces is upheld.”

FOR a serving general to publicly encourage military action abroad when Parliament has endorsed no such thing is a breach of the proper relationship between army and government. General Nicholas Houghton’s comments to Sky News on Sunday are even worse. For one thing he is not merely a serving general but the chief of the defence staff — the effective leader of the country’s armed forces. For another, he spoke out on Remembrance Sunday: here.

British military chief denounces Labour leader Corbyn on use of nuclear weapons: here. See also here.

Ex-navy chief Lord West threatens to quit Labour over Jeremy Corbyn’s vow to scrap Trident: here.

WHY YOU SHOULD BE AFRAID OF AN ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AND NUCLEAR WEAPONS COMBO Scratch that — terrified. [Motherboard]

French President François Hollande and British Prime Minister David Cameron met in Paris yesterday at the Élysée Palace, as both seek to respond to the November 13 terrorist attacks in Paris by escalating the bloody war in Syria: here.