The UK Media's Fetishisation of the Military

As if watching 'Daybreak' in the morning isn't bad enough, this morning's features on Valentine's Day seemed to feature almost exclusively tales of women married to men in the armed forces and how they keep their love alive when their men are away.

Surely I can't be the only person getting sick of the increasingly fawning nature of the UK media, in particular the more-tabloidy and right-wing outlets, towards the miltary?

Everything revolves around "our brave boys". Countless documentaries about their work, awards ceremonies on ITV (the 'ITV Military Awards'), constant interviews with military wives, reality shows featuring military wives, songs released by military wives, albums released by serving personnel...

WTF is going wrong with the world? It's gotten to the point where any criticism of war or military procedure is seen as an attack on "our brave boys". Rumoured cuts of the armed forces (in line with cuts in the rest of the UK civil or public services) are viewed as an outrage against humanity, where as it's ok to make cuts elsewhere (like in the NHS) as the other services "need to be realistic" in these austere times. Stories of servicemen convicted of crimes like rape, murder, torture etc getting little public attention...

Well, I for one would have little problem cutting the armed forces in the UK. Mainland Britain hasn't been invaded for almost 1,000 years, and won't be invaded again (unless by aliens). There won't be another Nazi Germany. There's no need for Britain to have nuclear weapons. There's no need for Britain to have one of the biggest armed forces in the world.

Cut the military. Sell off the weapons, warships and tanks. Re-train any useful personnel to join the police force or fire and rescue services. Spend the money on the NHS and on public services. End this fetishisation of the military, and end it now.

That is all.