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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

UK would be a pushover if Putin invaded

174 replies

Snoopinator · 04/03/2023 10:29

AIBU to think the UK population would be too busy fretting about rude receptionists, grousing about trans issues and spying on their possible benefit-fraudster neighbours to put up any meaningful resistance to a Russian invasion? It's hard to imagine people coming together in any significant degree.

OP posts:
Natsku · 04/03/2023 11:22

Dotjones · 04/03/2023 11:04

I find it hard to imagine the government would be willing or able to arm the public if there was a danger of invasion. The Russian armed forces are pretty shit but I think even they could defeat a country with a population armed with kitchen knives gaffertaped to broom handles or baseball bats with nails hammered into them. We need guns and ammunition and they should be issued sooner rather than later so that people can be trained to use them safely.

If the government had any sense (I know, I know) they'd relax the gun laws ASAP so that at least people could buy their own guns ahead of the invasion. That way more of us would be ready so when the invasion starts a lot of people would be armed and not reliant on government issued weapons.

As it is we're sitting ducks, protected only by the fact we're more valuable as a target for nuclear weapons than for the purposes of invasion.

That would be a terrible idea. The sensible approach would be to introduce national service and actually train people how to use guns and fight including tactics, not just let anyone buy them but not actually train them.

MarshaBradyo · 04/03/2023 11:22

ThunderAndLoki · 04/03/2023 10:50

Agree with everything you stated.

Courage and bravery on WW level is long, long gone.

Most who built the British Empire (now descendants) moved/spread out over the world to the colonies, former and present. The UK is made up mainly of snowflakes, the rest will/cannot stand up to the absurdities we are living through.

Who gets offered up for the bravery though. It’s easy to say if it’s expecting someone else to fight on your behalf

Unless you mean you would fight and be willing to die then fair enough

Anyway I don’t agree with op. People argue about anything online it doesn’t mean people don’t change behaviour. Loads did in Covid even though people go on about everyone being ‘selfish’.

swallowedAfly · 04/03/2023 11:26

In fact all that pent up anger over culture wars and being constantly divided and pitted against each other by government and media might come in handy and make people relish a common enemy and collective purpose far more than passive, obedient cultures.

MarshaBradyo · 04/03/2023 11:28

Thelnebriati · 04/03/2023 11:20

@Simonjt
We’d have transphobes trotting out “at least he knows what a woman is” while they swooned over Putin .

Putin is a homophobic Nationalist; thanks for making it clear what you think of lesbians and other women wanting to retain sex based rights.

Yeh pretty low post. From a male I take it.

No thanks to that view

Sharktopus · 04/03/2023 11:29

LikeTearsInRain · 04/03/2023 11:10

SNP would let them in through Scotland if they were told they’d get independence

The SNP'd let them through if they said they identied as women...

PaulaTrilloe · 04/03/2023 11:31

I don't think we would be invaded. I am far more concerned that we'd (in the UK) get partially nuked/other solid liquid, gas, sonic weaponry as an example to other countries. 😱

Mellymoon · 04/03/2023 11:33

No but this government would certainly balls it up big time like everything else

NeverDropYourMooncup · 04/03/2023 11:33

Snoopinator · 04/03/2023 10:46

Exactly! And Boris Johnson posing in khaki/a tank turret/martial attitude.

Show quote history

Nah. He'd be hiding in a fridge somewhere between here and the Caribbean and the rest of them would be hopping out the back door of Number 10 like Dominic Cummings did during Covid.

DonnaBanana · 04/03/2023 11:35

I guess you forgot how well the lockdowns actually went. People whinged online about not doing another one each time and.. We all did.

tempusername1234 · 04/03/2023 11:38

For one thing, the British army is one of the most powerful in the world believe it or not with a larger military budget than Russia. We're much much better trained and equipped. Secondly, we're a part of NATO and they attack us and they cease to exist. Nukes aside the Russian military is pretty crap.

But as to your point, no I don't agree with you. I think the British are in the whole a very proud, stubborn and determined bunch who like their freedom. I think we would fight back as we have in the two world wars. I know I would anyway. I don't really class Mumsnet and the people on it in any way indicative of the population as a whole either.

DismantledKing · 04/03/2023 11:39

I’m sure the threads on here are getting stupider and stupider

Spendonsend · 04/03/2023 11:43

If the armed services have had austerity like the nhs and education Id be nervous about it being functional to be honest.

ArseInTheCoOpWindow · 04/03/2023 11:45

Tinkerbyebye · 04/03/2023 10:39

Coming together in times of adversity is what we do well.

Except with Brexit and pandemics.

Sharktopus · 04/03/2023 11:46

DismantledKing · 04/03/2023 11:39

I’m sure the threads on here are getting stupider and stupider

Just like the average poster...

Original poster
Snoopinator · 04/03/2023 11:46

DismantledKing · 04/03/2023 11:39

I’m sure the threads on here are getting stupider and stupider

And yet here you are 😄

OP posts:
Prescottdanni123 · 04/03/2023 11:49

We weren't a pushover against Adolf Hitler. Never in it's history has England willingly taken shit from anyone.

Untitledsquatboulder · 04/03/2023 11:50

MsJD · 04/03/2023 10:33

Assuming compulsory military service for Men, there would be a lot of Mumsnetters pushing for self id to get their DS out of the front line.

Oh I'm sure in this day and age we'd be keen for our daughters to do "their bit" no? Better than just sitting at home waiting to be raped.

Nuevabegin · 04/03/2023 11:54

I find it so bizarre that the UK sees itself as some holy than tho country as far as war is concerned . The UK is one of the world leaders of invasions , it could give the Russians tips tbh…The UK occupied mu country and plenty others completely unlawfully through force. Doesn’t the uk actually produce weapons also?

gazpachosoupday · 04/03/2023 11:54

I find the UK is a bit like having an older sibling

Its a shit to each other, till someone else starts with the bullying

GettingStuffed · 04/03/2023 11:55

Given our government they'd probably give up resisting if they can keep their jobs, sort of a client kingdom.

Nuevabegin · 04/03/2023 11:56

@Prescottdanni123 eh yes because the UK was also a key aggressor also! It “doesn’t take shit” because it’s an expert at causing loads of shit in the countries it has invaded over the centuries..

swallowedAfly · 04/03/2023 12:00

We didn't lick that up off the ground though Nuevabegin. We were colonised repeatedly and learned from however many waves of invasion and occupation by more advanced or technologically/politically/whatever developed peoples.

2013isback · 04/03/2023 12:03

I heard that Putin's plans for the UK include a seven-day week for primary and secondary schools.

Prescottdanni123 · 04/03/2023 12:03

@Nuevabegin

As have loads of other countries. For hundreds of years, when power mad monarchs were given free reign to do whatever they liked, wars were something they all regularly did when they were bored. If you go through history, I highly doubt you will find a country that has done absolutely no wrong to anybody else.

My point is, we kept Adolf Hitler out when he could have walked in, and we'll keep Russia out as well if they attempted an invasion. Would you prefer us to be as weak as water?

TheABC · 04/03/2023 12:04

Why on earth would he want to?