British Army Aims To Recruit More Muslims

[anotheoldgit]

http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2015/feb/06/british-army-recruit-muslims-low-number-iraq-afghanistan

If this was to happen, would there be specific Muslim regiments?

[EcclesCake]

Discussed here http://www.theanswerbank.co.uk/News/Question1398850.html

[mikey4444]

No AOG...why would we need them ? We don't have specific Catholic, Protestant or Jewish regiments, so I am unsure why we would need them for Muslims ?

[anotheoldgit]

mikey

/// so I am unsure why we would need them for Muslims ? ///

Since the majority of recent conflicts have taken place in Muslim countries I would have thought that would be obvious.

[anotheoldgit]

EcclesCake

Afraid I missed that one.

[Baldric]

I recall reading somewhere that it is easier to destroy an organisation
from the inside!

[Prudie]

Hmm what could they call them? The Burkas maybe?

[Gromit]

There are currently 600 Muslims in the British Army. Regiments were usually based on geographical birth places of the recruitee. As muslims are not based in any one particular area of the UK, it would pointless teying to group them as such. These days, diversity and integration trump geographic birthplaces.

So No, we will not have muslim Regiments.

[retrocop]

Yes. COMP. Corps of Muslim Pioneers. I wouldn't want them behind me with a SA80. Even a pick and shovel would be a risk. Do we not recall the rogue Afghan Army men who were shooting our chaps in the F.O.P. whilst they were sleeping and shooting RAF Regiment sentrys in the back. No Muslims at the moment in the armed services please. Our own government have placed enough restrictions and worries on our men and women what with Rules of Engagement etc. Why should they be burdened with extra worries.?

[Baldric]

I suppose it would save them that arduous trip abroad to undergo weapons/combat training, and if they did turn bad the powers that be could always say, 'Well, who'd have thought it?

[Gromit]

Retrocop

What is SA80 or F.O.P?

Haven't a clue what you are on about.

[Prudie]

SA80 is small arms for the 80s, standard issue British Army rifle. I think Retro means FOB, Forward Operating Base, bases remote from the main ones eg Bastion.

[Baldric]

FOP Forward Observation Post

[Prudie]

Then that must be it. I've not heard of FOP but I have heard of FOB

[Gromit]

Maybe the military jargon should be left to Military forums.

[mikey4444]

Prudie...todays best joke at 14:05 !

[Orderlimit]

Yes, very good Prudie haha

[retrocop]

Gromit @1524
Now why would I be unsurprised that you are totally unaware of certain military terms in the real ,dirty, world of warfare. Someone who now, it seems, can make certain uninformed comments in the comfort of your armchair whilst others do the dirty work in theatres of which you have little knowledge to comment on. Even a lady on this site can educate you on a SA80 or FOB or FOP. Perhaps you should research the meaning of REMF. It's not a important point for me to make by any means but someone who actually knows what is going on in the real world would not need to make a comment that military jargon be left to another site would they?
ui

[tonyav]

It would make life difficult for the catering corps I should think, all meat to be Halal slaughtered and no pork in the canteen !.

[retrocop]

Indeed tonyav
Special Rat Packs ( Ration Packs for the uninformed). Camouflage issued prayer mats. Only to be deployed in theatre where there is a convenient Mosque nearby to offer the daily prayer rituals. At least we have improved on the cardboard cartridges sealed with pig fat that once had to be bitten into.

[Peter Pedant]

No the policy is not to

but there were... Gurkhas of course - they arent christian ( nor muslim ) - Hessians - mercenaries from Hesse who fought on the British side at Watterloo

and there was a Jewish Pals brigade as part of the Pals brigades before they were all slaughtered on the Somme

Indian Army - pre1947 part of the glorious British Raj - I am pretty sure they didnt mix Hndu and Muslim


As for RetroC reproving everyone for not knowinng army slang - it changes so quickly, one can hardly keep up. Ruperts and Baldrics were commonplace in the Falklands but you never hear those terms now

FOB I only know as Free on board as opposed to CIF ( cost, insurance, freight ) so someone explain prudies joke please

I was gonna remind everyone what the police slang for IC3 male was fifty years ago but i think I will limit myself to obsrving that Iragis were frequently referred to as towel-heads
and no one is gonna say how ignorant not to know that