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Anorak News | MoD Spend More On Dog Food Than On Feeding Soldiers

MoD Spend More On Dog Food Than On Feeding Soldiers

by | 14th, June 2007

iraq_afghanistan-anorak.jpg A BRITISH soldier’s lot is not an easy one, whatever your views are on the war in Iraq. (Pic: Beau Bo D’Or)

While politicians play war games from the comfort of their plush offices, soldiers are out on the battlefield, doing their leaders’ dirty work, often with inadequate armour, sub-standard weaponry and now it appears, without even a dog’s dinner in their stomachs.

Tory MP, Mike Penning, has obtained figures which show that a measly £1.51 a day goes on meals for troops, substantially less than the £2.63 which goes on food for military dogs. Indeed, even prisoners cost more to feed, at £1.87 a day.

Penning also claims that American soldiers are being fed high quality mean while British troops are forced to make do with cheap sausages and chips.

Says he: “‘I cannot believe that soldiers are risking their lives daily for the country, but are not being fed properly. I have spoken to a number of mums who are being forced to send out food to their hungry sons. When I was in the army, my mum sent me a cake but that was as a treat.”

However, an MoD spokeswoman has disputed Mr. Penning’s claims, arguing that “It costs significantly less to feed a dog than a person on operations. The mess rate for across all service personnel is £1.51 a day. It varies for dogs as it depends on the size of the dog and the nature of the work. But it works out at roughly 78p a day for an ammunition dog and £1.20 for a patrol dog. “

An ammunition dog? Don’t tell me they’ve started firing man’s best friend at the enemy?



Posted: 14th, June 2007 | In: Money Comments (3) | TrackBack | Permalink