... according to your cloth
IMHO the Brits must use this opportunity to become realistic about what they will be able to achieve and afford militarily in the future.
The days of preparing for all possible scenarios is no longer possible or intelligent.
First, decommission Trident and associated navy infrastructure. It is noted with horror that Trident has been specifically excluded from the Defence Review.
I did speak about the value IMO of having 5 platoon companies and the same for rifle companies in a battalion with a corresponding increase in the Support Company strength. Worth consideration.
Then the Army Air Corps chopper strength must be radically increased for both attack and lift.
The problem is that there are insiders going to carry this out and the final decision will probably be taken on the basis of a compromise to keep sailors, soldiers and airmen least unhappy.
As has been discussed here (by me) is that the war productivity of the Brit army is very poor what with 18 month R&Rs between mere 6 month war tours. Change that and you can get a lot more bang for the buck.
Difficult choices lie ahead.
the truth is coming out... slowly
Quote:
Originally Posted by
davidbfpo
Gen Mackay is quoted as saying:
Quote:
The issue is whether or not our politicians, diplomats, intelligence services, civil servants and senior military have done enough, adapted enough, been innovative enough or courageous enough to make tough, and more often than not, unpalatable choices.
I don't think (and I say this once again) that all the blame should be laid at the feet of the above mentioned and let the battalion commanders and below get off Scott free. It is too easy for the more junior officers to try to deflect blame for a poor campaign in the direction of the generals and the politicos.
This is a better quote from Admiral Parry I suggest:
Quote:
...that those in charge of the mission had based their strategy on memories of missions in Borneo, Malaya and Northern Ireland and senior figures showed "considerable" resistance to "ditching the lessons from the past" rather than adopting the "radical and progressive ideas" which were needed.
This is why the military top structure needs a full overhaul.
Helmand: Anatomy of a Disaster
I am sure these articles have been missed, so Hat tip to KoW.
First on Afpak, with an opening line:
Quote:
Britain's Conservative-led government of David Cameron is busy in London wrestling with the question: just what has been going wrong?
Link:http://afpak.foreignpolicy.com/posts...f+War-Reading)
The article has a link to a series of articles in The Times (now behind a pay wall), so just a hint from this available link:http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/new...cle7146449.ece
Plus a link to an earlier article, with a ten point strategy, note with retired General Mackay as interviewee: http://www.stephengrey.com/2010/06/a...n-afghanistan/
Lots to read, enjoy.
Defenceoftherealm is back
The UK-based blogsite is back, it has been for a few weeks after a long break and I missed its return:http://defenceoftherealm.blogspot.com/
Worth dipping into and has some interesting links, including a few now behind The Times pay wall.
This link is rather controversial and concerns UK defence, not in Afg.:http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisf...antasy-enemies