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Home Front: WoT

US offers asylum lifeline to Afghan war hero as UK refuses to recognise his military service

2023-06-14

[Independent] Humiliation for Britannia as America — alerted by The Independent — considers safe haven for pilot facing deportation to Rwanda. The US is formally investigating whether to give safe haven to the Afghan pilot UK officials are threatening to deport to Rwanda, sparking fury from top politicians and military figures who called it "shameful" that Britannia should turn its back on the war hero. The former air force lieutenant, who flew multiple combat missions alongside coalition forces, has been living in limbo for months after coming to the UK on a small boat while his wife and child hide from the Taliban ...the Pashtun equivalent of men... in Afghanistan. There was shock at defence secretary Ben Wallace’s refusal to intervene after the pilot’s application to the UK’s Afghan refugee scheme was rejected this week — a decision that left him facing the prospect of a one-way flight to Rwanda. While British officials have refused to intervene to halt the Home Office deportation threat, the US Department of State is now considering the pilot and his family’s asylum application after The Independent first raised his case. General Sir Richard Dannatt, the former head of the British army, said the fact that the pilot had been "cast off" by the British for the US to handle was "a complete abrogation of our responsibilities and our decency". Air Marshal Edward Stringer, commander of RAF air operations during the Afghan conflict, said the UK government was making a "weaselling distinction" over the pilot’s war record. Former Tory leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith said that for Britannia to "turn its back on a pilot" and fail to "do what is necessary to keep to the covenant that we protect his life as he helped to protect ours" is "shameful". Sir Iain told The Independent: "Without heroes like this pilot, who is now seeking our help to stay here, we would not be able to fight causes which matter to democratic governments who fight for freedom." He added: "We were allies and comrades in arms to those who helped the coalition, and now they themselves and their families are at risk from the Taliban. We have failed our pledge we gave to stand by them. To see America stand in for us and do the decent thing is galling and shameful." Labour said Rishi Sunak’s government appeared to be applying "Operation Cold Shoulder" to Afghan heroes, describing the intervention by the US as "deeply embarrassing".

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Afghanistan

UK May Keep Special Forces in Afghanistan: Media

2021-07-06

[ToloNews] The British government is poised to keep a small special forces contingent on the ground in Afghanistan, The Telegraph has reported. This comes as the US and its NATO ...the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. A collection of multinational and multilingual and multicultural armed forces, all of differing capabilities, working toward a common goal by pulling in different directions... allies pulled out of the coalition's main base in Bagram district of Parwan province on Friday. The UK is now reportedly considering the retention of an "advisory group" of elite special forces soldiers in the country, the report said. Citing a former Special Air Service (SAS) soldier, who until recently was stationed in Afghanistan, The Telegraph reported that the group would "provide training to Afghan units and deploy with them on the ground as advisers." The deployment will be open-ended, they said, meaning the forces would stay "as long as [the government] continue to see value" in having them stationed there. The decision whether to withdraw all the UK’s remaining 750 soldiers from Afghanistan for good or leave some troops behind amid the Taliban ...the Pashtun equivalent of men... ’s ongoing offensive is yet to be made, a senior military source told the paper. UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson ...pro-Brexit British prime minister, succeeding no-Brexit Theresa May. BoJo is noted as much for his sparkling personality and his hair as for his Conservative policies.... , who has the final say on the matter, is expected to make an announcement at the National Security Council meeting on Monday. Earlier reports in the UK media suggested that British troops might exit Afghanistan by July 4. Officials in the UK, however, did not commit to a certain timeframe, saying that London "reserves the right" to dispatch troops back to Afghanistan, either as part of a coalition or unilaterally, if parts of the country are overrun by terrorists, the report added. In the meantime, the former head of the British Secret Intelligence Service, MI6, said the potential for hard boy groups to be able to regenerate in Afghanistan as US and British troops leave the territory would pose an international threat. Alex Younger told Sky News that if such groups were allowed to regenerate in Afghanistan following the departure of the international forces, "it will lead to more threat on the shores of our country and our allies." Lord Richard Dannatt, the former Chief of the General Staff from 2006 to 2009 said Britannia's mistake had been to allow itself to be diverted into Iraq in 2003 instead of investing in the future of Afghanistan. "This is generally going to be a civil war, an internal struggle, and it's up to the Afghan people to decide do they want to go back under the Taliban or do they want to live that better life that we've shown them glimpses of," he told Sky News on Monday.

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Britain

Islamic State Must Be Destroyed, Says Cameron After Latest Beheading

2014-10-05

[IsraelTimes] The Islamic State ...formerly ISIS or ISIL, depending on your preference. Before that al-Qaeda in Iraq, as shaped by Abu Musab Zarqawi. They're very devout, committing every atrocity they can find in the Koran and inventing a few more. They fling Allah around with every other sentence, but to hear the pols talk they're not really Moslems.... snuffies who have beheaded another Western hostage are deaf to reason and must be destroyed, British Prime Minister David Cameron ... has stated that he is certainly a big Thatcher fan, but I don't know whether that makes me a Thatcherite, which means he's not. Since he is not deeply ideological he lacks core principles and is easily led. He has been described as certainly not a Pitt, Elder or Younger, but he does wear a nice suit so maybe he's Beau Brummel ... said Saturday as Moslems worldwide were urged to pray for the victim on one of Islam's holiest days. Cameron, speaking after a security briefing at his rural retreat Chequers, said Friday's slaying of 47-year-old English aid worker Alan Henning demonstrated that Islamic State gunnies were committed to inflicting horror for horror's sake. Asked whether he believed Islamic State fighters would kill more hostages, Cameron said they would have to be hunted down to be stopped. He declined to say whether Britannia would extend its involvement in U.S.-led Arclight airstrikes on the Islamic State group to Syria, where the hostage killings are believed to have happened. "The fact that this was a kind, gentle, compassionate and caring man who had simply gone to help others, the fact they could murder him in the way they did, shows what we are dealing with," Cameron said. "This is going to be our struggle now. … We must do everything we can to defeat this organization." Moslem leaders across Britannia urged worshippers worldwide to pray for Henning and peace in the Middle East as they gathered at mosques to celebrate Eid al-Adha, Islam's annual "festival of sacrifice." "Millions should be praying today for Alan Henning, a good and honorable man," said Moslem peace activist Shaukat Warraich, speaking outside a mosque in the central English city of Birmingham. Egypt's Foreign Ministry denounced what it called a "barbaric and savage act that fully contradicts Islamic religion tenets and the simplest human and ethical rules." Britannia's former army chief of staff, Gen. Richard Dannatt, called for British air power to be deployed in Syria as well as Iraq, but not for Western ground forces. "This is a fight for the soul of Islam. This is their fight," Dannatt said, pointing to Jordan and Turkey as countries which need "to get stuck into this fight." Farooq Siddique, former leader of a British government initiative to combat extremism, said Western involvement plays into the Lion of Islams' hands. "Soddy Arabia ...a kingdom taking up the bulk of the Arabian peninsula. Its primary economic activity involves exporting oil and soaking Islamic rubes on the annual hajj pilgrimage. The country supports a large number of princes in whatcha might call princely splendor. When the oil runs out the rest of the world is going to kick sand in the Soddy national face... has 700 jets. They are using only 10 of them. Why do they need the West to go and help them?" Siddique said.

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Afghanistan

No timeframe for Afghan withdrawal: UK

2010-06-28

LONDON - It is hard to set a timeframe for a withdrawal of British troops from Afghanistan, the head of Britain's army said on Sunday, days after Prime Minister David Cameron said he wanted troops home within five years. I want a pony. Wouldn't it be lovely if we all got what we wanted? General Richard Dannatt said it was important to exert 'maximum pressure' on the Taleban so they were not able simply to sit out the time until international forces left the country. Indeed. The army chief, who once disagreed with former prime minister Gordon Brown on the issue of helicopter numbers, refused to be drawn on whether Cameron's comments were unhelpful. 'I'm not going to say that,' he said. 'I think time is a factor, there are many factors,' he told the BBC's Andrew Marr programme. 'From now on, and we've been doing it for the last little while, we must put maximum pressure on to succeed so that the Taleban don't have that sort of option to say we'll sit them out for five years, 10 years or whatever.' What an intelligent man the army chief is! Dannatt said the key factor determining when British troops could come home was pace with which Afghan security forces were able to take over their duties. 'When that happens, that's when we'll get to the crossover and our own troops will be able to start reducing and then start to come home. Whether that happens in three, five or seven years I think is difficult to tell.' Dannatt said it was important Britain's military effort in Afghanistan had adequate resources and political support. 'What's got to be remembered is these complex and difficult counter-insurgency campaigns always take time,' he said.

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Afghanistan

B.O. puts brake on troops surge in Afghanistan

2009-02-09

United States President Barack Obama has demanded that the US defence chiefs review their strategy in Afghanistan before going ahead with a troop surge. There is concern among senior Democrats that the US military is preparing to send up to 30,000 extra troops without a coherent plan or exit strategy. The Pentagon was set to announce the deployment of 17,000 extra soldiers and marines last week but Robert Gates, the US defence secretary, postponed the decision after questions from Obama. The US president was concerned by a lack of strategy at his first meeting with Gates and the US joint chiefs of staff last month in "the tank", the secure conference room in the Pentagon. He said: "What's the endgame?" and did not receive a convincing answer. Larry Korb, a defence expert at the Center for American Progress, a Washington think tank, said: "Obama is exactly right. Before he agrees to send 30,000 troops, he wants to know what the mission and the endgame is." Obama promised an extra 7,000-10,000 troops during the US presidential election campaign, but the military has inflated its demands. Leading Democrats fear Afghanistan could become Obama's "Vietnam quagmire". If the surge goes ahead, the military intends to limit the mission to fighting the Taliban and Al-Qaeda and leave democracy building and reconstruction to Nato allies and civilians from the US State Department and other agencies. The US has been pushing Britain to send several thousand more troops but there is just as much disagreement and confusion among British defence chiefs over the long-term aim. British Prime Minister Gordon Brown is set to receive a full briefing this week. General Sir Richard Dannatt, the British army chief who would step down this summer, insisted that troops needed a rest and believed that he could send only one battle group, senior defence sources said. General Sir David Richards, his successor, believed that the two extra battle groups the Americans had asked for was the minimum the UK should send, the sources said.

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Iraq

The men in black vanish and Basra comes to life - How can this be?

2008-04-25

Young women are daring to wear jeans, soldiers listen to pop music on their mobile phones and bands are performing at wedding parties again. All across Iraq’s second city life is improving, a month after Iraqi troops began a surprise crackdown on the black-clad gangs who were allowed to flourish under the British military. The gunmen’s reign had enforced a strict set of religious codes. Yet after three years of being terrified of kidnap, rape and murder – a fate that befell scores of other women – Nadyia Ahmed, 22, is among those enjoying a sense of normality, happy for the first time to attend her science course at Basra University. “I now have the university life that I heard of at high school before the war and always dreamt about,” she told The Times. “It was a nightmare because of these militiamen. I only attended class three days a week but now I look forward to going every day.” She also no longer has to wear a headscarf. Under the strict Islamic rules imposed by the militias, women had to cover their hair, could not wear jeans or bright clothes and were strictly forbidden from sitting next to male colleagues on pain of death. “All these men in black [who imposed the laws] just vanished from the university after this operation,” said Ms Ahmed. “Things have completely changed over the past week.” In a sign of the good mood, celebratory gunfire erupted around Basra two nights ago and text messages were pinged from one mobile phone to another after an alleged senior militia leader was arrested. Raids are continuing in a few remaining strongholds but the Iraqi commander in charge of the unprecedented operation is confident that his forces will soon achieve something that the British military could not – a city free from rogue gunmen. British and US officials acknowledge tentatively that a turning point has been reached. Sir Richard Dannatt, the head of the British Army, made an unannounced visit to Basra over the weekend. Local people are daring to hope that the dark days of death squads and kidnap are over, displaying the sort of optimism that was last seen when British forces arrived in 2003 with the false promise of a better life free from Saddam Hussein. Driving through Basra in a convoy with the Iraqi general leading the Charge of the Knights operation, The Times passed Iraqi security forces manning checkpoints and patrolling the roads. Not a hostile shot was fired as the convoy turned into what was until the weekend the most notorious neighbourhood in the city. Hayaniya, a teeming slum, was a bastion for al-Mahdi Army, the main militia. For the first time in four years local residents have been emboldened to stand up to the militants and are turning in caches of weapons. Army checkpoints have been erected across Basra and traffic police are also out in force. The security forces have also torn down many banners supporting al-Mahdi Army as well as portraits of its leader, Moqtada al-Sadr, though some still remain in militia strongholds. The contrast could not be more stark with the last time The Times visited Basra in December, when intimidation was rife. Many blame the British for allowing the militias to grow. “If they sent competent Iraqi troops to Basra in the early stages it would have limited the damage that happened in our city,” said Hameed Hashim, 39, who works for the South Oil Company. Lieutenant-General Mohan al-Furaiji, Basra’s outgoing commander, said that his goal was “to turn Basra into a safe city without any armed groups” within two months. Local authorities would then have to improve the standard of living for the people of Basra, a city of 2.5 million, where raw sewage runs down the streets and the unemployment rate is as high as 80 per cent, despite countless projects funded by the British Government. “The army has achieved security . . . but people can’t just live with peace. This is a miserable city by all measures,” said General Furaiji, speaking at the Basra Operations Centre on the bank of the Shatt al-Arab waterway. “We have given nothing to the people. Peace is vital but people can’t eat or drink peace,” he told The Times. Despite being an Iraqi-led operation, British and American soldiers are also embedded at the Shatt al-Arab Hotel, providing advice and expertise. Hundreds of British and American troops are on the ground alongside the Iraqis and coalition aircraft fly overhead. Keen to demonstrate the new-found security, General Furaiji stopped his Humvee on the main street of largely boarded-up stores in Hayaniyah and ducked into a dilapidated coffee shop for a glass of Iraqi tea and a bread roll. A cluster of young men ventured forward to speak to him, voicing concern about finding work rather than security fears. Ahmed Nassir Kassim, 23, said: “Before there were killings. Now it’s better. I would like the Government to look after the people and provide us with jobs.” The neighbouring district of al-Qibla was similarly calm. Hussein Fadhil, a professional musician, runs a shop in the centre of the city that rents out musical instruments and has seven bands that he hires for weddings. Musicians suffered greatly. Many were forced by the militia to abandon their trade or beaten up if they tried to perform. Weddings were affected, with couples being told not to play music. “Just two weeks ago if you passed a wedding party you would not be able to tell whether it was a wake or a wedding,” Mr Fadhil, 44, said. The tide has turned, however. Eleven band members who quit because of intimidation want their old jobs back and are receiving bookings for at least one party a day. In a new sweep that began yesterday, seven Iraqi battalions entered a market area – one of three remaining militia bastions – where they found four large hauls of munitions. In the past month Iraqi troops have killed dozens of fighters, made 400 arrests and lost 12 soldiers. At the same time, it is thought that about 60 militia leaders have escaped across the border into Iran or are lying low outside Basra, working out their next move. The British military expressed cautious optimism at the progress. Major Tom Holloway, a spokesman, said: “The Iraqi security forces have made a real difference; this is going to be a long operation by its nature. However, rule of law is returning to the streets.”

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Britain

I’m no hero, says Prince Harry

2008-03-02

LONDON - Prince Harry, pulled out of a 10-week tour ofduty in Afghanistan for security reasons, wants a swift return to the frontline, he said an interview published Sunday, insisting he is not a hero. You're a soldier. That's good enough for all of us. But as the 23-year-old spent his first night on British soil since mid-December, the head of the British Army dealt his ambitions an immediate blow, saying he was unlikely to return to the fray in the near future. The young prince said he was “slightly disappointed” about having to come home early, after a US website broke an embargo agreed between British media and the defence ministry not to publish his whereabouts for security reasons. And he said he was now waiting to hear from his superiors about his future role but was still keen to rejoin his regimental colleagues. “As far as I see it, yeah, I would love to go back and I’ve already mentioned it (to my commanding officer) that I want to go out very, very soon,” he added. But the Chief of the General Staff, General Sir Richard Dannatt, said while Harry’s ambitions and enthusiasm were understandable, he could not see that happening for at least 18 months. “He’s just had a deployment, we wouldn’t expect to send any young officer in the normal course of events who has just had — albeit 10 weeks and that quite quickly — for another tour,” he said. “So, actually the immediate prospect of Prince Harry going anywhere else is some way off in the future. It actually is hypothetical for the next 12 or 18 months whether he would or wouldn’t deploy again.” In interviews soon after his return, Harry spoke matter-of-factly about his work calling in air strikes, patrolling and firing at insurgents in Helmand province, in southern Afghanistan. “You do what you have to do, what’s necessary to save your own guys. If you need to drop a bomb, worst case scenario then you will, but then that’s just the way it is,” he said. “It’s not nice to drop bombs... but to save lives that’s what happens.” But he rejected the tag of “hero”, amid fulsome praise for his work from British political and military leaders and the media. “I wouldn’t say I’m a hero at all. I’m no more a hero than anyone else. If you think about it there’s thousands and thousands of troops out there,” he said. Two unconscious, badly injured soldiers — one of whom lost an arm and a leg to a landmine — were on his plane home, he told reporters. “Those are the heroes,” he said. He also said that during his time at an operating base just 500 metres (1,600 feet) from Taliban positions, he felt secure because there was “no place safer” to be than in the presence of Gurkhas. “Everyone is really well looked after here by the Gurkhas, the food is fantastic — goat curries, chicken curries ... it’s really good fun,” he added.

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Britain

Soldiers betrayed after Helmand medal 'U-turn'

2008-01-02

Veterans of the most ferocious fighting in Afghanistan are said to feel betrayed following an apparent about-turn by Army top brass over the promise of a special award. After a Daily Telegraph campaign, Gen Sir Richard Dannatt, the Chief of the General Staff, said troops who fought in Helmand and Kandahar provinces would receive a Southern Afghanistan clasp to recognise their courage and the harsh conditions. British troops in Helmand and Kandahar provinces have experienced some of the fiercest fighting in Afghanistan But the plan, backed by ministers and civil servants, has stalled amid opposition from high-ranking officers. In particular, Gen Sir Timothy Granville-Chapman, the vice-chief of the defence staff, is said to have made clear his view that the present medals system was adequate. Other officers expressed concern that the bravery of troops elsewhere in Afghanistan could be devalued if the fighting in the south was singled out for recognition. The Ministry of Defence says the decision remains under consideration, but morale among troops from the Parachute Regiment, Royal Marines and 12 Mechanised Brigade, units which experienced some of the fiercest fighting in the summer, has been damaged. One Marines officer who has served two tours in Afghanistan said the process had "ground to a halt" with some senior officers "hoping it will all go away". "It's not great for morale and it won't go down well for those just back from the fighting who are expected to return next year," he said. When Gen Dannatt visited Helmand last year he told troops there should be a clasp to the Afghanistan medal because, "That would be proper recognition of the very difficult circumstances and the fighting that's going on here". Col Richard Kemp, a former commander of British Forces in Afghanistan, said troops had been engaged in "toe-to-toe" combat. "Anyone who has commanded troops in action understands how important medals are for morale. But perhaps the main opponents of the Helmand clasp and the wounded medal have not commanded forces in battle." Zing. Patrick Mercer, a Tory MP and former infantry officer, said it was, "extraordinary that senior officers would stand in the way of this award". An MoD spokesman said: "There is no truth in the allegation that [Gen Granville-Chapman] is standing in the way of any change. The decision to make the award, or not, will involve all of the chiefs."

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Britain

UK general: forces 'can't carry on like this'

2007-11-18

The head of the Army has warned that years of Government under-funding and overstretch have left troops feeling "devalued, angry and suffering from Iraq fatigue", The Sunday Telegraph can reveal. General Sir Richard Dannatt, the Chief of the General Staff, reveals in a top-level report that the present level of operations is "unsustainable", the Army is "under-manned" and increasing numbers of troops are "disillusioned" with service life. Gen Dannatt states that the "military covenant is clearly out of kilter", and the chain of command needs to improve standards of pay, accommodation and medical care. "We must strive to give individuals and units ample recuperation time between operations, but I do not underestimate how difficult this will be to achieve whilst under-manned and with less robust establishments than I would like." The report, a copy of which has been seen by this newspaper, reveals for the first time the general's concerns on virtually every aspect of the Army, from levels of pay to the quality of food in canteens. worrisome details at the link

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Iraq

British general hints at Iraq pull-out

2007-08-28

Comments by the head of the British army, General Sir Richard Dannatt, that his forces are stretched in Afghanistan and cannot deploy any more soldiers will only increase pressure on the British government to hasten its withdrawal from Iraq. At the same time, the British plan to withdraw to a kind of redoubt at Basra airport is being mocked both by the militant cleric Moqtada Sadr, whose Mehdi Army militia has harried British troops in southern Iraq, and by those US military thinkers who want more commitment in Iraq, not less. General Dannatt, speaking on a visit to Afghanistan, did not repeat the statement he made in October last year that Britain should "get out [of Iraq] sometime soon", but the thrust of British military thinking is clear enough - the key campaign is now in Afghanistan, and anything that can reduce and even eliminate the British commitment in Iraq can help in that task. "The army is certainly stretched. And when I say that we can't deploy any more battle groups at the present moment, that's because we're trying to get a reasonable balance of life for our people" he told the BBC. Britain is now down to about 5,500 troops in Iraq (compared to 7,000 when General Dannatt made his remarks last year), and intends to pull them back to the airport and hand Basra province over to Iraqi control, possibly this autumn. The policy was defended by a British spokesman in Basra, Major Mike Shearer. "This is not a new plan at all. It's good for the Iraqis, it's good for us and we will eventually see here Iraqi solutions for Iraqi problems and that has to be the way ahead," he said. This move has been derided by Moqtada Sadr, who regards American and British troops (and al-Qaeda fighters) as invaders. "The British are retreating. They know they will be leaving soon. They have realised this is not a war they should be fighting or one they can win," he told The Independent newspaper. And in the United States, there are signs of a backlash against the British at a time when the Bush administration is shaping up to continue with its so-called surge of troops into Iraq. The Sunday Telegraph reported that the senior British officer in Basra, General Jonathan Shaw, got short shrift when he started lecturing American officers on counter-insurgency. "It's insufferable, for Christ's sake," was the reported reaction of one senior figure closely involved in US military planning. "He comes on and he lectures everybody in the room about how to do a counter-insurgency. The guys were just rolling their eyeballs. The notorious Northern Ireland came up again."' In some quarters, the British pullback is seen as unhelpful to the surge. Stephen Biddle, a senior military commentator at the US think tank, the Council on Foreign Relations, said that the British withdrawal would be "ugly and embarrassing". Mr Biddle has previously called for a policy of getting even more involved in Iraq or getting out. He wants the US to reduce the training of Iraqi forces, and to support some forces in Iraq's civil conflict and oppose others, instead of trying to hold the ring. Meanwhile more than 100 leading foreign policy experts in the US have been surveyed about the war in Iraq and other security issues by the Center for American Progress and Foreign Policy magazine. Oh gee, let me guess the results of the survey ... A summary of the findings stated: "[The] experts see a world that is growing more dangerous, a national security strategy in disrepair, and a war in Iraq that is alarmingly off course." More than half say that the surge is "having a negative impact on US national security," according to the summary. In mid-September, Washington will disclose its next moves, with a report being drawn up on the advice of its commander in Iraq General David Petraeus and its ambassador Ryan Crocker. However, the indication is that President Bush is not inclined to put the brakes on yet. In a telling phrase in his weekly radio address on 11 August he stated: "The surge is still in its early stages." The Americans could probably live with a British pullback. They would probably object to a British withdrawal.

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Britain

Britain almost out of troops, memo reveals

2007-07-21

The head of the Army has issued a dire warning that Britain has almost run out of troops to defend the country or fight abroad, a secret document obtained by the Daily Telegraph has revealed. Gen Sir Richard Dannatt has told senior commanders that reinforcements for emergencies or for operations in Iraq or Afghanistan are "now almost non-existent". Hint: If you had allowed Prince Harry go Afghanistan with his unit like he wanted to, you'd have more recruits than you knew what to do with. In the memorandum to fellow defence leaders, the Chief of the General Staff (CGS) confessed that "we now have almost no capability to react to the unexpected". The "undermanned" Army now has all its units committed to either training for war in Iraq and Afghanistan, on leave or on operations. There is just one battalion of 500 troops, called the Spearhead Lead Element, available to be used in an emergency, such as a major domestic terrorist attack or a rapid deployment overseas. Gen Dannatt's comments will come as the first serious test of Gordon Brown's policy on defence. The new Prime Minister has already faced anger over the decision to give Des Browne, the Defence Secretary, the additional part-time role of Scottish Secretary with Tories labelling the move "an insult to our Armed Forces." Military leaders have privately suggested that a defence review is essential to examine if more money, equipment and troops are needed. With Britain's military reserve locker virtually empty, further pressure will mount on President George W Bush to review US troop levels in Iraq after fellow Republicans suggesting significant withdrawals. It also comes at a time when more forces are needed to combat the Taliban in Afghanistan. Liam Fox, the shadow defence secretary, said the lack of reserves was "an appalling situation and damning indictment" of the way the Government handled the Services. "They are being asked to carry out tasks for which they are neither funded or equipped for. There is an urgent need to review our strategic approach because we cannot continue over-stretching our Forces." The best reporting on the UK military is being done at EU Referendum blog. They've been reporting on these factors for well over a year. (They were also the best reporting on Green Helmet Guy in Lebanon last year). it's painful stuff, but necessary. The document said that Britain's second back-up unit, called the Airborne Task Force formed around the Parachute Regiment, was unavailable. It was unable to fully deploy "due to shortages in manpower, equipment and stocks". Most of the Paras' vehicles and weapons have stayed in Afghanistan with other units using them in intense battles against the Taliban. Parachute Regiment officers are deeply concerned that with nearly all their equipment abroad they are unable to train properly for future operations. The Paras also no longer have the ability to parachute as a 600-strong battalion because no RAF planes were available to drop then en-masse, the document said. The situation was unlikely to be resolved until late August. With the Army significantly under-strength by 3,500 troops – many disillusioned with being constantly on dangerous operations and away from their families – it is now struggling to plug the gaps on the frontline. "The enduring nature and scale of current operations continues to stretch people," Gen Dannatt wrote. The Army now needed to "augment" 2,500 troops from other units onto operations in Iraq and Afghanistan to bring up the total force to 13,000 required. This remained "far higher than we ever assumed," the CGS said. "When this is combined with the effects of under-manning (principally in the infantry and Royal Artillery) and the pace of training support needed to prepare units for operations, the tempo of life in the Field Army is intense." The Army has also been forced to call up almost 1,000 Territorial Army soldiers for overseas operations. The general's concerns came after three RAF personnel were killed in a mortar or rocket attack on the main British headquarters five miles outside Basra bringing the total dead in Iraq to 162. With the main force pulling out of Basra city to the air station in the coming months there is concern of increased attacks on the large base where some troops are forced to live in tented accommodation. A lack of vehicles meant that "training is significantly constrained". Gen Dannatt was also "concerned" that some equipment, particularly Scimitar light tanks that are vital to fighting in Afghanistan but are 40 years old, "may be at the edge of their sustainability". More needed to be done on housing and pay in order to retained troops because "people are more likely to stay if we look after them properly". Brit soldiers are also having trouble at home...landlords won't rent to them, they get hassled or ignored in the streets. Glenn Reynolds said he sent a round of drinks to some UK soldiers at an airport bar and they said they liked visiting America 'cos they were treated better here. The pressure on numbers was partially being alleviated by bringing in civilian firms to train soldiers and guard bases and by "adopting a pragmatic approach to risk where possible". While the current situation was "manageable" Gen Dannatt was "very concerned about the longer term implications of the impact of this level of operations on our people, equipment and future operational capability". It is not the first time Gen Dannatt has raised concerns on Britain's fighting ability. A few weeks into his job last year, Sir Richard said the military was "running hot" and urged for a national debate on defence. The plain-speaking officer later suggested that the British presence in Iraq was "exacerbating the security problems" and warned that the Army would "break" if it was kept there too long. Gen Dannatt, who said manning was "critical" in the Army, called for extra infantry units earlier this month following the devastating cuts inflicted by his predecessor Gen Sir Mike Jackson which saw four battalions axed. "General Dannatt's appraisal means that we are unable to intervene if there is an emergency in Britain or elsewhere, that's self-evident," a senior officer said. "But this is a direct result of the decision to go into Afghanistan on the assumption that Iraq would diminish simultaneously. We are now reaping the reward of that assumption."

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Britain

Prince Harry to quit army ("in a couple of years")

2007-06-09

PRINCE Harry has decided to quit the army early over the debacle of his deployment to Iraq. The 22-year-old, who is on a training exercise in Canada, has told friends he "just couldn't face the humiliation" of being withdrawn from frontline service again. Instead, the prince hopes to join his father and grandmother to become a full-time working member of the royal family. He also plans to travel extensively in Africa and develop Sentebale, the charity he set up in memory of his mother which supports AIDS orphans in the poverty-stricken kingdom of Lesotho. A source close to the prince said: "Harry has wanted to serve in the army since he was a small boy and the debacle over his deployment to Iraq hit him hard. "The poor lad really is beside himself and more than a bit depressed. "He keeps up nearly by the hour on what is happening with his boys in the Gulf. "He knows in his heart of hearts that pulling him out was the death knell for his army career. "He has decided he will devote his time to charity work and travel. Harry has a list that his mother once made of things she wanted to help to change in the world and he wants to check all of them off.'' Reconnaissance officer Harry was due to go with his 12-strong troop from the Blues and Royals to Iraq to begin a six-month tour of duty at the beginning of last month. But the head of the army, General Sir Richard Dannatt, reversed the decision after receiving intelligence that to send Harry to the war zone would put him and his men at "unacceptable'' risk. One insurgent group had threatened to kidnap the young royal. The prince is now on exercise with the British Army Training Unit in Alberta, Canada, in preparation for a possible deployment to Afghanistan this summer. He is said to be encouraged by the move but concerned because there is already talk that the posting is in jeopardy due to rising casualties on the battlefield. Sources say the prince will probably stay for another couple of years as a face-saving exercise but is likely to quit after that.

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