Bob Ainsworth, the unfit Defence Secretary was spouting another lecture on the day two more British soldiers have died after they were wounded in separate explosions in Southern Afghanistan. One was from 2nd Battalion The Rifles and was killed yesterday afternoon and the other, from 2nd Royal Tank Regiment, died in hospital in the UK from wounds received on Saturday. The latest deaths bring the total to 216.
Meanwhile Bob Ainsworth took to the podium at King's College, London to deliver news on the present and future challenges facing the defence of the UK and to promote his Green Paper on Defence Strategy.
A couple of points caught my eye (the emphasis is mine):
"Failure in Afghanistan would have profound consequences for our national security. It would embolden those who preach extremist violence and increase the threat of terrorist attacks here at home. It would undermine the NATO alliance which has been the bedrock of Britain’s defence for the last 60 years. It would leave the UK and her Armed Forces with diminished support for action in the future and a tarnished reputation.
"I have made it clear to all personnel in the Ministry of Defence that success in Afghanistan is our main effort, and will remain our principal commitment for as long as it takes. Our approach at this time must be - and is - Afghanistan First."
So this week it appears our Armed Forces are in Afghanistan without any timeline for withdrawal in sight.
"If conflict is to be avoided, we will need more effective international institutions. The UK will need to remain globally influential and engaged to shape those institutions and their actions. Our defence capability will need to reflect that global role."
Ainsworth and his fellow dreamers continue to think we are major players on the world stage, convinced that if they repeat a statement often enough the public will believe it.
"It is widely held that one of the greatest long term challenges to international stability is likely to be the results of climate change. (A whiff of Al Gore rhetoric there)
Now it's climate change and he states that competition for resources may trigger or exacerbate conflict.
We could see mass migration as a result of rapid change in fragile societies. Regions which already suffer from insecurity are likely to feel the impact of climate change harder than in stable societies.
"Over the next few decades, Asia will rival the US and Europe as a centre of global economic and political power.
"It is currently predicted that by 2030 the world's four largest single economies will be the US, China, Japan and India. Some estimate that the size of China's economy could overhaul that of the United States by 2040.
"Over this period, the United States is likely to remain the only military power with the ability to support a global presence. The UK relationship with the United States, in the context of NATO and our membership of the EU, will therefore remain critical for our security."
Now the final sentence deserves some attention. Afghanistan and Iraq are all to do with the obsession the UK has with the US, nothing more, nothing less. This government is quite determined Britain becomes the 51th state.
Ainsworth tries hard to substantiate the cuts that he intends to make to the defence budget by saying there is little public appetite for higher defence spending. The Telegraph quotes a YouGov survey in June which showed that 51% of voters named defence as the first area of Government spending they would cut, more than any other department. So 49% of us didn't name the MoD in June for cuts.
'There is no intention on this Government's part of moving our position on Trident,' he said. Well there should be - such an utter waste of money but of course nothing to do with the safety of the UK - it's what the US want isn't it?
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23 comments:
You know, sometimes I wonder if Labour only want the armed forces out of the country in case they try a coup d'etat.
Then I remember this is New Labour and just put it down to corrupt incompetence.
And that quote, SR of 'Our approach this time must be......Afghanistan first' sums up what is wronng with our politicians generally, not just with A'stan but also Europe. Surely to heaven it should be - and always be - United Kingdom first?
Dear Subrosa
I have an idea take 'Bungling Bob' in a WW2 Lancaster over Afghanistan and drop him out.
We could film him falling into the house of an Afghan peasant.
Something to boost moral of the UK troops; they would get the beers in and have a BBQ.
Yours sincerely
George Laird
The Campaign for Human Rights at Glasgow University
With this country's history, we should never have gone into Afghanistan in the first place; the trouble is now we're there I can't see our getting out in years.
The job of the British government is to look after Britsh interests; both Labour under Blair and the Tories before him subordinated our interests to the USA. Looking at Cameron, Hague and Fox, they're even more keen on the nonsensical special relationship than Labour so if they win, look for more of our troops going off to fight the USA's battles. And we get to keep the new Trident in scotland. Won't that be peachy?
Remember, remember the fifth of November!
"We could see mass migration...".
Where's he been hiding?
What a pratt.
A useless, over-promoted, half witted a*se.
I think most people, if asked, and especially those with relatives in Afghanistan, would rather the UK's reputation(?) be tarnished than that any further blood be shed in this war which cannot be won and certainly cannot be justified.
Does this prize idiot think that they can defeat an enemy whose numbers are increasing day by dat. Rightly or wrongly Afghanistans feel that this is an invasion which must be resisted.
You know Quiet Man, someone said that to me not so long ago and I laughed. Perhaps I should have taken the remark more seriously.
Thank god he won't be in the post much longer. If only we could wrest the reins from him right now, eh?
Aye WfW and what caught my eye was the admission that America is all and we will do America's will.
It's so sad George that, of all the talent in this island, we should have someone of the calibre of Ainsworth in charge of our military. It's not just sad, it's extremely frightening.
No it won't be peachy in the least Richard and you know that too. :)
You're right about Davey boy, he'll be as desperate to get his dinner invitation to the White House as Brown was/is.
Have to admit Davey has some people with some knowledge of military matters on his benches but I don't think they will be able to influence him. (I don't mean ex-military Richard, just some MPs with connections as they say.)
How can I forget OR, it's my brother's birthday.
In his wee union bubble scunnert.
And slow witted tris - I'll add your adjectives to the list I have somewhere to describe the man. I read it when I become angry.
Don't you think it's all to do with what America wants brownlie? American wants that part of the world because they need access and if it costs us hundreds of our young so what.
If only CF, if only. The man can and possibly will do lots of damage before that happens though.
So the choice is between becoming a region of the EU or becoming the 51st US State?
Frying pan or fire, take your pick.
Myabe that's why we're in so deep a mess. Our government can't decide which continent we're on.
The next lot don't seem to know either.
Seems as if that's the choice leg-iron. Was interesting though when he admitted we're just the muppets of the US.
Hope you've got all your cultures under lock and key, I'd hate to think you picked up Heliobacter Pylori - miserable cure it is for that.
No need to lock them up. I just have signs pointing out that I don't guarantee surfaces are free of infection and I accept no responsibility for visitors.
Most people tend to keep their hands in their pockets.
Did you go through the Helicobacter treatment? That's a severely nasty one.
Went through it once in my 40s leg-iron then again in my 50s. Just after I was 60 contacted c.difficile through total incompetence within the NHS who dish out antibiotics (or used to) for any type of invasive investigations.
It's a wonder I've any insides left! Thankfully I look after myself reasonably well and I'm sure that nicotine is an organ steriliser. :)
I should have said with the exception of the lungs leg-iron.
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