In a statement to all staff Mr Ainsworth said:
"My top priority will be continuing to make progress with the campaign in Afghanistan, by ensuring that people throughout Defence are doing all they can in every area to support the campaign, by continuing to ensure that our people on operations have the equipment they need, and by making the case for the mission in Parliament and public.
"In short, Afghanistan must continue to be our main effort in the period ahead. I also intend that MOD should contribute to a more effective programme of military assistance to Pakistan .
"My second priority will be overseeing the preparatory work for a post-General Election Strategic Defence Review, including publication in January 2010 of a Green Paper, to stimulate public and internal debate on long term future defence requirements.
"I know that success in defence depends above all on our people - Service and civilian. I will continue to ensure that their needs, and the needs of Service families, are given a very high priority.
"Both in the short term and long term we must remain prepared to deal effectively with other contingencies as they arise. This includes setting the direction in other priority areas of defence and security policy in which MOD has a key stake, including nuclear policy, counter-proliferation and the NATO Strategic Concept.
"Consistent with these aims, I will be looking to sharpen how MOD is organised and is operating, and for improvements in MOD's cross-Whitehall engagement, to help ensure effective delivery of the 'Comprehensive Approach' to the Afghanistan campaign.
"I will be issuing further guidance in the next few weeks on the adjustments that will be required.
"I intend to focus on building and maintaining relationships with key allies and partners, encourage more effective cross-departmental engagement and working, strive to build cross-party support for key policy and operational initiatives and engage external expertise where appropriate.
"We must expect and will need to deal with continued pressure on defence resources, and will need to ensure that in everything we do we extract the best value for defence while living within the budget. We can also expect our activities to remain in the public spotlight.
"Against this background, the priorities set out above, which have been agreed with MOD's top team, are the key areas on which I will expect the Department to focus in the period ahead.
"I know that very many of you throughout Defence are working extremely hard and effectively to support the campaign in Afghanistan and the other important operations and activities in which MOD and the Armed Forces are engaged.
"Most of you rarely receive the recognition you deserve for these efforts. The top team and I are determined to do all we can to improve public understanding of the important work being done throughout the MOD as a whole and the results this work is achieving."
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26 comments:
What a failure this man is. We, and more especially our troops of any of the services, deserve so much better.
Surely, out of the Commons and the Lords, or even from the whole population, there is someone that Brown could find to do this job properly.
On reading Mr Ainsworth’s little pep talk, the words of Macbeth spring to one’s mind -
"… a poor player
That struts and frets his hour upon the stage
And then is heard no more: it is a tale
Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,
Signifying nothing."
I wish that was so Tris, but can you think of anyone? I can't. Hutton was the best chance the military had of someone who had interest in them.
How very appropriate JRB. Brown seems intent on destroying the moral of the forces and this propaganda from Ainsworth is definite proof don't you think.
I presume that now that we've had this mission statement / vision somebody will run out and buy the software for the helecopters that have been laid up for so long through procurement incompetence?
'Afghanistan by the numbers - Measuring a war gone to hell' an article by Tom Engelhardt on his blog www.TomDispatch.com is well worth reading - an effort to publish facts and figures prior to the inevitable political spin (lies) being applied.
It is seriously disturbing to suffer the disgrace of this awful Afghan war being turned into a cheap side-show by a Westminster Government which cannot find any political integrity to demonstrate clear and robust leadership. No decent private business would tolerate this continued ineptitude and failure so why do we all have no choice but to put up with it in the public sector until by- or general elections? Although, it appears MPs are in a public league of their own when on the merest suspicion often based on subjective opinion, teachers, police, doctors or nurses can be immediately suspended. It appears that too many MPs have carte blanche to be continually incompetent despite objective evidence without recourse.
Oh Dram you optimist you.
Clarinda I'll put that link on my SSS for Saturday. It's excellent.
We're in the death throes of politicians taking any responsibilty for their actions. Accountability no longer exists and we have a standard of representation never seen before, in senior government posts.
Will the tories make improvements though - that's the next big question.
Does anyone anymore read or listen to this lot?
Whenever Brown, the clown above, or any of a host invade my TV I turn the sound off. To leave it on is dangerous for my health and my TV set. The dead tree press, not that I buy it anyway, affords the possibility of just not reading it but, the downside is that the offender stays lurkingly there, awaiting a moment of boredom or weakness. The bin is usually a good alternative or a liner for the parrot cage.
Mandelson, on the other hand is an Olympian liar but, it is quite fun and challenging to work out where is the lie and how is it constructed.
Just an afterthought, maybe we should have a political Commisar in charge of Afghanistan.
Someone whose duty it is to drive the political agenda, be responsible to the UK Government directly, be the mouthpiece of the Military and be actually in charge of ensuring their needs and objectives are fulfilled.
Someone like Paddy Pantsdown who was knocked back by Karzai for all the obvious reasons. We capitulated on that one and have gone on to dig ourselves into this bottomless pit.
Excellent find, and I agree completely with your comments - the green paper is likely to be undeliverable aspirations and "jam tomorrow" in the knowledge the Tories will get in.
Do you have a link to the speech? Can't find it on MoD website.
For 'improve public understanding' read 'try to lie more convincingly'.
I don't think they do Faux Cu but isn't it rather dangerous having such incompetence in charge of thousands of our forces.
Mandy does give many great bloggers good material I admit. :)
Wasn't Paddy offered a post like that Faux Cu but didn't accept it? Someone will remind me of the full story.
Sub R
Paddy was blocked in that role my Karzai who know the game would have been up.
Someone prevailed on Paddy and Britain to withdraw. Winder who that would have been and why?
Jess it was sent to me by a serving officer and I think it was an email sent to all staff, as no link was sent.
I'll ask if it was from a publication and get back to you.
Ah Faux Cu, yes I'm remembering now. Might do a bit of digging about it later.
Morning Jim, spot on as ever. :)
Like Faux Cu listening or watching this type of craven incompetence is like stubbing your toe very badly when you don't know whether to scream, cry, laugh or be sick or do all at the same time?
......and yes, many people must listen and believe - otherwise when Labour's open goal would allow a one legged sheep to score with ease have the Tories, under the somewhat whimsical Cameron, why have they not rocketed ahead in the polls?
In the sense of suffocating formal public dissent on the streets and in the MSM, pacifying the significant oik/gullible population with PCism and the fantasy of equality, youman rites, and inclusion which portrays anyone with an independent thought as racist, elitist, nationalist - take your 'ist' pick - Labour has won? Would the Tories really unpick all that?
Little wonder Mr Cameron wants to reduce MPs and alter constituency boundaries in Scotland where at least we have a better choice and opportunity to vote for a party that is ours - I'm just surprised that the English have not yet twigged the possibility of their own Independence - but of course they would be labelled racist wouldn't they?
Xlarinda
McCameroon is talking now about doing away with 50 seats at Westmidden.
OK.
Here is a better deal to do away with about 25% of Wetmidden seats.
Scotland goes independent and then knock off 12+% seats from the Westmidden rump.
Just short of the 25% but a good start, for Westminster.
I note that he talks about public engagement on the SDR within his brief, perhaps we should be submitting questions to be included in the Green Paper to him directly - particularly if Scotland gain Independence wihtin the period that the SDR covers....food for thought?
You have top ask who his TOP TEAM is and wonder if they are all of the calibre of Busta Gut.
I'm imagining the team as Tarland P7's (bossed by me) rather than Man Utd.
I'm assured Ainsworth's message was erm... unappreciated by service personnel Clarinda and luckily us plebs can escape with a few nonsensical soundbites.
Like you, I can't understand the tories at all. So many chances and none taken. All I hear is that the tories are going to 'do better' than labour and that's certainly not good enough for me. I'd much prefer 'do differently' at the very least.
Yes, for some reason English independence gets no voice, although there are those who work hard at trying to promote an independent England. It's often crossed my mind if they ever contact the SNP because it would certainly be to their benefit and ours if we had politicians both sides of the border working towards the same aim.
Now that's an idea Faux Cu. Can't understand why we have the 'full range' here anyway. Most Scottish MPs do very little.
Indeed CD, we should be submitting questions. I hope readers decide to do so.
Dry here today - can you believe it?
I think you do Tarland P7s an injustice there FL, but the thought of Ainsworth's Top Team does make the mind boggle doesn't it?
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