UK & World News
- 31 January 2012, 7:19
What Is The British Army For? Asks Army Boss
The head of the Army will pose a question bordering on heresy today. What, he will ask, is the Army for?
Given that Sir Peter Wall is the Chief of the General Staff with a lifetime in uniform behind him, it might seem dim of him to need to ask. At the very least the reply should be "killing people".
Well, no. Or not entirely.
By 2020 Britain will have an army of 82,000 regulars and 30,000 part-timers in the Territorial Army.
In short, it will be a tiny army even though the defence budget is likely to remain at number four or five in the world.
Meanwhile heavy cuts, to offset a £39bn deficit, mean that any thought of what an army is really for will have to be conditioned by what it can afford to be.
Sir Peter will not tell us the answers to his question at the International Institute for Strategic Studies later today.
He will, however, reveal the other additional questions he has set a high level team of senior officers.
The results of this review, under Lieutenant General Nick Carter, are expected to be published at the end of April.
They could lead to some head scratching, even horror, among old-fashioned army buffs.
Does Britain need the five infantry brigades which the 2010 Strategic Defence and Security Review (SDSR) called for?
Does it make sense to try to prepare to fight one sustained war, a short intervention and a police-type operation?
Should it be set up to fight an 'enduring' operation like Iraq and Afghanistan at all?
Should the Army be concentrating its manpower in super garrisons like Colchester and Catterick when it will have to rely on high end skills from the TA whose members need to train close to home?
The shift in doctrine likely to be thrown up by these questions, raised as they are by a general with operational battlefield command behind him, will demonstrate a change from an army capable of campaigning, to one prepared for a huge range of contingencies.
Although the cuts faced by the Army are deep it is unlikely that it will face a bout of regimental mergers because the survival of regimental 'cap badges' has been guaranteed by political edict from Number 10.
Insiders suggest that Lt Gen Carter's review may favour a greater role in exercising 'soft power', influence overseas through training.
And while the SDSR envisaged five multi-purpose brigades, Lt Gen Carter is likely to favour establishing the Army with two heavy brigades and two light.
Part of his answer to Sir Peter's question is that the Army should be a deterrent - that it should signal that, whatever else, it can still kill on a significant scale.
what do you think?
Rhys Sage
And suppose we end up fighting with a few thousand men in country A, a few thousand in country B, a few thousand peacekeapers each in countries C, D and E and then we face an invasion from an army that arrived disguised as tourists? Even at a thousand men per country, the force is still down 5,000 out of a very minimal 112,000. It's like a football team playing without the goalie!
Jacqui Morrison
Frankly, I don't see why we need an Army at all! or any forces, all they seem to have been used for recently, is to invade other Countries for no good reason and make us hated the world over! think how many men and women have died in Iraq and Afganistan since those "conflicts" started, needless deaths. We are a small Country, relatively speaking, and have no need to defend ourselves, noone is going to Invade us! and Terrorism is dealt with by the Police, even the old chestnut about it providing a "trade" does n't hold water, many of the things taught are not applicable in the modern world, as is demonstrated by the number of ex-servicemen on the Dole!
eqinox187
We need armed forces to protect our country and despite what you think there are hostile country's all around us and if we were to completely do away with our army what do you think would happen if just 1000 extremists were to get guns and run through the streets firing there AK47 at random people do you honestly think that our police shouting "stop police and waving there metal stick" would prove any Resistance no the police would get mowed down like freshly cut grass and don't think the 4 or 5 armed responce units would provide any better resistance. What stops country's and extremist country's attacking us is our armed forces and our ability to defend our self and our ability to strike back limited tho it may be. Think of it this way. You live in what you think is a safe neighbourhood you have never been broken into because your doors are strong always locked and protected (ie The army). Now remove all those locks infact remove the doors completely (ie No Army) and then see how long it takes for the people to come out the wood work and rob your house because it is now an easy target. I guess what I'm saying is do not assume that just because we are not under direct attack right now that there are not forces out there just itching for the chance to try and if you think America would fly into the rescue then you are mistaken.
tagliatellius
It is for doing exactly what the ruling US president orders his British lapdog to do. Every PM since Harold Wilson has kissed the Yank's fat a$$, Wilson had the cojones to say no when he was told to send British troops to Vietnam.
ABritMum
How many people does it take to push a button?
TheKarmacanic
As far as I know it takes three... The President or Prime Minister (depending on what country were talking about) will issue the command and release ICBM launch codes. The underground base or submarine will receive launch codes and verify them against codes contained in a safe. Then independently two designated personal with separate keys, will input launch codes and simultaneously insert and turn their keys... Armageddon has begun!! (But, I do get your point, three people is not that many.)
ANDREW MILLIGAN
To join,go abroad (preferably),and kill people (legally).At least that's what I heard.
ANDREW MILLIGAN
My only caveat to my earlier comment is that you can enlist really young;presuming they know your real age you could get sent to theatre in Afghanistan.You are young and fit.You go for a walk in the surrounding countryside and people try to kill you.If you are lucky you go home intact (you and your mates).If not you might be killed or maimed.For what? At least you can see the logic of WW2.You fight or everyone starts learning to speak German or Japanese.Alot of other theatres,say the Falklands,are unnecessary at best and just a waste. What did they say in WW1.Lions led by donkeys.Let's hope they make the right call on Iran.
ANDREW MILLIGAN
Think of the logic. 1/the Falklands.A long way away ,possible oil riches,no aircraft carrier for years,Obama probably wont lend us refueling aircraft this time (I think Reagan did but I may be wrong).Argie President thinks I'll have another go.Maybe. 2/Afghanistan.Insurgents kill and maim people.War of attrition.Noone likes it.Of course.David C says we will pull out at a set date.Great.think the insurgents We can wait.Roll on 2014 or whenever.Suits us fine. 3/Iran.Delight as forces liberate country.Just the other day they are all saying thank goodness we have got rid of the americans. These are harsh realities.The US seem to wage war left right and centre.China doesn't seem to.Is that because they are more clever?One day we may all be speaking Chinese without a shot being fired.
ANDREW MILLIGAN
And my last comment is this.Sorry but I hate to see people being killed or injured on any side unnecessarily. To the head of the army or UK politicians It is simple. You show weakness in the playground and you are going to get bullied. Extrapolate that.It is fairly straightforward.
peter
There will be very little army left here soon. The soldiers will all be figting useless wars abroad, sent by equally useless politicians. Why do we do this? Peter. Holmfirth.
eqinox187
3:16am on 31/1/2012
It makes me sad when i look back at the world super power / empire we used to be and then fast forward to today and see what the morrron MPs have degraded our armed forces to. I meen there are 3rd world countrys out there that are better equiped and with far greater numbers of troups. An these inept morrrons plan to reduse our army to 82,000 troups by 2020 and you may say well that still sounds like alot but the reality is with that number of troups you would find it dificult to defend london never mind the rest of england or the rest of the country for that matter. At the end of the day these morrrons are putting all our lives at risk and the future stability of our country at great risk and the last thing you should ever do is cut back on the army as its these guys that keep out the bad guys and keep our country safe. I meen who here would would swap out there frount door each year for a weaker one till it got to the point it was made out of cardboard.