Of note for Defence in the news today is the continuing coverage focusing on doubts over the Iraqi forces’ ability and willingness to fight ISIL.
ISIL
The majority of papers today highlight former Chief of the General Staff Lord Dannatt’s comments, first made yesterday in the Mail on Sunday, calling on the Government to “think the previously unthinkable” and consider sending ground troops to Syria and Iraq to fight ISIL. During an interview with the BBC’s Andrew Marr, Business Secretary Sajid Javid disagreed, saying that the war must be won by those most affected, and leader articles in today’s Daily Express and Daily Mirror both reject Lord Dannatt’s comments, saying that British boots on the ground in the Middle East would invariably lead to the deaths of more young soldiers, and that lessons need to be learnt from the recent history of Iraq and Afghanistan. Our position on this story was reflected in yesterday’s blog, which you can read here.
The Times and the Daily Mirror report that counter-terrorism police are focusing on the “growing threat” of a chemical weapons attack by British jihadists returning from Iraq and Syria. According to the articles, bombs laced with chlorine have become the “chemical weapons of choice” for ISIL, raising fears that jihadists plan to deploy their chemical bomb-making skills upon their return to Britain. Meanwhile the Daily Mail reports on claims made by members of ISIL, that the extremist group will have enough money to buy a nuclear weapon within a year.
Defence Spending
There is coverage in the Daily Telegraph and Daily Mail suggesting the Prime Minister has been urged to 'repair damage' to Defence. According to former Chief of the Air Staff Sir Michael Graydon, who was speaking on behalf of the UK National Defence Association, David Cameron must take advantage of his election victory to ring fence the Defence budget and promise to spend the NATO minimum of 2 per cent of national income on the Armed Forces.
A Government spokesperson said:
With the second largest defence budget in NATO and the largest in the EU, the Government is committed to spending 2% of GDP on defence this financial year. Decisions on spending after the financial year 2015/16 will be determined in the next spending review.
“This government was elected with a mandate to maintain the size of regular armed forces, to increase the equipment budget in real terms every year, and to renew our four nuclear ballistic submarines. These commitments will secure the shape and power of our Armed Forces and keep Britain safe.
Nepal
Gurkhas working to help some of the worst-hit districts in Nepal have been struggling to distribute essential supplies because of red tape, delays and a lack of helicopters reports The Times today. The article goes on to say that a plan for the Gurkhas to provide thousands of emergency shelter kits, including tents, water purification equipment, cooking and eating utensils, ran into problems when Nepal held up the import of the kits from depots in the UK and Dubai. The effort has also been hit by a shortage of helicopters, following Nepal’s decision to block access to three RAF Chinooks flown out to assist the aid effort. The story includes positive comments from Major Mark Hendry, in charge of the British Gurkha contingent in Nepal, who says that whilst it has been a testing environment, the team has been able to deliver a huge amount of aid, adding that our special relationship with Nepal means everyone has been very supportive. You can read more about the UK’s response to the Nepal earthquake here.
Maritime surveillance
The Independent reports that aerospace giants including Airbus and Boeing are mulling bids for one of the largest Ministry of Defence deals of the next two years, a £2 billion maritime surveillance contract. A defence industry source is quoted in the piece, saying that the contract could be the only new thing to come out of Strategic Defence and Security Review; despite the specter of further cuts, the article says there is “an urgent need” to replace the Nimrod surveillance aircraft that were axed in 2010. The Ministry of Defence stated its position on maritime patrol in the Defence in the media blog on 14 May which you can read here.
The village has links to the Gurkhas and is home to four Welfare Pensioners(Retired Gurkhas or their dependants who receive a welfare pension from the Gurkhas Welfare Trust). The Gurkhas team were the first to make contact with the village since April. They Identified a potential HLS and the information which they received will be passed on to DFID and other international agencies who will be able to provide aid to the village. Images By Sgt Neil Bryden RAF
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