This morning’s Defence-related news includes BBC Radio 4’s Today programme and BBC News reporting that an RAF sergeant was moved out of a hospital waiting room because staff thought his uniform would "upset" other patients. A clip from Sergeant Mark Prendeville’s father, Jim, says his son was “dumbfounded” at the treatment.
Op Shader anniversary
There is positive coverage in the Times and running this morning on PA that “two spy planes and drones” will extend their mission against ISIL in Iraq and Syria into 2016. The piece reports that Defence Secretary Michael Fallon announced the Sentinel intelligence gathering aircraft would continue to operate over the Middle East beyond the end of the year, as part of the US-led coalition. The story also adds that the RAF has conducted more than 300 strikes since the combat operation in Iraq was approved by Parliament exactly one year ago. The Defence Secretary said:
The fight against ISIL is our top operational priority and Britain is playing a vital role. Our armed forces have conducted more than 300 strikes, flown almost a third of all coalition surveillance flights and trained over 2,000 local troops. In 2014 ISIL enjoyed near total freedom of movement across much of Iraq but we’ve helped stop the jihadist advance, reclaiming a quarter of ISIL-held territory. Now we must build on this progress. We will not let up until we have defeated this barbaric terrorist organisation.
The full announcement is here.
Syria
The Guardian reports that the deployment of Russian troops in Syria could end up helping ISIL, as they have been sent to areas where they are most likely to fight other groups opposed to the extremist group. The claim is included in a new report from the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) ahead of a US-Russian summit meeting at the UN on Monday, when US president Barack Obama will meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The Times claims America is ready to work with Russia to defeat ISIL, despite fundamental disagreement between the two powers over the fate of President Assad of Syria.
Dr Liam Fox, former Defence Secretary, was interviewed on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme and said we should take military action in Syria but not in the form of boots on the ground. He explained the coalition air support in Iraq is demonstrating that native forces can reclaim territory and fight their own fight, although questions do remain about how effective those forces are.
RAF uniform
The front page of the Sun, along with inside pages in the Daily Mail, Daily Mirror and Daily Star, carry the story about RAF Sergeant Mark Prendeville, who was moved from a hospital waiting room because he was wearing uniform. Former Chief of the Air Staff, Sir Michael Graydon, expressed his disappointment. A statement from the East Kent University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust said staff were absolutely clear that members of the Armed Forces, whether in uniform or not, should not be treated any differently to any other person, and the trust apologised to Sergeant Prendeville for any embarrassment caused. The Sun also includes a short, separate opinion editorial from Falklands veteran Simon Weston, who says that the incident is “discrimination, pure and simple”, and the paper’s leader questions what Britain has become when in our zeal to accommodate all creeds, we hide the servicemen we should be proud of.
Sergeant Blackman
The Daily Mail claims Lieutenant Colonel Ewen Murchison, the Commanding Officer of Sergeant Alexander Blackman, was at Camp Bastion enjoying a visit from singer Cheryl Cole on the same day that Sgt Blackman shot an injured Taliban insurgent. The story carries a picture of Lt Col Murchison with the singer, and reports that he visited the front-line checkpoint where Sgt Blackman was based only once during the six-month tour. The story says Lt Colonel Murchison denies this, and comments from a Royal Marine source point out that he had 30 checkpoints under his command, all of which he visited frequently. The source also says that when Lt Col Murchison visited Camp Bastion to meet a VIP, he had no idea who that person was – it could have been royalty or the Prime Minister. The story reports that the MOD declined to comment, although the paper was provided with a statement, as follows. An MOD spokesperson said:
We are unable to give a running commentary on this story. We have been clear that the MOD followed and supported the legal process throughout. We respect the authority and decision of the court and would, of course, co-operate fully with any future legal process. It would be inappropriate to comment further at this time.
