PN, the Chiefs of Staff all signed up to the plan and agreed it was within the capability and resource of UK Armed Forces to do it, when it so clearly was not. Torpy could have said no, we can't do it. He went with the politicos. I have read his statements to the Defence Committee with regard to the Afghanistan deployment. At no stage did he express any misgivings. Now we are in a situation where British troops are only acting as targets in the South of Iraq because they are so thinly stretched and all out war is happening in Afg with no development in sight. CGS is screaming for his troops to be withdrawn from Iraq because he can see the long term damage being done. But the PM wants Brit troops to remain in Basra on hand indefinitely. Doing a deal with this Govt is like signing a pact with the devil. These Ops will be paid for by future projects being cancelled. Torpy and his colleagues should have said no, not without extra resources.
I stand by my comments. It is not a question of resigning. The Dutch were quite specific with what they could bring to the party and for how long. Torpy and his colleagues signed an open ended committment when they could have been a hell of a lot smarter.
Last edited by nigegilb; 6th Jun 2007 at 10:40.