Defence review - hardly news for anyone on here with half a brain!
So we haven't had one for over 10 years; SDR put us in the post cold war posture of expeditionary warfare, the New Chapter expanded on that for a post 9/11 world outlook. The big question: what has changed?
Simple, the Govt doesn't want to fund or resource us for the Defence policy it signed up to even after the so called peace dividend.
Ok so we look at it again and the driver is we need to make massive savings in the budget, we can work out what the new policy is later.
Once upon a time, many years ago, I was always led to believe the first duty of any Government was Defence of the Realm. Sadly, that is no longer the case and, if you think Auntie Beeb feels the nation's pulse, the public care very little about that priority. On this evening's News, the announcement of the review was placed pretty much at the end of the bulletin sandwiched between the demise of a minor coffee chain and the cricket. I'm sorry chaps, thats what we mean to the public now. Or maybe the Beeb doesn't reflect society?
On the day that a Labour govt announced an all encompassing review with everything up for negotiation, viewers to BBC Scotland would have seen Quentin Davies (Labour Defence minister) at the carrier steel cutting ceremony make two very interesting statements:
a. that we need the carriers and ordering just one would be plain stupid in case it was needed when it was in refit! (Duh!)
and
b. we can't afford to have any holidays in our (military) capabilities.
So, can someone with a degree in political double speak, explain what that all means?
Once upon a time, the concept of Defence and the nation's security was a given and above the cynicism of party politics - sad that times have changed and I have spent much of my adult life defending the right of politicians to play games with that security.