Next head of NATO
 

Unsure if this was a topic for this forum or JB - please re-site if necessary.

" Prime Minister to use US trip to lobby for Ben Wallace to become next head of Nato
Rishi Sunak also spent some time on the margins of the G7 meeting in Hiroshima last month lobbying for the Defence Secretary"

The above is a headline from the Daily Telegraph and made me wonder why the PM is lobbying, (if this is true.) . Superficially it only seems to create a problem for him as he has to find a replacement for a minister who is both popular and, apparently both efficient and respected by the armed forces ( not easy given the number of recent failures ). The job, per se, doesn't appear to bring any advantages to the host nation, apart from , perhaps, a small amount of prestige rubbing-off if he/she does a good job.

There were people urging Wallace to take part in the Tory leadership election , however he refused. This provides the only possible motive for me, in that Sunak may be planning long-term and whittling down potential adversaries.

Wiggy's at a loose end.

Sounds like a job for Penny Mordaunt. :ok:

IG

I would rather he defected to Russia to lead their war effort......

Can we be sure he hasn't been working for Russia for the last three years?

I thought it was between Wallace and the Estonian PM and the Danish one too, they are in the running as favourites.

However the Estonian one doubts she will get the job as she is from an eastern NATO country.

https://news.err.ee/1608993470/kalla...-eastern-flank

The Danish PM suddenly found a good number of billions in the state finances and immediately earmarked them for supporting Ukraine. Voila, DK is now spending the requested 2% on NATO. Guess where she's now ? (Spoiler: The house # is 1600).

Knowing the mindset of that area when it comes to defence and security matters, I can think of few better candidates.

Considering BW regularly tops the Conservative loyalists polls then you can see why the current PM might want to remove an opponent by getting him to go as next NATO boss. Won't save Tories at next General Election though. Shame as BW and Penny M would be far better than Starmer and Rayner.

Tony Blair made sure that his annoyingly-competent (to Bliar) Defence Minister was neatly taken out of UK mainstream politics by getting him made the 10th Secretary General of NATO - Rishi Sunak would just be repeating the compliment. Probably more a topic for JB, though - no direct military aviation content.

Having recently watched an interview with the Estonian candidate, I wouldn't hesitate to give her the job. Intelligent, resolute and pleasant. Most certainly not a Putin lover! The last person I would appoint is a Brit. They tend to think they know it all and then proceed to cock everything up!

NATO as a topic is military enough to keep it here. :cool:

The Estonian PM would excel anywhere she is placed, she is the real deal. NATO does need a good head, and in the conditions, the incumbent has done a remarkable job. He has been balancing the threats of a megalomaniac armed with nukes, and ensuring a country in need of defence gets what can be got. The most remarkable thing has been that the politicians in the west have exceeded the dire expectations handily, some have done commendable work, and some have done exceptional work. Of course, there is also the dude in Hungary... and there is the politicisation by Turkey of defence matters mixed up with internal security matters.

Without the political will, there is no munitions, without munitions there is a larger unpleasantness.

Her reply to the question.

Until your country has been invaded by your neighbour and you need liberating - traditionally the Brits (and the Americans who the Eurotrash also seem to dislike) are pretty good at helping with that without cocking up.

On the subject of the Estonian candidate - we agree.

Probably best if he was a lost end for a while.

An -end is certainly what he is! :E

Not Wallace, first decent Def Sec since Robertson!

For your info, that's my opinion as a Brit and not, I quote, Eurotrash!

If we can't persuade the incumbent to continue in office she gets my vote :ok:

And there was me thinking that was the .......................... [insert your own favourite hate objects]