Wednesday December 16, 2009 at 8:39am
The UK National Defence Association (UKNDA) – which campaigns in support of Britain’s Armed Forces – is calling on the Government to re-think its approach to defence funding and to hold back from making any cuts to military spending unless and until a full Defence Review has been undertaken and funding priorities have been properly decided.
With the Defence Secretary expected to announce major cutbacks in Britain’s front-line military capabilities this afternoon, including the closure of air bases and reductions in Armed Forces manpower, in order to divert resources to British operations in Afghanistan, the UKNDA says that the Prime Minister must be prepared to find the money for Britain’s Afghan mission without raiding the core defence budget.
Cdr John Muxworthy RN, Chief Executive of the UKNDA, said: “These arbitrary cuts in our defence capabilities are hasty and ill-conceived. While Afghanistan is at last beginning to receive the force levels and support required to enable us to take the conflict to the enemy, this is being done at the expense of the wider and longer-term security of the country.
“Even if operations in Afghanistan were to be completed tomorrow, the threats in the rest of the world have not gone away, and the counter-insurgency posture specific to Afghanistan is of little use if we have to confront a peer competitor. At present, whole capabilities of conventional war-fighting have been lost or reduced to token strength and the expertise that played such a crucial role in both Gulf wars is now slipping away.”
He added: “All political parties acknowledge the need for a proper Defence Review where resources are honestly matched to security threats. But to cut a further £1.5bn, on top of the £2Bn last year, is a Defence Review via the back door. The aim, surely, is to be strong enough to deter war, not to appear weak and then have to fight an expensive war in 10 years time. Or are we to repeat the mistakes of the 1930s, when Britain neglected its defence, and risk similar appalling consequences?”