Saturday, October 14, 2006

UK Newspaper - "British Army In Crisis" Edition


Tomorrow, the UK's Independent on Sunday has a special "Army Crisis" section. Some of the articles are for subscription readers only but the accessable stuff is stunning. Have a look before it all disappears behind the pay-to-read wall in a few days. Here's what you will find:

  • Ambush: How one interview blew apart Blair's disastrous foreign policy. Suggests that the Defense Minister, Des Browne, gave his tacit support to what General Dannett said to the Daily Mail and also claims that the Pentagon was involved in helping Blair spin the story back somewhat.

  • Dannatt's Army: Understrength. Overstretched. And fully behind their General. Details the military's support for Dannatt and how intense and unexpected fighting in both Afghanistan and Iraq is putting a strain on an under-equipped Army.

  • MoD forced to hire civilian helicopters in Afghanistan. Unbelievably, the MoD is having to scour the globe for civilian helicopters to support British troops in Afghanistan. It doesn't have enough choppers of its own and the Pentagon refused to help.

  • Meanwhile in Iraq: abuse, corruption and a rising tide of sectarian violence. Since May of this year, over 3,000 Iraqi Ministry of Interior employees have been fired accused of corruption and rights abuses. Over 600 face prosecution.

    There's more besides. Go read.
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