By Christopher L. Elliot
ISBN-10: 0190233052
ISBN-13: 9780190233051
From 2001, Britain supported the U.S. in wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. 'Victory' in such conflicts is usually difficult to gauge and household political backing for them used to be by no means strong. For this, the governments of Tony Blair and Gordon Brown have been held accountable, and paid the cost, however the position performed through the excessive Command within the Ministry of Defence additionally bears exam. Critics have famous that the armed prone have been riven via inner contention and their management used to be dysfunctional, however the fact is extra advanced. In his ebook, normal Elliott explores the conditions that resulted in those wars and the way the Ministry of Defence coped with the demanding situations provided. He finds how the carrier Chiefs have been set at odds through the procedure, nearly as opponents within the making, with accountability diffuse and authority ambiguous. The MoD targeting making issues paintings, instead of wondering no matter if what they have been being requested to do used to be achievable. usually the opinion of a junior tactical commander led the full technique of the MoD, now not the opposite direction round, because it must have been. whereas Britain's senior officials, defence ministers and civil servants have been undeniably efficient and good intentioned, the conundrum is still why good fortune at the battlefield proved so elusive.
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Extra info for High Command: British Military Leadership in the Iraq and Afghanistan Wars
Example text
But it settled the matter in Cabinet quickly and the Prime Minister was able to announce that deployment of the UK’s 24th Airmobile Brigade would happen in a number of days. On the CDS’s return to the MoD, the pitfalls inherent in the decision began to emerge and the vulnerability of helicopters moving over enemy-infested terrain was hotly argued. The Commander-in-Chief of Land Forces at Wilton, General Sir John Wilsey, rang me up in considerable anger to say that it was a completely stupid decision.
General Smith agreed that some sort of reinforcement would be needed, but felt that an airmobile brigade would be the least appropriate option, for the Lynx attack helicopters of the period might have good anti-tank missiles, but were soft-skinned and vulnerable to sniper fire. 3 There was some logic in this misunderstanding, because such a brigade could deploy into theatre very quickly. Also, the discussion had taken place between the two officers over a secure telephone line and these devices were often difficult to use, with the speech compared to speaking with a bucket on your head and a clip on your nose.
The MoD would know clearly enough what was required to do the job properly, but it was crucified by its own downward assessment ‘of what the market would bear’ and so too many times it made do with just too small a force. â•… I finished my military service just before the coalition invaded Iraq in 2003. I watched the events that unfolded in the next decade through the prism of my own understanding. From what I read, I fully supported the decision to invade Iraq by the US-led coalition and I joined many others in a visceral rejection of arbitrary rulers, thinking, in an echo of the FCO conversation above, that something should be done.
High Command: British Military Leadership in the Iraq and Afghanistan Wars by Christopher L. Elliot
by George
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