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Armed forces 'face tinpot future' Defence cuts 'could cost lives'
(about 3 hours later)
Britain's armed forces could be reduced to a "tinpot gendarmerie" because of a lack of investment, the former head of the Royal Navy has warned. Lives could be lost among Britain's armed forces if the government fails to adequately invest in defence, the former head of the Royal Navy has said.
Admiral Sir Alan West said the Ministry of Defence (MoD) was behaving "like these tinpot countries" that do not put money into major equipment programmes. Admiral Sir Alan West said it was vital that the UK pressed ahead with plans to build two aircraft carriers.
He told the Sunday Telegraph Britain's global status could be at risk if plans for two aircraft carriers were dropped. He said the Army might not in future be able to deal with dangerous situations around the world which demanded "proper, balanced forces".
"Our forces are among the best equipped in the world," an MoD spokeswoman said."Our forces are among the best equipped in the world," an MoD spokeswoman said.
Sir Alan, who retired this year, told the newspaper that the Royal Navy's aircraft carrier programme was the "jewel in the crown of the strategic defence review". Sir Alan, who retired this year, said: "If you do not buy the equipment, if you do not buy expensive equipment to do this, the right equipment, you end up with people at risk and you lose lives.
He said he had set aside £3.5bn for the project, but warned: "There are officials within the MoD who are casting lascivious looks at [the programme]. We are using these extra resources to modernise our armed forces to meet the challenges of the 21st Century MoD spokeswoman
"There is no doubt that the rats are out there having a nibble. If Britain wants to remain a world power and to operate with a deal of freedom around the world, these two carriers are vital." "I could see us in a position where we could have British servicemen's - that is Navy, Army and Air Force - lives being lost because we have not made the sort of investments in things like the aircraft carrier."
He said reshaping the forces for "anti-terror" campaigns in places like Iraq may risk the UK's long-term security. Sir Alan said that the world was likely to become more dangerous in the future.
He said it "was a recipe for disaster" for a defence force which may have so much to do in the next 50 years. He warned that in future the Army might be capable "of gendarmerie operations against terrorists in Central Asia" but not able to handle "greater risks around the world where we actually need proper balanced forces".
But a spokeswoman for the MoD said the defence budget for 2007-8 would be £3.7bn higher than in 2004-5 in real terms. Sir Alan went on: "I believe that Gordon Brown and this government are firmly behind these aircraft carriers but of course they listen to advice within the ministry, within that area.
"If people are starting to say, 'Oh goodness me couldn't we use this money elsewhere? Couldn't we do something else?' then they might listen to those appeals."
'Lascivious looks'
Sir Alan told the Sunday Telegraph that the Royal Navy's aircraft carrier programme was the "jewel in the crown of the strategic defence review".
He said he had set aside £3.5bn for the project, but warned: "There are officials within the MoD who are casting lascivious looks at [the programme]."
Sir Alan suggested that this aircraft carrier programme was important because it was vital that security problems could be "nipped in the bud before developing".
He said the UK population needed to realise the importance of defence in maintaining the success of the country.
Military critics
However, a spokeswoman for the MoD said the defence budget for 2007-8 would be £3.7bn higher than in 2004-5 in real terms.
"We are using these extra resources to modernise our armed forces to meet the challenges of the 21st Century," she said."We are using these extra resources to modernise our armed forces to meet the challenges of the 21st Century," she said.
'Frankly shaming'
Sir Alan also warned that in 10 years' time the threat facing the UK could be something "far more dangerous than terrorism in central Asia".
He said that by spending money on running rather than developing the armed forces "all we could be left with is an armed forces that is effectively a gendarmerie.
"And I suppose we would retire to our island and hope that no-one gets to us."
Sir Alan is the latest senior military figure to speak out about issues affecting the armed forces.Sir Alan is the latest senior military figure to speak out about issues affecting the armed forces.
In October, army head Gen Sir Richard Dannatt said in a newspaper interview that the presence of UK troops in Iraq "exacerbates the security problems" and they should "get out some time soon".In October, army head Gen Sir Richard Dannatt said in a newspaper interview that the presence of UK troops in Iraq "exacerbates the security problems" and they should "get out some time soon".
And his predecessor Gen Sir Mike Jackson earlier this month criticised the Ministry of Defence's running of the armed forces.And his predecessor Gen Sir Mike Jackson earlier this month criticised the Ministry of Defence's running of the armed forces.