tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1835455773953043846.post1166075457478032067..comments2024-01-12T18:59:05.080+00:00Comments on Defence With A "C": Trouble in TimbuktuUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1835455773953043846.post-42925932526626718252012-08-01T12:20:17.972+01:002012-08-01T12:20:17.972+01:00Erm, much depends on what services you can secure,...Erm, much depends on what services you can secure, the rates, and how effective they are.<br /><br />My thoughts would be that you would want to keep the committment as small as possible and emphasise the local forces doing most of the day to day leg work, with the UN forces there to prop them up a little and to provide the long range intelligence gathering capabilities, transport and some attack (from the air). <br /><br />Keeping the footprint on the ground small is key to avoiding too much controversy at home and contractors tend to attract undesirable levels of support.<br /><br />Of course if they can indeed keep the numbers of our own deployed, uniformed personnel down, then maybe it'll be worth it.Chrishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18182426936194426623noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1835455773953043846.post-20406156960044924122012-08-01T10:05:33.670+01:002012-08-01T10:05:33.670+01:00I was thinking of the full spectrum, why notI was thinking of the full spectrum, why notThink Defencehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14674093099627997373noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1835455773953043846.post-74050008158109225222012-07-31T17:28:26.701+01:002012-07-31T17:28:26.701+01:00TD,
Depends what those private contractors are do...TD,<br /><br />Depends what those private contractors are doing. Running firearms courses? Basic policing and security training? I can see that kind of thing.<br /><br />Or are you thinking more along the lines of more... "active" contractors?<br /><br />Contractors is a broad term.Chrishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18182426936194426623noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1835455773953043846.post-52857499476077126232012-07-31T00:40:13.817+01:002012-07-31T00:40:13.817+01:00Chris, what are your thoughts in blending local fo...Chris, what are your thoughts in blending local forces with private contractors, with for example, the UK funding some or all of it and providing some of the more complex capabilities<br /><br />A new model in public private partnership :)Think Defencehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14674093099627997373noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1835455773953043846.post-32630025035583539342012-07-30T07:58:23.205+01:002012-07-30T07:58:23.205+01:00Hi Mick,
I did say UN and not NATO, precisely for...Hi Mick,<br /><br />I did say UN and not NATO, precisely for the reasons you've stated. It would have to be a UN intervention for it to stick, not least with the African Union, on a small scale, and designed probably from the start to just halt the progress of the rebels and to protect refugee camps. Then the work of training up the government forces begins, and yes, the deployment of special forces.<br /><br />I think voting publics are a little less concerned when they hear the words "UN sanctioned" because it throws up ideas of it having greater legitimacy ("if the Belgians don't mind, it must be ok?") and also because I think people see it as more a multi-lateral issue when the UN is involved, so the idea sticks better in peoples minds that we're not going this alone, whereas I think a lot of people either forget or simply aren't aware that places like Afghanistan are handled by just as diverse a range of countries.<br /><br />What size of force needed would be interesting, because one concern I have is that an intervention takes place in Mali, and then the trouble just shifts elsewhere.Chrishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18182426936194426623noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1835455773953043846.post-59277556028513516672012-07-29T19:40:04.592+01:002012-07-29T19:40:04.592+01:00Hi Chris
Interesting article but as for military ...Hi Chris<br /><br />Interesting article but as for military intervention from NATO I highly doubt it. No western country is going to be willing for another intervention on foreign soil. Politically it is extremely hard to sell to the public and opposition parties most likely will have a field day especially if it is protracted. Then you have to consider the costs of such an operation, with all western nations in such financial straits. <br /><br />Potential the UN in a small scale peace keeping role is possible but would still rely on local forces to eradicate the threat and gain control of these territories. Though I feel most likely it will have to be dealt with by neighbouring African states and organisations. Therein the west may feel it prudent to fund/train such activities as ,is being done in somalia, has been done so many times before in trouble spots around the world. This has been found to be a much better way of getting results and would exemplify how useful special forces are. <br /><br />mick<br /><br />p.s look forward to your upcoming postsmick 346https://www.blogger.com/profile/03777249489229912370noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1835455773953043846.post-76306589336366149302012-07-29T10:23:56.364+01:002012-07-29T10:23:56.364+01:00Aye.
This is precisely the kind of thing I believ...Aye.<br /><br />This is precisely the kind of thing I believe the government is thinking about with "upstream engagement". Preventing something becoming a wider spread problem than it already is.<br /><br />We have knowledge that we can pass on to the Malian and Algerian security apparatus, everything from establishing and manning checkpoints to more sneaky beaky stuff with intelligence gathering and observation. <br /><br />Like you said TD, there doesn't even need to be a definitive "victory", just containing the problem would serve European interests, while helping to pave the way for more extensive operations by the locals in their own time which would serve their long term purposes.Chrishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18182426936194426623noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1835455773953043846.post-10085706357479578222012-07-29T09:45:41.721+01:002012-07-29T09:45:41.721+01:00Do you think a sensible way forward is helping the...Do you think a sensible way forward is helping the African Union with training, logistics, specialist skills and capabilities.<br /><br />We have explicitly recognised this in Army 2020 with the trendy new buzzword Upstream Engagement, I think it is a very sensible way of balancing the need to act with political and financial reality, especially if we can coordinate with others and at least try and keep the lid on things.<br /><br />We don't need a definitive victory but something to keep the lid onThink Defencehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14674093099627997373noreply@blogger.com