WAR VETERAN’S BOOK FUELS NATIONAL DEFENCE ASSOCIATION DEBATE
First Sea Lord Claims Budget “Insufficient”
Dunstable, England. 12th November 2007. The publication in nine languages by AnyTongueBooks.Com of a controversial book by a Special Forces war veteran has fuelled the debate over the treatment of soldiers and ex-soldiers, with comments that appear to echo the sentiments of a powerful new lobby group arguing for increased Armed Forces funding.
On 8th November, Winston S Churchill, grandson of the war time British Prime Minister, became first President of the UK National Defence Association (UKNDA), an organization set up to campaign for “sufficient and appropriate” funding for the British Armed Forces.
The creation of UKNDA, whose patrons include Admiral The Lord Boyce GCB OBE DL, Marshal of the Royal Air Force The Lord Craig GCB OBE MA DSc FRAeS, General The Lord Guthrie GCB LVO OBE and The Rt. Hon Lord OWEN CH, has sent tremors though the political establishment, given the powerful names associated with it, and its clear potential for significant political activism.
In response, the organisation has stated that “The UKNDA is not affiliated or in any way connected to any political party. However the UKNDA will monitor and report on the views of political parties when and wherever they deal with matters related to Defence and the Armed Forces”.
In an angry foreword to “Objects In The Rear View Mirror” entitled “Open Letter to all War Veterans”, Bruce King, author of White Man Black War, asserts that the unwritten covenant between civilian and soldier has been broken “…as budgets are conveniently and quietly slashed so that politicians, by definition and obligation doing the people’s bidding, can find an extra billion or two in headline grabbing aid…”.
While King’s anger is primarily focused on the lack of care afforded ex-soldiers, particularly with regard to Post Traumatic Stress Disorder “…soldiers are dying in gutters, dying of needles and pills, dying dazed, confused, bewildered, not knowing what it is they did so wrong to be so punished by the people that sent them to war…”, he agrees with the UKNDA view that British Armed Forces have been starved of funds just as their operational obligations have increased to levels not seen since the Second World War.
Asked if there were any differences in opinion between his views and those of the UKNDA, he replied; “The only significant difference is that they have to be relatively polite about politicians and I don’t. I’m with (author and commentator) Will Self when he says politicians trade on war. Memorial days are, to politicians, just another opportunity for sloganeering and spin, and they rate military budgets below their publicity budgets”.
The UKNDA site carries the full text of a speech given by Admiral Sir Jonathon Band, KCB, ADC, BSc, the First Sea Lord and Chief of the Naval Staff, in which he states “The budget settlement is insufficient Undoubtedly, there will be a need to run on platforms longer than we would want, and we may lose some too.”
Asked to comment, King said “£20 billion of tax payer’s money given to a bank in the red because of dubious regulatory practices, but not enough money to provide soldiers with the right equipment, or half decent accommodation. I’d tell you what I think of politicians, but you wouldn’t be able to print it”.
The UKNDA Web site is at http://www.uknda.org .
Objects In The Rear View Mirror is available in nine languages from http://www.anytonguebooks.com .
Note to Editors: Nine languages are English, German, French, Polish, Spanish, Portuguese, Dutch, Italian, Russian.
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First Sea Lord Claims Budget Insufficient The publication of a controversial book by a Special Forces war veteran has fuelled the debate over the treatment of soldiers, especially those with PTSD.
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