RUSI in the News - June 2010

Citations of RUSI experts, analysis and events in the global media from June 2010

RUSI Land Warfare Conference

RUSI's Land Warfare Conference - the foremost intellectual symposium for UK land forces - provided a platform for senior military, security and foreign policy representatives to  express their views on the military's current situation and how it should be shaped to succeed in the future.

Coverage: Financial Times

With the current economic climate suggesting a reduction in defence spending to come, General Sir David Richards warned that while some programmes might be lost, it was vital that Afghanistan remain a top priority. 

Coverage: UKPA, The Daily Telegraph, The Daily Mail, BBC News, The Metro, AOL, VOR

Following from the growing debate about the maintenance of UK troops in Afghanistan, General David Petraeus advised the conference that the mission could not succeed without the invaluable contribution of UK troops.
Coverage: Wall Street Journal, Reuters, The Guardian, The Guardian, The Daily Mail, The Daily Mail,  CNN, BBC News, defence.gov, Associated Press, Evening Standard, UKPress, UPI, UPI,  AOL, Channel4.com, defencemanagement.com

While perhaps not the intended message, the General's praise for UK troops may have indicated insecurity in the UK-US military relationship.
Coverage: WSWS, BBC News

With the Football World Cup approaching, General Petraeus offers his advice to Fabio Capello, joking that he rest Wayne Rooney on the day of the USA vs England match.
Associated Press, The Daily Telegraph

The General also singled Sir Graeme Lamb out for praise in recognition of his promotion of reconciliation and reintegration both in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Coverage: The Guardian

Liam Fox MP

Liam Fox MP made his first public speech as Secretary of State for Defence at RUSI this month, discussing the upcoming budget review and the situation in Afghanistan.
Mr Fox confirmed that the defence budget would not escape the upcoming public spending cuts
Coverage: Reuters, The Times, The Daily Telegraph, The Mirror, UKPress, BBC News,  Bloomberg, Aberdeen Press and Journal, Xinhua News Agency, The Daily Mail, VOA, The Evening Standard, Channel4.com, Businessweek.com, The Sun, ITV.com, The Daily Record, conservativehome.com, AOL, Politics.co.uk, The Press and Journal

Mr Fox also stated that we would not 'lose our nerve' on Afghanistan, acknowledging that the withdrawal of troops could only be accomplished once stability had been created in the country
Coverage: The Guardian, The Guardian, The Daily Mail, AFP, defencemanagement.com

The speech centred on the idea of moving forward and looking to the future, with Mr Fox remarking that a 'clean break' was needed from the 'Cold War mindset'.
Coverage: defpro.com, mod.uk, defense-aerospace.com, VOR, Sydney Morning Herald

Strategic Defence and Security Review

As the SDSR approaches, RUSI publishes the Future Defence Review Working Paper 'A Question of Balance? The Deficit and Defence Priorities ' by Malcolm Chalmers, indicating that deep budget cuts may result in reduced capability without sufficient financial gain.
Coverage: thenews.com, NW Evening Mail, defpro.com

A further paper, 'Capability Cost Trends: Implications for the Defence Review' by Michael Codner, suggests that a 20% cut in defence funding can be expected.
Coverage: Financial Times, The Guardian, Business Times, Irish Times, U.TV

With considerations over the best course of action to take regarding the Trident Nuclear System, RUSI research indicates that keeping the Trident submarines in port - rather than maintaining continuous at-sea deterrence - would save several billion pounds a year.
Coverage: The Guardian

With the Government planning to introduce £2 billion worth of project cuts, Malcolm Chalmers suggests that the long lead items they are proposing to cut may be ones which could be procured at a later date.
Coverage: Channel 4 News

 Afghanistan

With the current financial situation, questions over the value of the Afghan campaign have been increasing. Professor Malcolm Chalmers calculates that about 30% of the UK's total defence budget is currently devoted to operations in Afghanistan, equating to approximately £20 billion.
Coverage: defencemanagement.com, BBC News, Press TV, The Daily Telegraph,

With such amounts of money involved, Malcolm Chalmers' comment that 'the the war is a constant cat and mouse game' points to the lack of efficacy of the campaign.
Coverage: Channel4.com

The increase in military and civilian deaths also raises cause for concern, a situation Michael Clarke attributes to the military tactics currently in use, as well as the capabilities of the Taliban.
Coverage: The Guardian, The Independent

As Britain considers the withdrawal date from Afghanistan, Malcolm Chalmers considers to what extent Afghanistan is becoming a US-dominated conflict.
Coverage: Financial Times, Wall Street Journal, Financial Times,

With the controversial resignation of General Stanley McChrystal, previously the commander of U.S. and NATO forces in Afghanistan, Theo Farrell writes that the 'McChrystal Effect' reinvigorated the fight against the Taliban.
Coverage: The Daily Telegraph, Vancouver Sun, The National, Zee News

As General David Petraeus is appointed commander in Afghanistan, Malcolm Chalmers warns that there is not enough time to begin rethinking strategies.
Coverage: The Associated Press, CBS News,

UK Armed Forces

With the SDSR approaching, RUSI warns that a 15% cut in spending could result in a cut of 30,000 troops.
Coverage: Reuters, The Independent, Press TV, Bloomberg,

Bloody Sunday

As the Saville Inquiry into Bloody Sunday reaches its conclusion, Margaret Gilmore offers her analysis of the incident.
Coverage: CNN

Europe

With Europe at the point of launching its greatest collaborative defence effort, Alexandra Ashbourne-Walmsley describes the project as both 'the growth of Europe but also Europe's folly'.
Coverage: Reuters

Tswalu Dialogue

Providing a forum on issues of concern to Africa and its multiple constituencies, the ninth Tswalu Dialogue in South Africa included Guest Speaker the Former President of Ghana, John Agyekum Kufuor.
Coverage: Ghana News Agency, Peace FM

John Hutton

John Hutton is appointed Chair of the Royal United Services Institute.
Coverage: The Evening Standard