Wednesday, February 18, 2009

Lost before it started – Part 4

click here to go to the blogThe earlier parts deal with the emergence of the European Rapid Reaction Force (ERRF) and the Army's response to it – how this led to a "major restructuring" of the Army which took precedence over the war in Iraq, condemning troops to using second-hand equipment while the General dreamed of their powerful new "toys".

We also saw how, as the strategic situation in Afghanistan deteriorated, the fantasy collided with reality and Gen Dannatt was forced to concede that the Army would have to be equipped to fight the real war. In this part, over on Defence of the Realm we have a look at the "fantasy Army" as might have been, and find it still casts a long shadow over the operational capabilities of the Army.

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