Humiliated and chastened - the UK's international role after Iraq

[Banquo's Ghost]

Gordon Brown has announced the final British withdrawal from Iraq will take place this coming year. As this opinion piece notes, it is a humiliating retreat, littered with failure and hubris. I know from old colleagues that morale in the Army is at a pretty low ebb. The Blair Doctrine, which was to make the UK indispensable to the US through unquestioning obedience, has failed utterly - as the article rightly notes, the US military establishment views Britain with a mixture of contempt and anxiety.

Other threads have been discussing Britain's role in Europe, and I am usually amused by the close-held beliefs sometimes expressed that the UK can somehow retain an aloof standing, relying on her ties across the Atlantic. There appears to be more stomach for becoming the 51st inconsequential state than to be a partner of equals. The nostalgia for a time when she was a power of note is palpable. But when, on this recent occasion, required to live up to that role, she has failed.

It raises questions about the stamina of our nation and the resolve of our political class. It is an uncomfortable conclusion that Britain, with nuclear weapons, cruise missiles, aircraft carriers and the latest generation of fighter-bombers, is incapable of securing a medium-size conurbation. Making Basra safe was an essential part of the overall strategy; having committed ourselves to our allies we let them down.

I note that the Prime Minister has also now sold off the last interest in Aldermaston to a Californian company, so that there is no longer any direct control over the manufacture of nuclear arms. (No doubt taxpayers will be particularly pleased at the price commanded in this most robust of markets). Why then, as the article touches, is so much money being spent on renewing the Trident programme? Pure, unfounded pride? Let's be frank - if the United Nations were ever to face reform towards relevance, does anyone think the UK would retain her top seat?

What exactly do orgahs think the role of the United Kingdom in world affairs should be? Is it not time to wholeheartedly embrace a key role in the development of a European force? Aim to be a cog in an increasingly disoriented NATO? Or should it be to downsize to cope with purely national interests alone?

[Fragony]

Give the lads some equipment that isn't falling apart

[Tribesman]

You have to wonder , with its leaking reactor buildings and the ponds full of waste from the 50s that flood every time it rains how on earth did they manage to find a buyer for Aldermaston ?
Perhaps there is a clause in the contract that leaves the taxpayer liable for all future claims .

[Incongruous]

I liked this bit

It cannot be a defence of British policy that the war was unpopular at home

Haha! What load of crap, it matters a whole load that Blair took the UK into the most absurd British war for a long time, the man should be put on bloody trial.

[CountArach]

Haha! What load of crap, it matters a whole load that Blair took the UK into the most absurd British war for a long time, the man should be put on bloody trial.

That is so completely true...

[InsaneApache]

If you decide to go to war then you have to put the resources in place. What Blair did was and is criminal. Trying to fight a war on the cheap is not an option. Take note Afghanistan.

We arn't a world power and havn't been during my lifetime but we did used to have a certain kudos in the training and selection of our armed forces. Alas, all now chucked away.

As for our future on the world stage, well personally I think we should keep our noses out of other peoples business. We've done an excellent job at denigrating our own country and I'm sure that no one would thank us for exporting our peculiar brand of progressive government to other nations.

I feel sick, ashamed and saddened at the whole debacle.

[Seamus Fermanagh]

Setting aside the political decision to go to war in the first place, Iraq was and is a hard job to "git done."

The USA has poured a noteable amount of casualties and a huge gob of treasure into that particular "hopper," and the best we can hope to effect is the CHANCE for a central government to maintain control while embodying some elements of democracy and personal freedoms after we have withdrawn the bulk of our forces. Many analysts and handicappers here in the USA and abroad would not give that chance great odds either. In that light, the UK's efforts do not pale so much

UK forces did not perform as well as they might have, but do not "write off" all of their efforts as wasted -- we do not.

[rory_20_uk]

Humiliating retreat? It's come several years too late IMO. At the very least the Iraqis should have been paying us to be there, not the other way around. Then there might have been the money to equip the troops.

Polaris was nuclear tipped missiles that were never used, and of such destructive power it would give any country pause for thought. This was replaced by...

Trident - nuclear tipped missiles that were never used....

Why more? I can just about understand why we need some sort of big stick to pretend to look hard. But just update Trident for god' sake. It is good enough!!!

The armed forces of the UK should have:

No independent airforce - what's the point? What's it there for? Nothing, that's what. We can't afford the numbers of planes to make a difference in any case.

The Navy would have large submarines, and surface ships mainly of small to medium size. The marines would
The army would have three parts: the "conventional" forces - probably with more emphasis on light armour drones and attack helicopters than battle tanks, special forces increased in number as far as continuing quality allows and possibly a missile defence division to in essence replace the airforce for defending the British isles.

It should be obvious that as such the armed forces looses much of its offensive might and refocuses on applying more widespread low key functions.

As such it might ensure that idiot politicians are less able to charge blindly at the next warzone.

[KukriKhan]

^^wot 'e writ^^ (Seamus, that is)

Iraq was a boondoggle from the get go. Even so, that you guys stood beside us all this time, in the face of heavy political opposition and actual cost, is actually appreciated by me and my peers.

Thank you.

None, not one, of my NCO-level contacts, active or inactive, thinks or says you Brits did poorly, or that your leaving the TO soon is any kind of retreat or defeat.

As for going forward: whatever you fellas decide will be your 'thrust' for the next 20-30 years will be OK with me. In my opinion, your strongest, most reliable 'weapon' is: Military Leadership. Guns, boats, planes... all mean nothing without regionally-insightful, long-range thinking and planning. You guys are expert at that, having been on-the-ground around the world within generational memory. You should (I think) nurture that weapon, develop it, and export it to willing importers.

-edit-
re: Aldermaston, and Jacobs Engr'ing getting the nod; you should be fine there. Just don't ask them to build any bridges. Their luck in that area has been spotty.

[Meneldil]

Humiliating retreat? It's come several years too late IMO. At the very least the Iraqis should have been paying us to be there, not the other way around. Then there might have been the money to equip the troops.

Wut ? People should pay you for invading their country ? That sounds very 3rd Reich-ish.

[Philippus Flavius Homovallumus]

A few months ago I would have said that Britain was a world power, but not a Superpower, now, with the recession in full swing, I can't support that statement. The cupbord is bare and part of the reason is that we have been fighting two wars on a shoestring. Even cheap wars are prohibatively expensive and all that has happened is that we have been forced to withdraw from one and are stretched in the other.

The loan culture of this government is absurd, they loan Army Camps, refuelling planes, hell before I'm thirty we'll probably have the cleaning kits for the rifles on loan as well. This has increased cost, as have any number of other hairbrained schemes.

The general consensus among my own contacts is that what is really needed is an increase in funding and a cutback on commitments.

Oh, and the boys would like their cap badges and Warriors back, please.

[Furunculus]

https://forums.totalwar.org/vb/showthread.php?t=105415

My thoughts on the matter for what it's worth:

a) The primary purpose of the SC is to credibly issue threat of attack in order to elicit compliance, in much the same way that a nation-states primary purpose is to credibly demonstrate an ability to defend. Therefore I don't believe membership of the Permanent/Veto-wielding Security Council should even be considered for nations that do not have the economic and military clout to rise above their peers, and that they should have a force structure that allows them to project power. It is no good have a million strong peasant army if they cannot credibly threaten military intervention on a non-contiguous nation.
b) It is desired by many that a new-look Security Council better reflect the Geographic Distribution of countries, cultures and peoples, rather than the euro-centric composition currently in vogue. However, this desire should not conflict with the above two points otherwise the Security Council will cease to be a credible body.

To that end I give you what I consider to be a reasonable framework upon which to weigh the relative merits of potential Security Council candidates:

Security Council membership should be considered on four premises by order of importance leading to a cumulative total.

(1) military power - modified dependent on: the expeditionary emphasis of armed forces (0 to 10)
(2) diplomatic influence - modified dependent on: total number of speakers (1 to 5) (*)
(3) economic power - modified dependent on: how many rankings change when contrasted with PPP (**)
(4) geographic/demographic - modified dependant HDI: ranking (1 to 5) (***)
(5) total - modified dependant on: nukes (+5) new region representative (+5)

(1) - Military Expenditure + Manpower
1 = US - (20 + 9 + 10 = 39) = [39] ($583,283,000,000)
2 = UK - (18 + 1 + 8 = 27) = [27] ($79,872,000,000)
3 = France - (16 + 3 + 6 = 25) = [25] ($74,690,470,000)
4 = China - (10 + 10 + 2 = 22) = [22] ($59,000,000,000)
5 = Japan - (12 + 2 + 4 = 18) = [18] ($48,860,000,000)
6 = Germany - (14 + 4 + 0 = 18) = [18] ($45,930,000,000)
7 = Russia - (08 + 7 + 2 = 17) = [17] ($41,050,000,000)
8 = India - (06 + 8 + 2 = 16) = [16] ($26,500,000,000)
9 = Aust - (04 + 0 + 4 = 8) = [08] ($20,727,710,000)
10 = Brasil - (02 + 5 + 0 = 7) = [07] ($25,396,731,055)
11 = Indon - (00 + 6 + 0 = 6) = [06] ($04,740,000,000)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of...y_expenditures (0 to 20)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of..._active_troops (0 to 10)

(2) - Diplomatic Influence (subjective)
1 = US - (20 + 5 = 25) = [25]
2 = China - (18 + 5 = 23) = [23]
3 = UK - (16 + 5 = 21) = [21]
4 = France - (14 + 3 = 17) = [17]
5 = Japan - (12 + 1 = 13) = [13]
6 = Russia - (10 + 2 = 12) = [12]
7 = Germany - (08 + 1 = 9) = [09]
8 = Aust - (06 + 5 = 11) = [11]
9 = India - (04 + 5 = 9) = [09]
10 = Brasil - (02 + 2 = 4) = [04]
11 = Indon - (00 + 2 = 2) = [02]
Diplomatic Influence (0 to 20)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of...ative_speakers (0 to 5)

(3) - Economic Power GDP + PPP (millions)
1 = US - (20 + 10 + 3 = 33) = [33] ($13,244,550)
2 = Japan - (18 + 8 + 2 = 28) = [28] ($4,367,459)
3 = China - (14 + 9 + 5 = 28) = [28] ($2,630,113)
4 = Germany - (16 + 6 + 1 = 23) = [23] ($2,897,032)
5 = UK - (12 + 5 + 2 = 19) = [19] ($2,373,685)
6 = France - (10 + 4 + 2 = 16) = [16] ($2,231,631)
7 = India - (04 + 7 + 5 = 12) = [16] ($886,867)
8 = Brasil - (08 + 3 + 4 = 13) = [15] ($1,067,706)
9 = Russia - (06 + 2 + 4 = 10) = [12] ($979,048)
10 = Indon - (00 + 1 + 5 = 5) = [05] ($364,239)
11 = Aust - (02 + 0 + 2 = 4) = [04] ($754,816)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of..._GDP_(nominal) (0 to 20)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of...s_by_GDP_(PPP) (0 to 10)

(4) - Demographic + Geographic
1 = US - (16 + 9 + 5 = 30) = [30] (301,950,000)
2 = China - (20 + 5 + 2 = 27) = [27] (1,321,000,000)
3 = Russia - (10 + 10 + 2 = 24) = [24] (141,400,000)
4 = India - (18 + 4 + 1 = 23) = [23] (1,129,000,000)
5 = Brasil - (12 + 7 + 2 = 21) = [21] (186,500,000)
6 = Japan - (08 + 3 + 5 = 16) = [16] (127,720,000)
7 = France - (04 + 6 + 5 = 15) = [15] (64,102,140)
8 = Indon - (14 + 0 + 1 = 15) = [15] (234,950,000)
9 = Aust - (00 + 8 + 5 = 13) = [13] (20,830,000)
10 = Germany - (06 + 1 + 5 = 14) =[12] (82,310,000)
11 = UK - (02 + 2 + 5 = 9) = [09] (60,609,153)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of..._by_population (0 to 20)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exclusive_Economic_Zone (table inc onshore territory) (0 to 10)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of...elopment_Index (1 to 5)

(5) - Total -
1 = US - (127 + 5 + 0 = 132)..........=.........[132]
2 = China - (100 + 5 + 0 = 105)......=........ [105]
3 = UK - (76 + 5 + 0 = 81).............=........[081]
4 = France - (73 + 5 + 0 = 78)........=........[078]
5 = Japan - (75 + 0 + 0 = 75).........=.........[075]
6 = India - (64 + 5 + 5 = 74)..........=.........[074]
7 = Russia - (65 + 5 + 0 = 70)........=.........[070]
8 = Germany - (62 + 0 + 0 = 62).....=.........[062]
9 = Brasil - (50 + 0 + 5 = 55)..........=.........[055]
10 = Aust - (36 + 0 + 5 = 41).........=.........[041]
11 = Indon - (28 + 0 + 5 = 33)........=.........[033]
-------------------------------------------------------
Appendix -
(*)--------------|-(**)--------------|-(***)--------------
5 - 800m - plus -|- 5 - 2 ranks up----|- 5 - 0.90 plus
4 - 600m - 800m-|- 4 - 1 rank up-----|- 4 - 0.85 to 0.90
3 - 400m - 600m-|- 3 - 0 change-----|- 3 - 0.80 to 0.85
2 - 200m - 400m-|- 2 - 1 rank down--|- 2 - 0.75 to 0.80
1 - 000m - 200m-|- 1 - 2 ranks down-|- 1 - 0.00 to 0.75
--------------------------------------------------------

nuff said.

[Evil_Maniac From Mars]

Polaris was nuclear tipped missiles that were never used, and of such destructive power it would give any country pause for thought. This was replaced by...

Trident - nuclear tipped missiles that were never used....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IX_d_vMKswE

That whole episode is brilliant.

[CountArach]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IX_d_vMKswE

That whole episode is brilliant.

My first thought as well. Excellent show

[Tribesman]

re: Aldermaston, and Jacobs Engr'ing getting the nod; you should be fine there.

Yeah should be fine , the government study concluded that places like Tadley had such high numbers of diseases that could be linked to radioactive waste but were not really linked to radioactive waste , They were a result of a strange localised genetic flaw that was perpetuated by inbreeding in the villages who historicly in the main had a population made up of navvies who settled once the canal was built........well apart from the massive population explosion from all corners of the country that moved there to work on the bomb factory who are dying but must by chance have that same localised genetic flaw .

[Ja'chyra]

Humiliating retreat? It's come several years too late IMO. At the very least the Iraqis should have been paying us to be there, not the other way around. Then there might have been the money to equip the troops.

Polaris was nuclear tipped missiles that were never used, and of such destructive power it would give any country pause for thought. This was replaced by...

Trident - nuclear tipped missiles that were never used....

Why more? I can just about understand why we need some sort of big stick to pretend to look hard. But just update Trident for god' sake. It is good enough!!!

The armed forces of the UK should have:

No independent airforce - what's the point? What's it there for? Nothing, that's what. We can't afford the numbers of planes to make a difference in any case.

The Navy would have large submarines, and surface ships mainly of small to medium size. The marines would
The army would have three parts: the "conventional" forces - probably with more emphasis on light armour drones and attack helicopters than battle tanks, special forces increased in number as far as continuing quality allows and possibly a missile defence division to in essence replace the airforce for defending the British isles.

It should be obvious that as such the armed forces looses much of its offensive might and refocuses on applying more widespread low key functions.

As such it might ensure that idiot politicians are less able to charge blindly at the next warzone.

Stick to doctoring bud as your ideas on what the military needs doesn't tie up with anything the military say they need. You might get away with the nukes part though

[rory_20_uk]

Hey I'm not saying I'm anything approaching an expert. I would also say that the Military is hardly likely to say "you know what? We need to slim down the numbers we've got here" Noooo - like and other department it is always more, more more!!!

I would be interested with a link of what the armed forces want - and their reasons why just out of interest.

[Ja'chyra]

You got me on the links part but as an example some of the vehicles are Mastiff and Warthog which are moving away from the lighter more manouverable vehicles back to bigger more heavily armoured.

Try looking in www.army.mod.uk

[KukriKhan]

Yeah should be fine , the government study concluded that places like Tadley had such high numbers of diseases that could be linked to radioactive waste but were not really linked to radioactive waste , They were a result of a strange localised genetic flaw that was perpetuated by inbreeding in the villages who historicly in the main had a population made up of navvies who settled once the canal was built........well apart from the massive population explosion from all corners of the country that moved there to work on the bomb factory who are dying but must by chance have that same localised genetic flaw .

Well, we gotta blame the local beer then, don't we? Since Fuller's bought out Gales and quit using local water in their recipe, maybe the brew-sippers have ceased glowing so much?

[Furunculus]

1. Gordon Brown has announced the final British withdrawal from Iraq will take place this coming year. As this opinion piece notes, it is a humiliating retreat, littered with failure and hubris. I know from old colleagues that morale in the Army is at a pretty low ebb. The Blair Doctrine, which was to make the UK indispensable to the US through unquestioning obedience, has failed utterly - as the article rightly notes, the US military establishment views Britain with a mixture of contempt and anxiety.

2. Other threads have been discussing Britain's role in Europe, and I am usually amused by the close-held beliefs sometimes expressed that the UK can somehow retain an aloof standing, relying on her ties across the Atlantic. There appears to be more stomach for becoming the 51st inconsequential state than to be a partner of equals. The nostalgia for a time when she was a power of note is palpable. But when, on this recent occasion, required to live up to that role, she has failed.

3.

It raises questions about the stamina of our nation and the resolve of our political class. It is an uncomfortable conclusion that Britain, with nuclear weapons, cruise missiles, aircraft carriers and the latest generation of fighter-bombers, is incapable of securing a medium-size conurbation. Making Basra safe was an essential part of the overall strategy; having committed ourselves to our allies we let them down.

4. I note that the Prime Minister has also now sold off the last interest in Aldermaston to a Californian company, so that there is no longer any direct control over the manufacture of nuclear arms. (No doubt taxpayers will be particularly pleased at the price commanded in this most robust of markets). Why then, as the article touches, is so much money being spent on renewing the Trident programme? Pure, unfounded pride? Let's be frank - if the United Nations were ever to face reform towards relevance, does anyone think the UK would retain her top seat?

5. What exactly do orgahs think the role of the United Kingdom in world affairs should be? Is it not time to wholeheartedly embrace a key role in the development of a European force? Aim to be a cog in an increasingly disoriented NATO? Or should it be to downsize to cope with purely national interests alone?

i Have to ask BG, is this thread a joke? I ask because it is so totally nonsensical i cannot bring myself to believe that a normally sesnible person like yourself wrote this *edited for xmas*.

1. It can only be seen as a humiliating retreat if you work by the assumption that we really did intend to set up permanent military control in order to dominate teh oil supplies, forever!!!111ONEONE
I have seen no evidence that the US Armed forces in general hold British forces in contempt, but if they were to do so in regard do you think they hold anyone elses forces?

2. I am often amused by the many people who think Britian has no choice but to merge into a federated europe if she is to survive in the 21st century. Yes, we are insignificant compared to the US, so is everyone else, but there is no-one else who could conduct a sustained hot war at the far ends of the world.

3. Yes, since the end of industrial war we have known that military coalitions and alliances are the best way to project power for anybody but the worlds only hyperpower, and..................?

4. See my post above, who is better qualified to remain on the SC than Britain with the exception of the US and China? Yes we will slip, but not by more than two or three places in the next generation.
Utters spheres!

5. As long as Britian has the stomach to involve itself in the sharp end of world affairs then it should do so. We should only embrace european defence provided those nations have the same foreign policy aims as ourselves, which they certainly do not. NATO is a highly successful defence alliance, exactly the thing we should remain totally committed too, as it maintains a strong military tie to the most powerful member of the anglosphere. The day Britian decides it is nothing more than a medium sized power I will move to Australia.

*edited for xmas*

[KukriKhan]

i Have to ask BG, is this thread a joke? I ask because it is so totally nonsensical i cannot bring myself to believe that a normally sesnible person like yourself wrote this tripe.

Banquo's Ghost is a big boy and can certainly speak for himself. I (and, I think, the other 12 posters in the thread) took this topic not as a joke, or nonsensical, or tripe - rather, as an opportunity to discuss and decide: "Has the UK been Humiliated and Chastened, or indeed Defeated, by it's performance in Iraq?" and "Now, post-Iraq... What?".

It's obvious that your answer is "No, to all". Most of us apparently agree with you. Would you rather never ask probing questions, never challenge conventional wisdom, never hold up someone else's views that diametrically oppose our own, to see if they have any value? I think we must do that kind of soul-searching constantly, else we get stuck in a chauvinist, pat-ourselves-on-the-back, and ultimately irrelevant foreign policy and military policy.

[tibilicus]

Are you saying in this topic that it's only the UK who has been humiliated? I don't think there are any winners from this war. Even still look at Basra province and the areas. There a lot more stable than the US sector.

Britain now accepts were no longer a super power but the question still remains how the US could do so badly in this war. If you look at the worlds so called super power and its track record these past years it really is an embarrassing sight. Despite what some people will tell you the US got it's a** kicked in nam. That should of been a lesson. Now the US had to have a surge of troops to beat a couple of guys roaming round in trucks with AK's? To me we should be questioning the foothold of not just Britain but the USA on the world scene.

The fact remains that the USA as a super power will be toppled within the next 15 years. That to me seems pretty embarrassing..

And to be honest I would like to see the USA acting now to preserve there status instead of focusing on conflicts such as this. I know when push comes to shove and we need a world super power I would certainly prefer the USA compared to some one like China..

[Furunculus]

Banquo's Ghost is a big boy and can certainly speak for himself. I (and, I think, the other 12 posters in the thread) took this topic not as a joke, or nonsensical, or tripe - rather, as an opportunity to discuss and decide: "Has the UK been Humiliated and Chastened, or indeed Defeated, by it's performance in Iraq?" and "Now, post-Iraq... What?".

It's obvious that your answer is "No, to all". Most of us apparently agree with you. Would you rather never ask probing questions, never challenge conventional wisdom, never hold up someone else's views that diametrically oppose our own, to see if they have any value? I think we must do that kind of soul-searching constantly, else we get stuck in a chauvinist, pat-ourselves-on-the-back, and ultimately irrelevant foreign policy and military policy.

you are correct that it is good to discuss this, and in the spirit of xmas i have edited my reply.

the OP is written in a contemporary Louis style, which i took at face value as being a held view in the absence of a Louis style declaration of intent to post in a controversial style.

i have rebooted my sense of humour module accordingly.

[BigTex]

Stop pussyfooting around, vote and ratify already. The 51st state, it is destiny.

i Have to ask BG, is this thread a joke? I ask because it is so totally nonsensical i cannot bring myself to believe that a normally sesnible person like yourself wrote this

He is questioning the failure on a promise to an ally. A very proud and respectable thing, if only there were more people in the world with such respect for themselves and their country.

[KukriKhan]

Stop pussyfooting around, vote and ratify already. The 51st state, it is destiny.

LOL. It could go the other way: Calif. and Mass. could become the 4th and 5th provinces of the UK - a secret desire harboured by both States, I've always suspected. :)

[Vladimir]

Dissenting opinion.

[yesdachi]

Could the UK run as a third party in the US?

From my perspective I think the British military still has a positive image in the eyes of all I know.

But… we are easily duped by that accent.

[Tribesman]

i Have to ask BG, is this thread a joke? I ask because it is so totally nonsensical i cannot bring myself to believe that a normally sesnible person like yourself wrote this *edited for xmas*.

So you have a British army fella saying something you don't like and you try and coubter it with another British army fella saying somethig you do like even though your choice doesn't even really touch on the subjects the first fella brings up

[Furunculus]

So you have a British army fella saying something you don't like and you try and coubter it with another British army fella saying somethig you do like even though your choice doesn't even really touch on the subjects the first fella brings up

i haven't posted a link about the british army.......................

[Tribesman]

Sorry that was the Transylvanian asthmatic , Vlad the Inhaler .