[A-List] UK imperialism: fiscal crisis

[Keaney Michael]

MoD cuts threaten Scottish regiment 

IAN BRUCE
The Herald, 11 March 2002 

      THE Ministry of Defence has been told to fund
      its enhanced role in the war on international
      terror by cutting existing military units to prune
      £1.3bn from its £23bn annual budget.

      The Treasury demand, that all major
      departments cut spending by 5% to underwrite
      NHS improvements, is certain to rekindle the
      debate over the survival of up to 10 British
      regiments, including at least one in Scotland.

      The MoD has already received £155m from the
      government's contingency fund to help pay for
      the estimated £261m cost of the UK's part in the
      war in Afghanistan, but has been told that it will
      have to find the rest from its own resources.

      Gordon Brown, the chancellor, has also told
      Geoff Hoon, defence secretary, that there will be
      no additional cash for boosting anti-terrorist
      capabilities in the wake of September 11.

      Even the prospect of a UK contribution of up to
      25,000 troops to any US-led campaign against
      Iraq later this year is unlikely to loosen the
      purse-strings substantially.

      The MoD produced a pre-budget discussion
      paper last month which highlighted the need to
      field light but powerful forces for
      seek-and-destroy missions against terrorist
      bases, improved military intelligence, and a new
      role for territorial part-timers in guarding key UK
      installations.

      Service chiefs have also been lobbying for cash
      as Army manpower dips to 100,000 - almost
      9000 less than the minimum recruitment target -
      the RAF has disbanded the fighter squadron
      tasked with the defence of London, and the
      Navy is losing its Sea Harrier fighters.

      In Scotland, despite assurances that regiments
      was not at risk, at least one poorly-recruited
      battalion is likely to be disbanded.

      The one plus point on the military horizon is that
      one or two Scottish battalions are likely to be
      given upgraded training to make them part of
      new "light brigade" formations which can be
      deployed rapidly to troublespots worldwide for
      combat or peacekeeping missions.

Full article at:
http://www.theherald.co.uk/news/archive/11-3-19102-0-1-58.html

Michael Keaney
Mercuria Business School
Martinlaaksontie 36
01620 Vantaa
Finland

michael.keaney at mbs.fi