Forces 5000 troops short for Afghanistan war

 » By wizzy3 | the 08-28-2009 at 10:48 | 67 views (29 unique) | 4 comments | Report post!

Despite recruitment drives and a cut in the total number in the Armed Forces there is still a substantial shortfall of the required 178,000 for all three Services.
The figures come as a former Forces chief launched a stinging attack on Ministry of Defence waste highlighting that for every two soldiers there is one civil servant. The latest manning statistics from the MoD have shown that the Army, which is doing the majority of fighting in Helmand, is 2,000 short of the desired total of 101,000 despite more people remaining in the forces and an increase in numbers joining up, partly put down to the recession. The number of dead and injured in Afghanistan is approaching 1,000.
Kevan Jones, the defence minister, called on more people to join the Forces because Britain’s security was risk “if we allow Afghanistan to become a safe haven for terrorists".
“By serving with the Armed Forces they will be helping to keep Britain safe,” he added.
However, the MoD has come under attack for substantial budget waste by Lord Guthrie, a former Chief of the Defence staff.
He said the “insufficient needs” in Afghanistan was explained by the size and structure of the MoD, Lord Guthrie, 70, argues with 87,000 civilian staff employed for 175, 000 servicemen.
“At the head of this unwieldy edifice are six ministers, each enjoying a private office and their own staff - six private empires, with their own turf to be jealously guarded. Sadly, bigger does not mean more efficient; usually quite the opposite.”
He highlighted the lack of military experience among civil servants who were “parachuted in to lead this complex department with little idea of how it works”. Few high calibre people existed in a “dumbed down” Civil Service.
He reserves his venom for the numerous “special advisers” who have dominated government “who confuse the chain of command and wield huge power in unscrupulous ways”.
“Yet ministers are sometimes more comfortable with these inexperienced young people than with senior staff,” wrote Lord Guthrie, a advisor to David Cameron, in The Times.
Instead of being strident ministers are “frozen with indecision” and terrified of making mistakes that leads to delay and “insurmountable financial problems”.

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wizzy3
wizzy3
the 08-29-2009 at 12:04
Yeah!!!!!!!
Bo Lox
Bo Lox
the 08-28-2009 at 18:16
why is that? Let's see, crap pay, away from family constantly, poor kit to do the job. Nope, I can't see why they can't recruit
arthurdillo
arthurdillo
the 08-28-2009 at 14:03
Less and less people want to join the services - In part because of stupid ways like IRAQ, people question why we are doing it and if they want to be part of it
valerie
valerie
the 08-28-2009 at 14:03
the only other way back is to have national conscription!!!!

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