I haven't indulged in a Sunday Rumble for a while and as I have a few household tasks to execute today it will suit me to just pop up the stairs from time to time and, as it were, 'rumble' (or perhaps 'grumble' might be more accurate) rather than compose one of my usual elegant, thoughtful and carefully composed posts - and don't think I didn't hear that!
'And then they came for the generals': And about bloody time, too! According to The Telegraph, there are plans afoot to cut about a third of the colonels, brigadiers and generals in the army. Needless to say, the chances are that they will cut the wrong third by aiming at the brightest and the best, or 'the awkward squad', as original thinkers are usually known. However, as there are also plans to cut another 20,000 soldiers, then it may not matter much because it is now clear that the British army has reverted to being solely a home defence force. And about bloody time, too!
And here's why the generals must go: My pal and regular commenter, Richard, tipped me off a few days ago that there was a book coming out written by a general who had served in that most dangerous of environments - the Ministry of Defence! The book is now published and was reviewed in The Spectator:
High Command: British Military Leadership in the Iraq and Afghanistan Wars by Christopher L. Elliott Hurst
In essence, I gather (I haven't read the book yet), he suggests that in future our military chiefs should be less docile and instead stand up to the daft notions of politicians and senior civil servants. In other words, "No, minister" not "Yes, minister"!
More rumbles later . . .
