Bullet Points

‘IF the French, Germans – or indeed anyone else – is thinking of invading these green and pleasant lands in the near future, can we suggest that they wait a while?

The British Army’s tank is already committed in Iraq

You see, our armed forces are a bit stretched what with the Prime Minister’s propensity for declaring war on some unsuspecting country on the third Tuesday of every month.

So much so that General Sir Michael Walker, Chief Of The Defence Staff, tells the Telegraph that we won’t be able to mount another war on the scale of Iraq for another five years.

Now, you might think this was information worth keeping under one’s standard issue beret lest one of our enemies decides that this is the perfect time to get revenge on perfidious Albion.

But France and Germany are our European partners these days and, despite the fact that they have soldiers aplenty after refusing to send any of them to Iraq, they wouldn’t hit us when we’re down. Would they?

‘I think we have already accepted that we cannot do another large-scale operation now,’ Sir Michael said yesterday (with a simultaneous French and German translation).

‘We are unlikely to be able to get to large scale much before the end of the decade, around 08 or 09.’

Part of the problem is ammunition. The Army’s supply of bullets, which ran into dozens before Iraq, is now in single figures.

And although rules of engagement have been altered, requiring soldiers to shout ‘BANG!’ very loudly where once they might have used a bullet, it is likely to be several years before stocks reach three figures again.’

Posted: 25th, March 2004 | In: Broadsheets Comment | TrackBack | Permalink