General Sir Richard Dannatt is a dangerous man

General Sir Richard Dannatt is a professional soldier, an early (aged 22) recipient of the MC in Northen Ireland. He is a devout Christian and besides being responsible for the whole of the UK military forces is also vice-president of the Officers' Christian Union and president of the Soldiers' and Airmen's Scripture Readers Association. He is also a supporter and endorser of the curious Christian Alpha program .... "Alpha has been so wonderfully used over the years, and I am delighted that it has expanded into the Armed Forces."


Two weeks into his post, wearing a uniform that Herr Goering would have envied ,he seized public attention in highlighting the situation in Afghanistan. UK troops were doing "more than their share" .... "We are running hot, certainly running hot. Can we cope? I pause. I say 'Just'." Cheered the lad up in Helmland no end... of course it got Tony Blair to make even more promises that he cannot possibly fulfill.

Now in a comedic scene of solitary pomposity (No backing group to this soul singer) on the steps of the MOD, a portly portent, he seeks to justify his irregular and public outburst in the columns of the Daily Mail. We then have the absurdity of the other architect of this Judaeo- Christian Crusade Tony Blair claiming that everyone in the Church is singing from the same hymn sheet. Which resolves nothing.

General Sir Richard Dannatt is a dangerous man, he exemplifies the muddled and chronically myopic vision of the modern MOD who cannot seem to procure the necessary weapons of war, nor execute their use, usefully or successfully. Nor do their leaders appear able to cope with the lunatic ambitions of their political masters either nationally or collectively through NATO and the EU.

Whatever the failings of the leadership, ... and one must remember the old saw, "There are no bad soldiers, only bad officers" ... this balding, overweight, pompous, conceited Schweik, reminds me of Sassoon's majors,

"If I were fierce, and bald, and short of breath, I'd live with scarlet Majors at the Base, And speed glum heroes up the line of death."

Whatever flash of Messianic light that has lit up his landscape, I remain convinced that his unorthodox, illegitimate and essentially counterproductive remarks, suggest that General Sir Richard Dannatt is more a part of the problem than even the start of the solution.

Whatever the failing of our Democratic process, the debate about our foreign policy and military endeavours should not be conducted in the columns of the Daily Mail, impromptu gatherings al fresco with the Press or on State radio.

I repeat. General Sir Richard Dannatt is a dangerous man.

Update later today after posting the above ...In support of this argument go to here and read with interest this youthful supporter of General Sir Richard Dannatt's muscular Christianity, set against the nonsensical fears that England is about to become some sort of Eurabian Caliphate.