What is Dickie Dannatt up to ?

There was a special re-union Fifty years after the 2nd Battalion of the Green Howards was formed, at Darlington on Saturday 6 April 2002.

Special guests included former Chief of the Defence Staff Field Marshal the Lord Inge of Richmond (Clubs :Boodle's, Beefsteak, Army and Navy, MCC ) KG, GCB, DL, the Colonel of the Regiment and Assistant Chief of the General Staff Major General Richard Dannatt who spoke after the lunch.

Listeners to the BBC Radio cannot have missed the fruity military tones of Lord Inge boosting the reputation, honesty, integrity of his pal Dickie and fellow Green Howard ,although his comments in the House of Lords on 29th June this year are more worthy of consideration considering the "unexpected" contribution to public debate by Dickie Dannatt.

His contribution covers several columns in Hansard and is well worth reading. Sufficient to provide the odd paras below .. probably more interesting was the announcement by AEGIS Ltd 4th November 2005 that My Lord Inge, Privy Councillor and KCMG had joined the Board as non-executive Chairman..... He is an adviser to Investcorp ( US$32 Bn of funds) and BAE Systems, and a consultant to OWR AG (Germany) (world leaders in NBC de-contamation).

This is part of what my Lord said in June

Britain's Armed Forces have to face not only in Iraq and Afghanistan probably the most demanding, dangerous and complex operational challenges that they have faced for many years, but major funding problems and concerns about the shortcomings of equipment currently in service on operations and, in particular, the vulnerability of the old Northern Ireland Snatch Land Rovers, which was starkly illustrated in last week's Sunday Times. This is not a new problem which has suddenly arisen.

Re : Iraq

...While I am certainly not suggesting that we should pack our bags and come home with our tail between our legs, it does not help that the war has become increasingly unpopular and no longer commands the support which it did.

He moved on to the subject of Afghanistan

.... a country which exports a very high proportion of the heroin on the streets of this country, and I accept that it is a noble objective to want to greatly reduce the Afghan heroin crop. But I wonder if we have thought through the implications of our policy. I believe that it is a huge long-term challenge and I have very serious reservations about the size and fighting capability of our deployment, and about our operational objectives in Afghanistan.

He brought attention to one aspect of military procurement..

.... will the Minister give us a progress report on the future rapid effect system vehicle, which was given a very high profile as a vehicle, was critically important to the re-organised, more mobile Army, and was a key element of the Strategic Defence Review in 1998? I could be wrong, but I understand that no prototype has been designed, yet this vehicle is due in service in five years' time—in 2012. In the same year, the Lynx and Puma helicopters are due to come out of service. Both are critical for the Army's and the Royal Air Force's operational effectiveness.

I would like a clearer understanding of the Government's plan for the removal of the poppy crop and what the replacement economy will be.

...... we need to recognise that even from a cursory glance at our force levels in Helmand province, we do not have an adequate reserve in theatre ready and available.

Interestingly he was followed by My Lord Truscott who commenced by declaring an interest as an associate fellow of the Royal United Services Institute for Defence and Security Studies (RUSI).

Joining the Dots,

Inge, Aegis, RUSI, CGS ...General Sir Roger Wheeler , Knight Grand Cross of the Bath , CBE was CGS1997 and 2000. Sir Roger is the current 'Constable of the Tower of London'. He also joined the Aegis Board at the same time as Lord Inge .. and is also a Board member of the Serious Organised Crime Agency (AKA National Police Service in embryo) . Another chap who makes his own modest contribution is Fatty Soames, MP happily joining Aegis at the same time who is also a member of Council of the RUSI.

Now if anyone suspected a military ...well...er...congruence of interest in affecting ...er ... shall...we say political affairs where would it be ?

AEGIS ... just exactly what do they do ? .. and what plans have they got ?

HAKLUYT & COMPANY LIMITED 34 Upper Brook Street, London W1K 7QS is also said to be a company that can call on the expertise of My Lord Inge and his pals who get involved in the most extraordinary business activities.


What exactly is Dickie Dannatt up to ?