Guthrie: Government letting down troops.

From The Times
July 25, 2009
Guthrie: Government 'letting down' troops, 'misleading the public'

Alice Thomson, Rachel Sylvester
4 COMMENTS
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Senior Cabinet ministers have let down the troops, misled the public and fought the war in Afghanistan in a “penny-pinching” way, a former defence chief says.

Lord Guthrie of Craigiebank contradicted assertions by Lord Mandelson and Alistair Darling about the resourcing of British forces. He also told The Times that Gordon Brown was not interested in defence and he said that Sir Richard Dannatt, the outgoing Army head, was “at the end of his tether”.

About Afghanistan, he said: “It’s no good the Prime Minister one moment saying success is all important and then for the sake of a few extra helicopters and 200 men allowing the mission in Afghanistan to fail. You can’t go to war in a penny-pinching way.”

His remarks are a fresh blow to Mr Brown, who is already accused of failing to supply enough men or helicopters.
More on the link
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article6727006.ece

 

Excellent! The knives are homing in now.

 

I hope that 200 extra troops is a typo.
I'm sure 2000 was the figure quoted by Gen. Dannatt.

 

This from a man,who was so far up Bliars arrse when he was in post,that you needed a Tirfor winch to get him out!

Methinks Guthrie has a book coming out,and needs a bit of exposure!

 

Roof Rat , you cynic!

NOT.

It occurred to me that had Lord Guthrie wanted to make those points, he would of been of more use doing so whilst in post, not safe on his country estate killing small flying creatures and swilling crusted port.

 

If i had a choice between believing the government or LFH, then i would believe LFH,Our government is “penny-pinching” and putting our armed forces lives at risk and this is totally disgraceful.

 

Took him long enough.

 

With top brass now "fighting in public" over the rights and wrongs of Afghan, visa ve the Government, ---- this reminds me of a film i saw the other night ---------- VALKYRIE.

 

They are still all spineless compared to Dannat, at least he has the swingers to make his view known in the job and not in pension protection mode.

 

For what it's worth,couldn't have put it better-well said!

 

as has been stated, far easy to slate the government when you are not currently employed by them, if he had had any cahoonahs he would have said something whilst in post rather then waiting till the imminent release of his book (probably)

 

Couldn't agree more

 

Sorry,met him when he was a 2 star,and he was a self serving tosser even then!

 

Pension is irrelevant - the PM can't exactly stop someone's pension. But...it's all about lucrative subsequent jobs in quangos etc. Now that Brown is dead man walking, CGS doesn't give a flying f***.

 

IMHO, No matter when he says it, in post or retired, at least now it,s said and that miserable munter Broon needs to take more notice, not that he will of course, but at least it,s been said and read.