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💼 UK should be ready for conflict in three years?

💼 UK should be ready for conflict in three years?

army head says...

Ross Crabtree
July 25, 2024

Welcome back,

The UK should be ready for conflict in three years? That’s what new army chief General Sir Roland Walker has said 😬. Worrying stuff!

This as Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu has given a speech to Congress, lauding US support for Israel

More here ⤵️

Top 5 Stories

1️⃣🇮🇱 Israel: Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov reported that Israel's military operation in Gaza has resulted in nearly 40,000 Palestinian civilian deaths and 90,000 injuries, predominantly women and children. He highlighted the destruction in Gaza, citing demolished homes, schools, and hospitals, alongside epidemics and mass starvation, with no safe access to aid. This escalation followed an October 2023 Hamas attack, which Israel countered with ongoing military actions despite a brief ceasefire brokered in late November.

2️⃣🇺🇸 USA: Israeli PM Netanyahu gave a speech to Congress, lauding US support in the Gaza war and calling anti-war protesters "Iran's useful idiots." His call for "total victory" over Hamas was met with applause from Republicans, but boycotted by many Democrats over humanitarian concerns. Outside, protests erupted, highlighting the deep divide over Israel's actions and Netanyahu's leadership.

3️⃣🇬🇧 UK: The UK and Germany signed a landmark defence pact to reintegrate the UK's defence industry into European supply chains post-Brexit. Defence Secretary John Healey criticized past strained relations with European allies and emphasized European security as a priority. German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius welcomed the reset, highlighting joint development of long-range precision weapons and other collaborative defence projects.

4️⃣🇺🇸 USA: President Joe Biden announced he will not seek re-election, urging it’s time to “pass the torch to a new generation.” In his Oval Office speech, he emphasized the importance of preserving America's democracy in the upcoming vote.

5️⃣🇷🇺 Russia: EU finance ministers accused President Vladimir Putin of lying about Russia’s economic strength, highlighting signs of "Sovietisation" and expropriation of private assets. They called for tougher sanctions amid evidence of the economy's decline due to the ongoing war in Ukraine. The ministers urged Western democracies to increase pressure on Russia and support Ukraine to prevent a resurgence of Russian military aggression.

Major Story

UK should be ready for conflict in three years?

In a recent speech, General Sir Roland Walker, the new head of the British Army, warned that the UK must be prepared for potential conflict within three years due to escalating global tensions. Highlighting an "increasingly volatile" world, he emphasized the need for the Army to double its fighting power by 2027 and triple it by the end of the decade to avoid war through deterrence. Central to his message was the threat from an angered Russia, determined to seek retribution against the West for supporting Ukraine, irrespective of the war's outcome. Additionally, he pointed to China's ambitions over Taiwan and Iran's pursuit of nuclear weapons as significant threats that could intensify within the next three years.

General Walker's strategy does not necessarily call for an increase in troops but rather a modernization of the Army, focusing on advanced technologies such as Artificial Intelligence and enhanced firepower. His vision is for a leaner, more technologically adept force capable of defeating enemies up to three times its size. He underscored the importance of learning from the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, where rapid and extended firepower has been critical.

The general's address comes on the heels of a "root and branch" defence review initiated by the government, aimed at addressing the current deficiencies within the armed forces. Defence Secretary John Healey described the state of the armed forces as "hollowed-out" due to procurement inefficiencies and low morale. While the UK currently spends 2.3% of its GDP on defence, surpassing NATO's 2% target, there are calls to increase this to 2.5% to ensure the country's readiness and resilience in the face of emerging threats.

Other News

1️⃣🇮🇳 India: UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy's visit to India marked a cautious yet significant effort to reset UK-India relations. Meeting PM Narendra Modi, Lammy emphasized trade, tech security, and geopolitical cooperation, calling India an “indispensable partner.” This early visit by the new Labour government aims to deepen ties, negotiate a new free trade deal, and address shared threats, despite avoiding direct criticism of India's stance on Russia.

2️⃣🇹🇷 Turkey: Turkish authorities arrested Evgeny Serebriakov, a Russian man suspected of organizing a car bomb attack in Moscow that injured two people, including a senior defense ministry official. Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya confirmed the arrest in Bodrum, while Russian sources reported that GRU officer Andrei Torgashev was critically injured, though conflicting accounts emerged. Russia's Investigative Committee launched a criminal probe, with speculation it could be classified as a terrorist act, and authorities are seeking Serebriakov's extradition from Turkey.

3️⃣🇮🇱 Israel: The IDF confirmed that the Ramat David Airbase was unharmed by Hezbollah’s drone video, which was purely for photographic purposes. The IDF has been actively targeting Hezbollah's aerial units, striking hundreds of sites in Lebanon recently. The Air Force emphasized its commitment to protecting Israel’s skies, without detailing whether the drone was identified.