Thin Pinstriped Line

  The UK evacuation operation in Afghanistan, known as OP PITTING, has concluded. The final departure of UK troops brings to an end 20 years of presence in this troubled nation. It is hard to see how their departure is anything other than a tactical victory amid the wreckage of a strategic defeat. Much will be written in the weeks and months to come about the operation, policy and outcomes. It is worth reflecting briefly though on the ‘hot takes’ that have emerged from the last few weeks, and what this means for the British Armed Forces and Whitehall at large. A key positive of the operation is that it highlighted once again the strength and flexibility of the British ability to conduct strategic airlift. That multiple aircraft were quickly made available and able to operate in challenging conditions at very short notice is testament to the capability of the RAF airlift force. It is not easy to be able to sustain a large airbridge without both airframes and also wider support c...

  Over the last few days the news headlines have focused on people being on holiday. According to reports, the Permanent Secretaries of the Home Office, MOD and FCDO were all on leave and did not return to work, despite the emerging crisis in Afghanistan. Is this acceptable, or does this represent Whitehall civil servants letting the nation down at a time of crisis? The title ‘Permanent Secretary’ is a wonderfully British phrase, implying both permanence and confidence. It oozes the history of a series of grand individuals occupying elegant wood panelled offices, surrounded by a host of Principal Private Secretaries, Private Secretaries and maybe even the odd Secretary who is responsible for making the tea. Its very title epitomises ‘Yes Minister’. The holder of this post is the most senior Civil Servant in their Department, responsible for leading it and ensuring that their civil servants deliver the policy agenda of the government of the day (or do their utmost to frustrate i...

  Its been a difficult week for anyone who follows military affairs in the West. Watching the rapid implosion and collapse of the Afghan Government, and the harrowing scenes emerging from Kabul, it is enough to make any angry, upset and frustrated at what feels like a wasted operation. There is a palpable sense of anger in the air, a sense that ‘we lost’. At the same time there is the emerging of wider soul searching about the role of the UK and the armed forces. Should we do this sort of operation again, is this our place in the world, or is it time to step back and do things differently. The article in the Times by James Finkel   (“ Our Armed Forces Face A Fight For Relevance ”)is a good example of this – the beginning of the introspection. There is a danger that perhaps amid the gloom we rush to make hasty choices, or see ourselves as failing for being unable to do something we never could do. We must be cautious in these difficult hours to avoid making the wrong assump...

  Events in Afghanistan continue to accelerate out of control at ever greater speeds. The fall of Kabul, originally expected to occur at some point in September now appears likely within days, baring a completely unexpected change of circumstances. As the nation crumbles away, and a wave of fundamentalist evil approaches in the form of fanatical cult members, the Taliban look likely to take over leadership of the country. After 20 years of progress, Afghanistan appears poised on the precipice, ready to descend into an era of unimaginable evil and darkness. Amidst this chaos, the Afghan National Army has all but walked away, while the West has decided to evacuate – leading to some of the largest Non-Combatant Evacuation Operations (NEO) in recent history, while in downtown Kabul, the embassies prepare their emergency destruction kits and make ready to leave. It is no exaggeration to say that this is possibly the single biggest humiliation of Western foreign policy since the fall...

A British embassy employee in Germany has been arrested on suspicion of spying for Russia. The individual, reportedly a UK national and locally employed civilian had allegedly provided material to the Russians since 2020, and faces prosecution for espionage. This case has thrust the murky world of espionage into the limelight in a way that rarely happens these days. There is often a view held that spying is ‘so Cold War darling’ and doesn’t happen, so why worry about it? After all, the Cold Wars over, we won and we all love each other right? Sadly Moscow didn’t get that particular memo, and the reality is that in 2021, the threat from espionage is as great, if not greater than during the Cold War. There are several key lessons to draw from this that are worth reflecting on in more detail. Firstly, its important to distinguish between diplomat and LEC – although a British national, there is no suggestion that the individual involved working as an FCDO diplomat. British Embassies and...

  Events in Afghanistan appear to be accelerating rapidly in a negative direction. The withdrawal of western forces has precipitated an offensive by Taliban forces that has resulted in the Government of Afghanistan losing control over significant portions of its territory. Across this divided land conflict emerges again and civil war beckons, as control over the nation increasingly hangs in the balance. The worry for some is that this will herald a slippery slope, and 20 years after their fall, the Taliban will return and take control of Afghanistan and create the perfect conditions for a staging post for instability and terror to be exported globally. The question many commentators are asking is whether we left too soon, and if we will still be expected to return? Should the UK and others take a renewed interest and commitment in the region, or is time to step back and let others do it instead? Image by Ministry of Defence; © Crown copyright At the heart of this tragedy is per...

  The Royal Navy aircraft carrier HMS QUEEN ELIZABETH has been operating in the Pacific Ocean, and having transited the Luzon Strait, has now arrived in the Philippine Sea. These waters, which were the scenes of some of the most significant naval battles in history, and which are arguably synonymous with maritime airpower, due to the battles of the Second World War are far from home, but still of enormous interest to the UK. This global deployment of the Carrier Strike Group has been a helpful reminder on several levels of both the importance of maritime (air)power, and why it is a vital capability in the 21 st Century. Image by Ministry of Defence; © Crown copyright The fact that the Royal Navy can send a multi-national Strike Group to the other side of the world, and operate as a fully integrated force sends a remarkably powerful signal to nations. The film footage taken of a Replenishment at Sea underway, with the Dutch frigate ‘Van Evertsen’ and the QUEEN ELIZABETH both ...