ianstone
09-12-2010, 08:07 PM
Public support for war in Afghanistan waning warns General
By Christopher Leake (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/search.html?s=y&authornamef=Christopher+Leake)
Last updated at 2:06 AM on 12th September 2010
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The new head of Britain’s Armed Forces fears that the Government is losing public support for the war in Afghanistan.
General Sir David Richards –who takes over in a fortnight as Chief of the Defence Staff – has taken the unprecedented step of calling a special conference of communication experts over concerns that the British people no longer understand why our troops are still in Afghanistan.
The General is expected to tell the London conference: ‘We must warn ourselves that we are in danger of losing public support for the war.’
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2010/09/12/article-0-08D3E58F000005DC-846_468x286.jpg Tough talk: Behind the remarks of Britain's most senior soldier is a bitter row about how Government and military spin doctors should manage the war
Britain’s most senior soldier will warn that the Government has under-estimated the power of the media to deliver its messages.
Behind the Army chief’s remarks is a bitter row between the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) and the Ministry of Defence (MoD) about how Government and military spin doctors should manage the war.
Although the British mission in Afghanistan is headed by the FCO, senior MoD figures believe that the FCO’s message – that Britain is in Afghanistan to deliver peace and security – has been misunderstood.
The military has blamed the FCO for lack of progress to win the hearts and minds of Afghans, while the FCO has countered by attacking the MoD over the deaths of too many Afghan civilians.
According to senior defence sources, there is serious concern within the military hierarchy that the international community is losing the information war, while the Taliban’s propaganda machine remains a step ahead.
General Richards will warn at the conference on Wednesday – organised by academic think-tank CityForum – that the enemy’s information operation is crude but effective and in danger of undermining NATO’s efforts.
He will express fears that there is a danger of losing public support in the UK for the operations, despite the fact the military have never been so highly respected by the public since the Second World War.
Sir David was backed last night by Colonel Richard Kemp, former commander of British forces in Afghanistan, who said: ‘We hear only of British casualties, we are told nothing about the damage done to the Taliban. We are having significant military successes in the field and the British people need to know that or they will become dispirited.’
By Christopher Leake (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/search.html?s=y&authornamef=Christopher+Leake)
Last updated at 2:06 AM on 12th September 2010
Comments (27) (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1311279/Public-support-war-Afghanistan-waning-warns-General.html#comments)
Add to My Stories (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1311279/Public-support-war-Afghanistan-waning-warns-General.html)
The new head of Britain’s Armed Forces fears that the Government is losing public support for the war in Afghanistan.
General Sir David Richards –who takes over in a fortnight as Chief of the Defence Staff – has taken the unprecedented step of calling a special conference of communication experts over concerns that the British people no longer understand why our troops are still in Afghanistan.
The General is expected to tell the London conference: ‘We must warn ourselves that we are in danger of losing public support for the war.’
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2010/09/12/article-0-08D3E58F000005DC-846_468x286.jpg Tough talk: Behind the remarks of Britain's most senior soldier is a bitter row about how Government and military spin doctors should manage the war
Britain’s most senior soldier will warn that the Government has under-estimated the power of the media to deliver its messages.
Behind the Army chief’s remarks is a bitter row between the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) and the Ministry of Defence (MoD) about how Government and military spin doctors should manage the war.
Although the British mission in Afghanistan is headed by the FCO, senior MoD figures believe that the FCO’s message – that Britain is in Afghanistan to deliver peace and security – has been misunderstood.
The military has blamed the FCO for lack of progress to win the hearts and minds of Afghans, while the FCO has countered by attacking the MoD over the deaths of too many Afghan civilians.
According to senior defence sources, there is serious concern within the military hierarchy that the international community is losing the information war, while the Taliban’s propaganda machine remains a step ahead.
General Richards will warn at the conference on Wednesday – organised by academic think-tank CityForum – that the enemy’s information operation is crude but effective and in danger of undermining NATO’s efforts.
He will express fears that there is a danger of losing public support in the UK for the operations, despite the fact the military have never been so highly respected by the public since the Second World War.
Sir David was backed last night by Colonel Richard Kemp, former commander of British forces in Afghanistan, who said: ‘We hear only of British casualties, we are told nothing about the damage done to the Taliban. We are having significant military successes in the field and the British people need to know that or they will become dispirited.’