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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| New head of army begins his job | New head of army begins his job |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| General Sir Richard Dannatt is due to hand over his post as army chief to Gen Sir David Richards. | General Sir Richard Dannatt is due to hand over his post as army chief to Gen Sir David Richards. |
| As well as fighting the insurgency in Afghanistan, Gen Richards will have to battle for resources for the Army at a time of increasing financial strain. | As well as fighting the insurgency in Afghanistan, Gen Richards will have to battle for resources for the Army at a time of increasing financial strain. |
| BBC defence correspondent Caroline Wyatt said Gen Richards is seen as "astute" and a "good communicator". | BBC defence correspondent Caroline Wyatt said Gen Richards is seen as "astute" and a "good communicator". |
| As former head of the International Security and Assistance Force, he has first-hand experience of Afghanistan. | As former head of the International Security and Assistance Force, he has first-hand experience of Afghanistan. |
| Our correspondent said: "General Sir David Richards is seen as a good communicator who is also politically astute, and perhaps more likely to fight his battles behind closed doors." | Our correspondent said: "General Sir David Richards is seen as a good communicator who is also politically astute, and perhaps more likely to fight his battles behind closed doors." |
| It is impossible to say whether having more equipment of a particular kind would lead to less casualties Gen Sir David Richards href="/2/hi/uk_news/7675533.stm">Profile: Gen Sir David Richards class="" href="/2/hi/uk_news/8225884.stm">Tough task faces New Army chief | |
| Gen Richards has extensive operational experience in East Timor, Sierra Leone, and first-hand knowledge of the challenges in Afghanistan, gained as commander of Nato coalition forces there between 2006 and 2007. | Gen Richards has extensive operational experience in East Timor, Sierra Leone, and first-hand knowledge of the challenges in Afghanistan, gained as commander of Nato coalition forces there between 2006 and 2007. |
| Asked earlier this month if he would be presenting a "shopping list" for military equipment on his first day in office, Gen Richards answered: "I will not. | Asked earlier this month if he would be presenting a "shopping list" for military equipment on his first day in office, Gen Richards answered: "I will not. |
| "It is impossible to say whether having more equipment of a particular kind would lead to less casualties, and pretty fruitless speculating about it," he said in an interview with the Times newspaper. | "It is impossible to say whether having more equipment of a particular kind would lead to less casualties, and pretty fruitless speculating about it," he said in an interview with the Times newspaper. |
| "The enemy's tactics will always reflect, and try to exploit, how we operate - my American comrades first taught me the adage, 'the enemy has a vote' - and our own tactics must reflect the equipment and troop numbers we have. | "The enemy's tactics will always reflect, and try to exploit, how we operate - my American comrades first taught me the adage, 'the enemy has a vote' - and our own tactics must reflect the equipment and troop numbers we have. |
| "It is a truism to state that the more we have, the more we can do." | "It is a truism to state that the more we have, the more we can do." |