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Military cuts mean 'no US partnership', Robert Gates warns Britain | |
(about 3 hours later) | |
Cuts to the UK's armed forces will limit the country's ability to be a major player on the world stage, a former US defence secretary has warned. | Cuts to the UK's armed forces will limit the country's ability to be a major player on the world stage, a former US defence secretary has warned. |
Robert Gates said the spending squeeze would mean the UK could no longer be a full military partner of the US. | Robert Gates said the spending squeeze would mean the UK could no longer be a full military partner of the US. |
Under the government's plans, by 2020 the Army will lose 20,000 personnel, the Royal Navy 6,000 and the RAF 5,000. | |
The Ministry of Defence says Britain still has the fourth largest defence budget in the world. | The Ministry of Defence says Britain still has the fourth largest defence budget in the world. |
But Mr Gates, who served under presidents Obama and Bush, singled out cuts to the navy as particularly damaging. | |
'Hollowed out' | 'Hollowed out' |
Interviewed by BBC Radio 4's Today programme, he noted that - for the first time since World War One - Britain did not have an operational aircraft carrier. | Interviewed by BBC Radio 4's Today programme, he noted that - for the first time since World War One - Britain did not have an operational aircraft carrier. |
"With the fairly substantial reductions in defence spending in Great Britain, what we're finding is that it won't have full spectrum capabilities and the ability to be a full partner as they have been in the past," he said. | "With the fairly substantial reductions in defence spending in Great Britain, what we're finding is that it won't have full spectrum capabilities and the ability to be a full partner as they have been in the past," he said. |
The spectrum refers to the ability of a country's military to fight across air, sea and land. | The spectrum refers to the ability of a country's military to fight across air, sea and land. |
Mr Gates's comments echo the concerns of other senior military figures. | Mr Gates's comments echo the concerns of other senior military figures. |
The Chief of the Defence Staff, General Sir Nicholas Houghton, warned last month Britain could be left with the "spectre" of a hollowed-out force. | The Chief of the Defence Staff, General Sir Nicholas Houghton, warned last month Britain could be left with the "spectre" of a hollowed-out force. |
Prime Minister David Cameron insisted in 2011 the UK retained a "pretty full spectrum capability" after the three service chiefs warned its reach would be diminished. | Prime Minister David Cameron insisted in 2011 the UK retained a "pretty full spectrum capability" after the three service chiefs warned its reach would be diminished. |
Jonathan Beale, the BBC's defence correspondent said the American's latest intervention would be unlikely to reverse the cuts but would wound Britain's pride. | Jonathan Beale, the BBC's defence correspondent said the American's latest intervention would be unlikely to reverse the cuts but would wound Britain's pride. |
The MoD defended the level of military spending, adding that the UK had the best trained and equipped armed forces anywhere outside the US. | The MoD defended the level of military spending, adding that the UK had the best trained and equipped armed forces anywhere outside the US. |