Army vehicles should be built here – Dannatt

Feb 13 2010 by Adrian Pearson, The Journal

THE former head of the British army has told how Government delays in awarding defence contracts to Tyneside were putting soldiers’ lives at risk.

General Sir Richard Dannatt set out his views in a wide-ranging speech looking at the future of the British army.

And, speaking to The Journal, he warned of the need to protect Tyneside’s manufacturing skills.

Sir Richard, who is a defence adviser to the Conservative Party, said the British army will be “practically falling apart” by the time the war in Afghanistan is over.

And he warned that Islamic extremism must be tackled now before it spreads even further throughout the UK.

The general also praised North East families for the support they have shown to relatives fighting in foreign wars.

He said the public who lined the streets in sympathy during funerals for soldiers were “a powerful source of support” to the army.

Sir Richard told a packed Newcastle University lecture theatre that his time in the army had convinced him the war in Afghanistan was necessary.

He said: “I have no problem if countries want religion to play a greater role in their nation if they do it through the democratic process.

“But there are those who want to forcibly convert others to their own views, and if we do not confront it there then we will find we have to do so one day in Spain, or in Dover, or in Newcastle.

“I get quite passionate about this because I do not want a future where we are fighting Islamic extremism in the shadow of St James’.”

He backed a current defence review looking at the future of the armed forces and warned the Government it had to be ready to rebuild the army.

“The army will be completely and utterly worn out when we are finished in Afghanistan. It is a very serious situation – I mean wheels falling off tanks.

“And I can’t see any national leader being willing to allow that to continue. It is a difficult situation and the ones (politicians) I’m talking to are hearing that.”