Janice R. Andrews
The leader of the British army, General Sir Patrick Sanders, made a shocking remark yesterday, warning that in the case of a conflict with Russia, British men and women might be called up to form a “citizen army”. The general stressed that the current military, even reserves, would not be adequate to defend the nation and that a “whole-of-nation undertaking” would be required.
At an armoured warfare symposium in southwest London, General Sanders stressed that in order for the British army to reach 120,000 within three years, “national mobilisation” must be established. This would comprise active duty soldiers, reservists, and a “strategic reserve” unit that might be made up of retired soldiers who have been called back to duty.
The announcement came after remarks made recently by Admiral Rob Bauer, the military commander of NATO, who emphasised that the alliance must get ready for war with Russia within the next 20 years. Admiral Bauer hinted that a substantial civilian mobilisation may be required, taking conscription into account.
Despite reports that the chief of general staff is against conscription, Gen. Sanders emphasised the value of enlisting civilians to help defend the nation in times of emergency. Chancellor Rishi Sunak’s spokeswoman called conscription “not helpful” and rubbished theoretical war scenarios concerning upcoming conflicts.
General Sanders underlined that the UK needs to be ready for what is ahead and that it cannot avoid the fallout from a full-scale conflict. He used the current situation in Ukraine as an example to emphasise the importance of citizen armies in winning battles.
This concerning development coincides with worries about the British army’s gradual reduction over time. In his critique of previous military reductions, Gen. Sanders stressed the need for a more capable and respectable army reserve. He also emphasised the difficulties in continuing to recruit new members of the army in spite of a recent spike in applications.
Military leaders and experts are concerned about the British army’s declining size as tensions and geopolitical uncertainty increase. Former British Army general staff General Sir Richard Dannatt issued a warning that a catastrophic conflict may result if the military forces are insufficient to prevent aggression from Beijing or Moscow.
The regular army’s number is expected to drop below 70,000 soldiers by 2026 if the current rate of troop reductions continues, despite the government’s plans to reduce it to 73,000 soldiers by 2025 drawing criticism. According to analysts, money that have not been committed for military programmes could become vulnerable during election cycles, which would increase the level of uncertainty around the country’s defence readiness.
Given the escalating tensions with Russia, this revelation raises serious questions about the condition of the British military and its capacity to counter possible threats.
