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The Crimean War of 1853/56, one undertaken in some haste, was the first in which a war correspondent, William Howard Russell, was able to send regular despatches back home. His reports to the Times showed up the ineptitude of some of those in command of the troops and drew attention also to the army’s shortage of equipment and clothing and the lack of proper medical attention for those who had been wounded or taken ill.
Those events took place 160 years ago and one would have thought that all the lessons had been learned from it and subsequent wars, not only by those in command of the troops but, more importantly these days, by the politicians directing them.
Not so, for yesterday we had the Head of the Armed Forces tell the Iraq War Inquiry that ministers were warned of the serious risks involved because the military would not have all the equipment it would need to invade Iraq. He told the Inquiry that defence chiefs ‘simply didn't have enough time’ to source everything they wanted, and cited the shortage of body armour, desert combats and boots.
And, as we now know, British soldiers died as a result!
.
The Crimean War of 1853/56, one undertaken in some haste, was the first in which a war correspondent, William Howard Russell, was able to send regular despatches back home. His reports to the Times showed up the ineptitude of some of those in command of the troops and drew attention also to the army’s shortage of equipment and clothing and the lack of proper medical attention for those who had been wounded or taken ill.
Those events took place 160 years ago and one would have thought that all the lessons had been learned from it and subsequent wars, not only by those in command of the troops but, more importantly these days, by the politicians directing them.
Not so, for yesterday we had the Head of the Armed Forces tell the Iraq War Inquiry that ministers were warned of the serious risks involved because the military would not have all the equipment it would need to invade Iraq. He told the Inquiry that defence chiefs ‘simply didn't have enough time’ to source everything they wanted, and cited the shortage of body armour, desert combats and boots.
And, as we now know, British soldiers died as a result!
.
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