UK should make military alliances in Africa, says chief of defence staff
The armed forces' most senior officer has called for the UK to consider new military alliances with countries in Africa and the Arab peninsula rather than trying to compete for influence over the emerging powers of China and India.
General Sir David Richards, chief of the defence staff, said in a world that looked "especially unpredictable and unstable" it was more important now than before to reach out beyond the obvious alliances to ensure the UK's security.
Richards said the UK and France were already working closely together and that other alliances should emerge. "As the world evolves, so new groupings will emerge. The most obvious is our alliance with the French. It is much more than the Entente Cordiale of a century ago. It is a vehicle for joint action.
"The UK will require other carefully chosen alliances over the coming decade through which to influence the strategic landscape and help determine the outcome of fast-moving crises.
full: http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2011/dec/14/uk-military-alliances-africa-defence
Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness?
