Post by warriorwitch on May 23, 2007 11:02:41 GMT
New commission calls for security rethink
Reuters - Wednesday, May 23 08:03 amLONDON (Reuters) - A new commission of leading experts said on Wednesday the government needed to rethink its strategy on dealing with national security issues, ranging from terrorism to climate change and global poverty.
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The independent group, the Commission on National Security for the 21st Century, said the challenges to Britain were more diverse, complex and multi-dimensional than ever before.
"Issues of state failure, organised crime, terrorism, nuclear proliferation and energy security have combined to provide a new strategic context," said Lord Robertson, the former NATO secretary general who will be co-chairman of the organisation.
The Institute for Public Policy Research, which set up the Commission, said the government had failed to develop a comprehensive national security strategy despite reviews at Downing Street, the Ministry of Defence and the Foreign Office.
The group's aim over the next 18 months will be to develop an assessment of the threats the country faces and produce policies recommending how the government could best tackle them.
"It is clear that we are approaching the end game in Iraq and that we need to think through, carefully and strategically, what the post-Iraq world will look like," said co-chairman Lord Ashdown, the former UN high representative to Bosnia.
"It would be disastrous if the outcome of recent experience was a greater reluctance to intervene in conflict situations around the world.
"But lessons must be learned, and this means a willingness to contemplate radical reform of our security institutions both at home and internationally."
The Commission, made up of 17 security experts, will hold its first meeting on Wednesday when Hilary Benn, the secretary for International Development, will deliver an address.
Reuters - Wednesday, May 23 08:03 amLONDON (Reuters) - A new commission of leading experts said on Wednesday the government needed to rethink its strategy on dealing with national security issues, ranging from terrorism to climate change and global poverty.
ADVERTISEMENT
The independent group, the Commission on National Security for the 21st Century, said the challenges to Britain were more diverse, complex and multi-dimensional than ever before.
"Issues of state failure, organised crime, terrorism, nuclear proliferation and energy security have combined to provide a new strategic context," said Lord Robertson, the former NATO secretary general who will be co-chairman of the organisation.
The Institute for Public Policy Research, which set up the Commission, said the government had failed to develop a comprehensive national security strategy despite reviews at Downing Street, the Ministry of Defence and the Foreign Office.
The group's aim over the next 18 months will be to develop an assessment of the threats the country faces and produce policies recommending how the government could best tackle them.
"It is clear that we are approaching the end game in Iraq and that we need to think through, carefully and strategically, what the post-Iraq world will look like," said co-chairman Lord Ashdown, the former UN high representative to Bosnia.
"It would be disastrous if the outcome of recent experience was a greater reluctance to intervene in conflict situations around the world.
"But lessons must be learned, and this means a willingness to contemplate radical reform of our security institutions both at home and internationally."
The Commission, made up of 17 security experts, will hold its first meeting on Wednesday when Hilary Benn, the secretary for International Development, will deliver an address.