I’ve just been sent an invitation from the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) to their Land Warfare Conference (VIII). It strikes me (an idea not the invite) that this should be an illuminating and insightful conference – certainly worth the £800 ‘I’ would have to fork out. The conference agenda is ambitious:
examine the role of armed forces in helping to defuse complex crises in the world today and will ask how the Army, the government and the nation at large can better support its soldiers to meet the challenges of these operational theatres
But it doesn’t take long, while reading through the conference agenda, to become thoroughly depressed. This is a conference for the Army by the Army.
While it’s important for the armed forces to discuss their respective roles, debate the merits of new doctrine and network with like minded souls, surely if you are serious about wanting to understand the role of the armed forces in defusing complex crises it would be sensible to look beyond MoD HQ, and the General Staff to other organisations and individuals who play a role. At the very least invite speakers from DFID, or USAID, the Red Cross or perhaps a senior police officer – after all as the armed forces constantly remind us their role is to create the space for political, economic and social change to flourish – so one might think having some other views around the table might be useful.
