Oldham: Defence Chief's powerful speech on 'dangerous world'

Admiral Sir Tony Radakin, the Chief of the Defence Staff with a decorated career in the Royal Navy and Ministry of Defence, hails from Oldham and had three stark messages when he spoke at The Ash Carter Exchange in Washington DC on Wednesday, May 8.

The exchange invites pioneers to collaborate on national security and Sir Radakin offered important perspectives from the UK.

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He started by saying that while the world is "undeniably becoming much more dangerous" he wanted to give some reassurance and step away from the "trap of doom-mongering". 

When discussing how international conflicts have escalated to "combative", he described the past six months as some of the most "eventful and unsettling in global affairs since the end of the Cold War, yet with none of the optimism of hope that came with the fall of the Berlin Wall."

He added: "In Europe, we have a war with no end in sight."

The Admiral, who has proved to be a key player in helping Ukraine in its fight against Russia, talked at length about the conflict and reported Russia has suffered a "huge cost" in "blood and treasure".

However, he acknowledged the Russian Army "was better entrenched than anticipated" and that it has made "modest tactical gains" but that Ukraine's counter-offensive presented a "backdrop" for an attempted coup and Putin being indicted for war crimes.

Moving on to the Middle East, Radakin said last October's "barbaric attacks in Isreal" has 'inflamed' tensions, citing Iran's attack involving ballistic missiles and drones, Houthi attacks against Western shipping in the Red Sea, attacks on US forces in Iraq and a "sustained effort to de-legitimise America and the western presence in the region".

The 58-year-old added: "We've also seen a corresponding wave of division and protest across the world."

Meanwhile, North Korean "remains as belligerent as ever", China is becoming "more assertive", Venezuela has renewed claims over swathes of Guyana, Kosovo and Serbia "are at loggerheads" and Georgia "is rocked by protests".  

He continued: "All around the world long-simmering tensions feel like they are coming to the boil.

 "And then much more quietly, the architecture that governs our security is decaying as arms control treaties lapse, regional fora slip into abeyance and hotlines that once spanned the divide fall silent."

Despite his "daunting" speech so far, he said the second part of his message focuses on the much more promising strategic advantages of Britain, the US and its allies, saying these advantages "far outstrip those of our adversaries" and that "we are going to be alright".

The Admiral said nations are being spurred into collaborative action, from Royal Air Force jets joining those of the United States, France and others in defending Israel from Iran, "to prevent the conflict with Hamas escalating into all-out war in the region", to the Royal Navy patrolling the South China Sea and the Taiwan Strait - "because freedom of navigation matters to the prosperity of Europe every bit as much as it does to the Pacific".

He added: "The reason the British Army and its partners have trained tens of thousands of Ukrainian soldiers is because it is in all our interests to see Putin fail.

"It’s not easy. The world is messy. The results aren’t always apparent. And the task never ends. But it matters."

He then talked about "statecraft", creating new partnerships and strengthening old ones while embracing economics and diplomacy.

Examples of this include the "security guarantees" the UK extended to Finland and Sweden ahead of joining NATO, the Atlantic Declaration with the US and the Hiroshima Accord with Japan, the AUKUS agreement with Australia and America and a partnership with Italy and Japan "to build a sixth-generation fighter".

On the subject of NATO, he said it is "stepping up" by increasing defence spending in Europe and Canada by more than $600 billion and that NATO's collective defence budgets "are three-and-a-half times more than Russia and China combined".

Intelligence agencies are now also "so effective" in alerting forces to events, such as Russia's intentions ahead of February 2022 and Iran's attack on Israel.

The industrial base across more than 50 nations is "now helping to build Ukraine an entirely new air force and navy", he continued, with millions of rounds of ammunition, thousands of drones and hundreds of tanks and armoured vehicles.

Radakin added: "And the biggest response was the one that went almost unnoticed. As European countries sought to wean themselves off Russian gas they were willing to subsidise consumers to the tune of 500 billion euros.

"We live in the richest quartile on the planet. And Western governments can leverage enormous collective power when they wish, which presents the greatest strategic advantage of all - choice."

He said the UK Government has "chosen" to invest 2.5 per cent of our national wealth in Defence which means it can support Ukraine with £3 billion this year and £2.5 billion for each year that follows.

The funding boost will also improve the "modernisation" of the Armed Forces, renew our nuclear deterrent and "address our shortfalls" in areas such as integrated air and missile defence, deepening stockpiles and being "much more ambitious on technology".

Radakin said this could lead to long-range missiles for the British Army, laser weaponry for the Royal Navy, sixth-generation fighters for the RAF or "transforming from a force with hundreds of drones to one with thousands".

His third and final point then turned to confidence and self-belief as the allied nations will soon be commemorating the 80th anniversary of D-Day.

He said: "In all the great conflicts of the twentieth century, the West prevailed because we understood what was at stake.

"That was true in the Second World War.  It was certainly true in the Cold War.  And it is no less important a precondition for success in the 21st century."

He said the rule of law "is the basis of peace and prosperity in the world" and that "sovereignty is sacrosanct; self-determination and self-defence go hand-in-hand; and aggression must not pay."

NATO is "getting stronger" while Russia is "weaker and more isolated", facing long-term social and economic decline.

Radakin said: "Putin’s efforts to withhold Western gas supplies failed.

"His efforts to strangle Ukraine’s economy failed.  

"He’s under pressure in Crimea.  The Black Sea Fleet has scattered. And Russia has lost half the territory it took from Ukraine and now must twist its economy out of shape to sustain the war."

As for the Middle East, he said "Iranian aggression is being met with international resolve" while international aid is coming into Gaza - and Arab and Western governments "are still talking".

In the Pacific, the "tectonic plates are moving" with Australia "stepping up" and Japan and South Korea "recalibrating historic positions" while India and the US "are moving closer to one another".

He concluded: "This is how we respond to a more Combative world.  

"Through statecraft. Through even closer relationships. 

"Through a willingness to take military action when required.

"Through inventing and embracing technology in a way Ash Carter would have espoused.   

"And by aligning the military instrument far more closely with our economic and diplomatic levers.

"And our greatest strength in the task that we face are the very things we seek to preserve and protect.

"Our willingness to trade and cooperate with one another. The strength and connectivity of our economies. Our unity and cohesion, and the resolve to uphold the rules and values we share.

"The task now is to stay strong, stick together, and see it through."