About Turn, Forward March with Europe

Book excerpt: Following 1990s defence cuts, Britain's armed forces are stretched quite severely. Successive governments have preferred buying US nuclear technology and intelligence to working with European partners. The US has disengaged from Europe, leaving the NATO countries with no common purpose. The contributors to this volume, economists and defence analysts outline how UK governments need to: establish priorities within budget constraints, exploring a division of labour with European partners; restructure the army towards forces suitable for low-intensity interventions and peace support; rationalize defence production and procurement; adapt the bipolar Cold War arms control regimes to the new multipolar world; and redefine the requirement for an independent British nuclear capability.