Brown Vetoed Helicopters for Iraq and Afghanistan

Former Defence Secretary, Geoff Hoon is about to blow 'Gunner'(see linked 'Afghanistan War' posts passim) Brown's lies about equipment for the 'War on Terror' out of the water. He gives evidence to the Iraq Inquiry in two weeks, just before Tony Blair. It has emerged today that in one letter sent in 2004, Hoon warned that, if Brown refused to back down, “We would have to scale back on major equipment programmes.” He went on to claim that the helicopter programme in particular would suffer. Last night, Hoon refused to comment on the letters, passed to The Sunday Times by Royal Air Force sources. The leaked letters show how Brown’s actions during the crucial period of 2002 to 2004 meant that military chiefs were unable to buy new helicopters which could now be in service in Afghanistan.

The lack of air support has forced British troops to take dangerous journeys by road, exposing them to deadly Taliban bombs.Military chiefs have long complained that the Treasury under Brown starved them of resources. Only now, however, is Brown’s personal involvement in the battles with the MoD disclosed.

The origins of the funding row began before the 2003 invasion of Iraq. On July 10, 2002, during negotiations over the three-year spending review, the MoD received a Treasury letter appearing to give the go-ahead to spend up to £800m on new frontline equipment.However, months later the Treasury changed its mind. The dispute quickly escalated to cabinet level. It is understood that in late 2002 and 2003, Hoon wrote several times urging the then prime minister Tony Blair to intervene. On September 26, 2003, the chancellor wrote to Blair and Hoon to say: “I must disallow immediately any flexibility for the Ministry of Defence to move resources between cash and non-cash.” This meant the MoD’s plans to order new helicopters had to be put on hold, and in 2004 the MoD was forced to accept defeat.

I would give Brown two weeks before he has to resign.