Royal Marines leader given power to veto US orders

The Times (U.K.) ^ | 03/27/2002 | Catherine Philp and Michael Evans

[Pokey78]

BRITAIN’S 1,700-strong commando battle group will be ready for combat within about two weeks of arriving in Afghanistan, Brigadier Roger Lane, the British commander of the force, said yesterday.

He added that he would hold the power of veto over any proposal by the American commander in Afghanistan to launch an offensive involving the Royal Marines if he felt it was right to do so. The Ministry of Defence confirmed that the brigadier had a “national red card”, but said that he would be involved in planning with the Americans and could express any concerns then.

Brigadier Lane said that he did not expect to use the veto except in extreme cases. “It is a power, but not one I anticipate having to use,” he said.

During Nato’s Kosovo operation in 1999 when 45,000 alliance troops entered the Yugoslav province as the Serbian forces withdrew, General Sir Mike Jackson, the British commander of the peacekeepers, had to use his national veto over an American order.

General Wesley Clark, then Supreme Allied Commander Europe, ordered General Jackson to advance into Kosovo earlier than planned to seize Pristina airport from Russian troops who had driven there unexpectedly from Bosnia.

In a now-famous comment, General Jackson refused General Clark’s order, saying that he was not prepared to launch the third world war.

Brigadier Lane said yesterday that the Royal Marines of 45 Commando would begin arriving at Bagram airbase, near Kabul, over the next ten days and would go into battle from mid-April.

However, despite Brigadier Lane’s confidence that his men would be in a position to fight al-Qaeda and the Taleban within ten to 14 days of arriving at Bagram, a former SAS officer who climbed Mount Everest said that although the Marines were well trained they should have six to eight weeks to acclimatise themselves before combat.

Former Major Michael “Bronco” Lane, the author of Military Mountaineering, said: “The Marines are going to Afghanistan with huge expectations of what they are going to achieve, but they will need time to get themselves mentally and physically acclimatised for the mission.”

Brigadier Lane, commander of 3 Commando Brigade, acknowledged that his troops would face a tough and determined enemy. “I don’t think we should underestimate the threats of any opposition. I think that’s a very foolish thing to do as a soldier.”

The enemy was familiar with the rugged terrain and was used to extreme deprivation, he said.

• Families of British diplomats in Pakistan have been given the option by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office of returning home because of security fears.

[dead]

He added that he would hold the power of veto over any proposal by the American commander in Afghanistan to launch an offensive involving the Royal Marines if he felt it was right to do so.

As he should.

[Cicero]

I don't blame them. After the fiasco with Wesley Clark, I would have done the same thing.

[EricT.]

I would fully expect our own leaders to reserve the same right if roles were reversed.

[shaggy eel]

BUMP

[varon]

TTT

[Edmund Burke]

However, you must admit that a Third World War would have taken some of the attention off Bill Clinton's girl trouble.

[shaggy eel]

,,, and Mr Condit's problem too.

[KC Burke]

agreed

[jimtorr]

He added that he would hold the power of veto over any proposal by the American commander in Afghanistan to launch an offensive involving the Royal Marines if he felt it was right to do so.

I would expect that this is the case for all forces in any international operation.

[aimlow]

And this is exactly why coalition warfare is not the way for us to go. We were attacked, we need not any assistance to defend ourselves, now we have to make sure that an order is something that is not only acceptable to the military leadership of a foreign nation, but the political leadership as well.