After his government promised last week to hit North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) spending targets, Prime Minister David Cameron of Britain said yesterday (July 12) that he wanted more of the military budget to be spent on tackling Islamic extremism, citing special forces, spy planes and drones as probable priorities.
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The Conservative government of Cameron’s, which is going to be in the office for the next 5 years, announced it would meet the minimum defence spending target set by North Atlantic Treaty Organisation of two percent of gross domestic product in full.
“That’s why it is right that we spend 2% of our GDP on defence because this investment helps to keep us safe”.
His remarks, released today, offer the first indication of what might be expected to emerge from the strategic defence and security review, which takes place every five years.
The prime minister discussed his views with the defence chiefs last week after the budget, and on Monday he will visit Royal Air Force Waddington, from where Reaper drone missions are flown over Iraq and Syria, it pointed out.
“It has only been possible because of the hard decisions we have made to ensure a strong and secure economy”.
Cameron says he’s asking defense chiefs to consider boosting quick-response counterterrorist capabilities such as “spy planes, drones and special forces”. “In the last five years, I have seen just how vital these assets are in keeping us safe”, the paper quoted excerpts from the statement he will make.
The review will also examine how the Navy can work with partners such as the United States to use the new aircraft carrier Queen Elizabeth to deploy drones and special forces against terrorists.
The invitation is a further sign that House of Cameron wants to ask the Commons again to allow British air strikes in Syria, it asserted.
Britain is now part of a coalition fighting IS in Iraq, and has a surveillance role in Syria.
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Mr Cameron has invited acting Labour leader Harriet Harman to a high-level security meeting on Tuesday about the threat posed by IS.
