The Green Paper and RUSI's contribution


Since the Government announced a Defence Green Paper in July 2009,  and the undertaking of a Strategic Defence Review after the next General Election, RUSI has consistently delivered insightful analysis and commentary which has helped frame the national debate. The series of working papers addressing the Future Defence Review have received widespread media attention and praise from within the defence community.

The Defence Secretary cites RUSI's work in the Green Paper Debate

'In many ways, the strategic defence debate has already started, and the Green Paper is a contribution to that. We have already been consulting widely and provoking other people to join in the debate. Papers are coming out of the Royal United Services Institute and other think-tanks and organisations, which are a great contribution to the debate, and those on the Front Benches and Back Benches are turning their minds to it, as are others in the country. I really wanted to encourage that debate when I embarked on this programme, and I hope that this Green Paper has made, and will make, a contribution to it.'

Defence Secretary Bob Ainsworth
House of Commons Debate 3 February 2010

RUSI Director on Channel 4 News

 'Both political parties are going into the election campaign in a conspiracy of silence, they both want to get through without talking about defence. Their policy will be "our policy will be to have a review. next question. In reality, we know the financial sword of Damocles is waiting to fall. And we know that financial sword will at least be in the order of 11-15 per cent along current expenditure trends. And we know unless something else happens to change the picture, there is possibly going to be a 20 per cent cut in combat units across the board.'

RUSI Director
Channel 4 News, 3 February 2010



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