NEW BREED OF ARMY POLITICIANS

The voice of the army is being heard increasingly in British politics.

Colin ('Mad Mitch') Mitchell ex-Colonel of the Argyles changed uniform openly and got himself elected to parliament as Tory MP for Aberdeenshire West.

But lesser-known names, like Thompson, Kitson and now Walker, appear with growing frequency speaking out on issues far removed from constitutional perspectives the standing army.

And they do so with approval of the Tory press. 'Mad Mitch' is always good copy for Fleet St and press and radio were all but falling over themselves last week to provide potted profiles of Gen Sir Walter Walker ex-C-in-C NATO, North Europe.

Since the Tories came to power in June 1970 the services have enjoyed access io the ear of government far more early and sympathetically than under Labour. Although there has been little change in the overseas role and strength of British troops, all three services have benefited from a partial reequipment boom.

As slump has deepened the army has expanded recruitment in every • branch, and corps and regiments Labour put under the axe have blossomed.

In many employment offices from Glasgow to South-East London often the only jobs advertised on the vacancies posters are in the services. Desperation forces a number of unemployed working-class youth to join 'the professionals'.

Taken together with the build-up of the armed forces and the unprecedented incursions of certain officers into politics, Gen Walker's views are of interest.

He published a long article in the May issue of the anti communist 'East-West Digest' reprinted from The British Army Review' . The 'Digest' is circulated gratis to all MPs.

The article purports to look forward on the world political situation until the mid-1980s and it almost certainly reflects the thoughts of others among the army's top brass.

Indeed Christopher Walker noted in 'The Times', May 23, 'The evidence points to a growing consensus among senior ranks that the army will devote more attention towards countering subversion of one form and ' another. On this there is widespread agreement on the ideas of Brig Frank Kitson, soon to take over as head of the influential Schoo! of Infantry at Warminster.' Maj-Gen Administration Ronald Buckland at the new UK land forces HQ at Wilton told 'The Times' reporter:

IDEOLOGY "The most discerning of us are extremely depressed about the way things are going. We seem nearer and nearer to anarchy all the time' states which are today's enemy but ideology-without and within-capable not merely of defeating the bourgeios state, but of destroying it.

In this context his phrase 'We are paid to defend our country and are the professional advisers to the government on all defence matters' assumes an ominous ring.

The 'Digest' article appears simultaneously with Walker's comments on the 'no-go' areas of Ulster. He makes it plain that what is at stake in these areas is the bourgeoisie's very right to rule. declared Irelana ana convulse Britain'.

Walker is as much obsessed with communist subversion— TY A LAL AloL JUNTADIUM the enemy within-as with what he claims to be the mounting communist threat from abroad.

Co-existence and force are seen as but different facets of the USSR's single intention of colouring Europe red and by 1985 Walker visualizes Scandinavia neutralized by Soviet influence and central and western Europe surrounded by a ring of communist steel from the Balkans to the Atlantic.

Typical of the explanation for all Franco-type take-overs Walker notes:

'Western governments, according to their political ...J:..- 4 - 11. destroy it.

As in the case of Weimar the alleged corruntion UL politicians becomes all the more apparent as the effects of slump chop the middle ground from under the bourgeois politicians' feet and they thrash about more or less helplessly in mid-air.

At this point the masters of capital have only one path to tread, but only the military can follow it.

The hypothetical encirclement of Europe by overwhelming Soviet military strength leads Walker to some interesting conclusions about the Common Markei.

Once the USSR's intentions were made clear to governatives to military service'.

Although Walker's attention is centred on Europe, the spread of communism there operates in tandem with massive Chinese communist gains in Asia only checked by a rejuvenated Japan.

Europe-with Japan in the east-is to be built up as the 'custodian of western civilization wherever [communism] seeks to spread its evil influence'.

In line with this objective it is worth noting that the fascist regime of the colonels in Greece acceded to power with the open connivance of NATO. policies against communism and for the defence of the bourgeios order without mass support?

Walker says: 'NATO and the nations of the West have allowed the gap to widen between the tiny minority of the public who do study defence problems and the vast majority whose minds are centred exclusively on their own day-to-day business.

'Is it not a fundamental democratic principle that people must know the truth if they are to support a cause? If the voters were to be told the truth they would then certainly talk to the politicians in the language they best understand—votes on election day?