LONDON: Britain’s military should invest more in drones and elite troops to help counter the threat from the Daesh group, Prime Minister David Cameron said Monday, calling terrorism one of the “evolving threats” facing the UK.
British defence chiefs are conducting a strategic policy review and Cameron said he has asked them to consider boosting quick-response counterterrorism capabilities such as “spy planes, drones and special forces”.
He said the country faced emerging threats, including terrorism, cyberattacks and “an increasingly aggressive Russia”.
Britain’s military has faced a budget squeeze in recent years as Cameron’s government cut public spending. But last week Treasury chief George Osborne committed to spending 2 per cent of national income on defence.
On Monday, Cameron visited an air force base that is home to Britain’s fleet of Reaper drones, which have flown missions over Iraq and Syria as part of the US-led campaign against Daesh.
British warplanes have struck targets in Iraq, and Cameron has suggested the mission could be expanded to Syria.
Such a move could face strong political opposition. Parliament voted in September to attack militants in Iraq, but not Syria. Many lawmakers do not wish to be seen as supporting Syrian President Bashar Al Assad.
Defence Secretary Michael Fallon said Monday the government would not rush the decision. He said lawmakers would get the chance to vote on Syria strikes “in due course”.
