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25. The UK stations a high proportion of its troops and amounts
of equipment outside its national territory; and makes part of
its main contribution to NATO in the form of major reinforcement
forces, essentially as a result of its geographical position.
Northern Ireland
26. For nearly five years Northern Ireland has been a major
additional defence commitment. The continuation of the present
level of forces in Northern Ireland has therefore been taken as a
working assumption in the Review. Moreover, as with any
commitment which becomes of active concern, there are few limits
to the military resources and capabilities which they can consume
The need to deploy during the last 18 months up to 20 major units
in the province to help the civil power uphold law and order and
combat terrorism has imposed strains on our other commitments,
particularly to BAOR, and on Army training and morale; and past
levels of forces are not necessarily a good guide to what will be
needed in future. This actual and potential overstretch will have
to be taken into account in the review and in any decisions about
resources levels for defence. Before 1969 this commitment,
especially on the scale of what has proved to be necessary, was too
uncertain to be specifically planned for; but we were able to
meet it from forces stationed in the UK for the purpose of ensuring
the security of the home base and from BAOR. If the level of such
forces were sharply reduced, we could neither meet the Northern
Ireland commitment at the sort of levels required since 1969, nor
any other significant unforeseen contingency.
Britain's other commitments
27.
Commitments outside NATO are for the most part planned to be
met from forces whose primary tasks relate to NATO. It has hitherto
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