Latest news with #EdButler
BBC News
16-06-2025
- Business
- BBC News
World Business Report Israel-Iran conflict economic impact
Many of the people of Tehran have been heading out of the city, while social media videos show the lines of cars stretching into the distance, as many thousands of citizens speak of massive disruption and a fear of Israeli airstrikes. Ed Butler hears about people in Iran and looks at the economic impact of the conflict inflicted on the country's economy. Also in the show we hear from Thailand as the latest deadline for US President Donald Trump's increased tariffs on US imports looms. And why the Canary Islands and other parts of Spain are protesting against tourism.
Yahoo
10-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Afghanistan inquiry threatening Army recruitment, claims former commander
The inquiry into the conduct of special forces in Afghanistan is affecting the Army's recruitment drive, a retired SAS commander has warned. Ed Butler, the former commanding officer of 22 SAS, said recent allegations about the SAS and Special Boat Service (SBS) made by the BBC were 'sensationalist' and risked exacerbating the recruitment and retention problem plaguing the military. Writing for The Telegraph on Wednesday, Brig Butler said: 'Current members of the SAS and Special Boat Service (SBS), along with other service personnel, are now worried every time they pull the trigger that a lawyer or journalist is going to come after them 10 or 20 years after the event. This is not only hugely corrosive to morale, but also affects recruitment and retention.' He added that the Government 'risks failure' if it does not support the Armed Forces. 'Serving and retired members of the Armed Forces want to know that the MoD and ministers have their backs on the battlefield and in the courts,' he wrote. 'The Government cannot have it both ways. Either it supports its Armed Forces from cradle to grave, or it risks failure.' In recent years, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) has suffered from a recruitment and retention crisis across all three services. Last week, the Government committed to delivering the Strategic Defence Review's recommendation of recruiting around 3,000 additional regular troops in the next Parliament. The review had revealed the number of UK regular troops and reservists had been in 'persistent decline', and had fallen eight per cent since 2022. A public inquiry into alleged war crimes by Britain's special forces in Afghanistan has been in progress since 2023. In the most recent Panorama programme, which aired last month, further allegations suggested British special forces murdered children, and killed unarmed civilians in their sleep during the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. In the programme, military veterans who fought in the wars accused members of the special forces of executing handcuffed detainees and keeping a 'kill count' during the campaigns. After the show was screened, a senior Army source told The Telegraph the claims were 'vexatious and fallacious'. 'The Panorama premise stinks,' he added. Brig Butler said: 'There is too much sensationalist commentary in the media alleging that British special forces went rogue in Afghanistan. Unfortunately, commentators make unsubstantiated claims about operations of which they have little understanding.' He added that it was easy to 'underestimate' the events which took place in Helmand province between 2008 and 2013. It was a time when improvised explosive devices (IEDs) were killing and wounding hundreds of British servicemen and women, and the SAS had been tasked with stopping those making the bombs. 'The success of SAS action is clear,' Brig Butler writes. 'Over five years, the number of fatalities dropped from 168 per year to just five per year. The only other option – drone strikes – would have killed many innocent civilians.' Brig Butler, who sits on the regimental charities The Clocktower Foundation and the SAS Regimental Association, told The Telegraph: 'Morale is low. It's impacting on retention and family life. It's not just SAS and the SBS, it's the wider military. People don't believe the system will stand up for you when you are hounded by lawyers years after the event.' Brig Butler has personal experience of something similar to draw upon. In 2012, having commanded troops in Northern Ireland 20 years before, he was taken to court accused of murder. 'I have lived and breathed this,' he said. 'It was nine months of hell for me and my team where I spent five days in a court in west Belfast being prosecuted. 'I know first hand what people are going through, it's very corrosive. They gave their life and time to service for king and country and this is how they are treated. It's not just serving guys. Every time you pull the trigger you ask, 'Will I be pulled up in court 20 years after the event?'' The brigadier added: 'If there is a tiny percentage of people who did do what is alleged, fine. The regiment is not trying to back away from that.' Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Telegraph
10-06-2025
- Politics
- Telegraph
Afghanistan inquiry threatening Army recruitment, claims former commander
The inquiry into the conduct of special forces in Afghanistan is affecting the Army's recruitment drive, a retired SAS commander has warned. Ed Butler, the former commanding officer of 22 SAS, said recent allegations about the SAS and Special Boat Service (SBS) made by the BBC were 'sensationalist' and risked exacerbating the recruitment and retention problem plaguing the military. Writing for The Telegraph on Wednesday, Brig Butler said: 'Current members of the SAS and Special Boat Service (SBS), along with other service personnel, are now worried every time they pull the trigger that a lawyer or journalist is going to come after them 10 or 20 years after the event. This is not only hugely corrosive to morale, but also affects recruitment and retention.' He added that the Government 'risks failure' if it does not support the Armed Forces. Government aims to recruit 3,000 troops 'Serving and retired members of the Armed Forces want to know that the MoD and ministers have their backs on the battlefield and in the courts,' he wrote. 'The Government cannot have it both ways. Either it supports its Armed Forces from cradle to grave, or it risks failure.' In recent years, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) has suffered from a recruitment and retention crisis across all three services. Last week, the Government committed to delivering the Strategic Defence Review's recommendation of recruiting around 3,000 additional regular troops in the next Parliament. The review had revealed the number of UK regular troops and reservists had been in 'persistent decline', and had fallen eight per cent since 2022.
Scottish Sun
31-05-2025
- Politics
- Scottish Sun
SAS witch hunts have led to recruitment crisis, former officer warns
The SAS is currently at the centre of an inquiry into allegations during the war in Afghanistan SAS witch hunts have damaged morale and led to a recruitment crisis within the elite regiment, says a former commanding officer. Brigadier Ed Butler, who commanded the SAS in the wake of the 9/11 attacks and led the regiment in Afghanistan in 2001, said it's 'not surprising' the Hereford-based unit is also failing to retain experienced troops. 2 Brigadier Ed Butler has warned morale in the SAS is low and faces a recruitment crisis Credit: News Group Newspapers Ltd Special forces sources have said that since the start of a series of so-called witch hunts against troops who served on operations in Northern Ireland 30-years ago the number of soldiers attempting SAS selection has fallen. They also claim that more troops are leaving the elite organisation in disgust at the treatment of veterans. Brigadier Butler, one of the SAS's most highly decorated and distinguished officers, told The Sun on Sunday: 'The politicians are happy to ask our Special Forces to prosecute government and foreign policies, in the most challenging and dangerous of conditions, to protect our democratic values and freedoms but are not prepared to stick up for them when the witch hunts start. 'Hardly surprising that morale is low, retention is a problem and now potential recruits are not trying SAS selection as they and their families are worried what might happen to them 10 or 20 years after fighting on the front line. You can't have it both ways.' The SAS is currently at the centre of an inquiry into allegations that members of the special forces routinely murdered civilians during the war in Afghanistan. Up to 20 SAS veterans, who served in Northern Ireland and shot dead armed IRA terrorists, are facing murder charges, according to senior members of the SAS regiment. The SAS Association have said: 'It is certainly true that there is real concern and extreme unease amongst SAS soldiers and commanders. "They operate on the front line, often in extreme danger, sometimes at the murky edges of the law. 'There is genuine and justifiable concern that an SAS man may bravely and legally do his duty today, and then, in decades time, be persecuted for it if some revisionist government moves the goal-posts in retrospect.' Figures relating to staffing levels for the SAS are kept secret but sources say there's been a 'noticeable and significant percentage drop'. SAS legend who stormed the Iranian Embassy forced to launch public appeal to pay crippling care home costs
The Irish Sun
31-05-2025
- Politics
- The Irish Sun
SAS witch hunts have led to recruitment crisis, former officer warns
SAS witch hunts have damaged morale and led to a recruitment crisis within the elite regiment, says a former commanding officer. Brigadier Ed Butler, who commanded the SAS in the wake of the 9/11 attacks and led the regiment in Afghanistan in 2001, said it's 'not surprising' the Hereford-based unit is also failing to retain experienced troops. Advertisement 2 Brigadier Ed Butler has warned morale in the SAS is low and faces a recruitment crisis Credit: News Group Newspapers Ltd Special forces sources have said that since the start of a series of so-called witch hunts against troops who served on They also claim that more troops are leaving the elite organisation in disgust at the treatment of veterans. Brigadier Butler, one of the SAS's most highly decorated and distinguished officers, told The Sun on Sunday: 'The politicians are happy to ask our Special Forces to prosecute government and foreign policies, in the most challenging and dangerous of conditions, to protect our democratic values and freedoms but are not prepared to stick up for them when the witch hunts start. 'Hardly surprising that morale is low, retention is a problem and now potential recruits are not trying SAS selection as they and their families are worried what might happen to them 10 or 20 years after fighting on the front line. You can't have it both ways.' Advertisement READ MORE ON THE SAS The SAS is currently at the centre of an inquiry into allegations that members of the special forces routinely Up to 20 SAS veterans, who served in Northern Ireland and shot dead armed IRA terrorists, are facing murder charges, according to senior members of the SAS regiment. The SAS Association have said: 'It is certainly true that there is real concern and extreme unease amongst SAS soldiers and commanders. "They operate on the front line, often in extreme danger, sometimes at the murky edges of the law. Advertisement Most read in The Sun 'There is genuine and justifiable concern that an SAS man may bravely and legally do his duty today, and then, in decades time, be persecuted for it if some revisionist government moves the goal-posts in retrospect.' Figures relating to staffing levels for the SAS are kept secret but sources say there's been a 'noticeable and significant percentage drop'. SAS legend who stormed the Iranian Embassy forced to launch public appeal to pay crippling care home costs 2 The SAS Association says there are fears troops could be prosecuted decades on for what was legal at the time Credit: AFP
