Only the armed forces can fix broken Britain says General Dannatt

By Chris Marshall
Published on Wednesday 9 November 2011 00:36

THE former head of the army has warned of a moral decline among Britain’s young people that is forcing the military to set an example for society as a whole.

General Lord Dannatt, a committed Christian, said the armed forces could no longer presume that families and wider society would school the young in moral values, forcing the military to educate new recruits in ethical behaviour.

He said the armed forces could fulfil a vital role by setting an example to wider society through the education of recruits in the importance of moral and ethical standards.

But he pointed to the case of Baha Mousa, an Iraqi civilian who was kicked and punched to death by British soldiers, as an example of where the army had been “let down” by a “small number” of individuals.

Speaking at the annual lecture of the think-tank Theos last night, he said: “In past generations, certainly in this country, it was often assumed that young men and women coming into the armed forces would have absorbed an understanding of the core values and standards of behaviour required by the military from their family or from within their wider community.

“Indeed, such standards would have typified our society more generally.

“I would suggest such a presumption cannot be made today.”

The general’s comments were disputed by the head of one of Scotland’s largest children’s charity who said they helped “demonise” young people.

Anne Houston, chief executive of Children 1st, said: “To say that young people in our society have declining moral values and that their standards of behaviour are worsening is a sweeping statement.

“Making these generalisations about young people could reassert the opinion that they are having a negative impact on our society.

“In fact, young people are valuable members of our communities with much to contribute and it is entirely unfair, unnecessary and unhelpful to demonise them.

“What we should be focusing on is identifying those young people who are displaying problematic behaviour at the earliest possible stage and offering support to them and to their families.

“This approach would bring greater benefits in the longer term, both for the young person and for the wider community.”

Lord Dannatt said many people were struggling to tell the difference between right and wrong, adding that the military could play a role in educating wider society.

But the Reverend Ian Galloway, convener of the Church of Scotland’s Church and Society Council, said it was not up to the army to be a moral arbiter.

He said: “Clearly, the values that we hope our service personnel will exercise need to be representative of society as a whole.

“It should not, however, be for the army to assume the leading role in providing a moral and ethical framework for society.

“Forces chaplains currently play a crucial role in assisting service personnel in dealing with the hugely difficult issues they face.”

Elizabeth Hunter, director of Theos, said: “Following moral scandals across politics, journalism and banking and the shock of the summer riots, Lord Dannatt is offering a way forward for rebuilding a society based on values and virtues.”