§ 16. Mr. Fisherasked the Secretary of State for Defence whether United States forces in Europe have operated according to airland battle strategy while on North Atlantic Treaty Organisation exercises.
§ 18. Mr. Sedgemoreasked the Secretary of State for Defence whether United States forces in Europe have operated according to airland battle strategy while on North Atlantic Treaty Organisation exercises.
§ 19. Mr. Campbell-Savoursasked the Secretary of State for Defence whether United States forces in Europe have operated according to airland battle strategy while on North Atlantic Treaty Organisation exercises.
§ Mr. StanleyNo. When participating in NATO exercises, all NATO forces operate in accordance with NATO operational plans, which are not based on United States army airland battle doctrine.
§ Mr. FisherDoes the Minister dispute the evidence given by Secretary of State Caspar Weinberger to the United States Senate that on 1 August last year, in the Reforger 82 exercise, United States forces in Europe operated according to airland battle strategy?
§ Mr. StanleyI can assure the hon. Gentleman that NATO exercises are conducted in terms of NATO's own plans and not US army national plans.
§ Mr. SedgemoreIs it not time that Defence Ministers admitted that they have handed over British sovereignty to those who wish to practise scarcely veiled first-strike war games that are based on the strategies of the American civil war, so beloved by Caspar Weinberger?
§ Mr. StanleyThe hon. Gentleman is entirely wrong. American defence policy is as defensive as the rest of NATO.
§ Mr. Campbell-SavoursHas the Minister ever visited the toy department at Selfridges to look at its nuclear war games, and in particular at one called Apocalypse, which costs £6.99, but which is currently out of stock? Would not the hon. Gentleman do better to play with that silly game instead of running round the world inciting it to its own destruction by the use of nuclear weapons and the pursuit of a battle strategy that will wipe out the entire planet? Will he see sense, go back to his childhood and purchase one of those silly little children's games?
§ Mr. StanleyThe hon. Gentleman is wholly misinformed. It is a fundamental part of this Government's policy and that of NATO that defence rests on deterrence.