§ Lord Kennetasked Her Majesty's Government:
What senior officials from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the Ministry of Defence attended the discussions at the Royal United Services Institution in August of the United States National Defence University concept, Shock and Awe-Achieving Rapid Dominance, and whether Ministers accept this new concept and consider it compatible with the Charter of the United Nations, with international law and conventions, with the NATO Treaty, and with the OSCE Convention; and
Whether, if the shock and awe concept were introduced into United States rules of engagement, they would be content for United States forces to continue to be based in, or make use of, the United Kingdom or United Kingdom protected territories, and whether they will undertake that British forces will not operate other than in accordance with the United Nations Charter, international law and conventions, the NATO Treaty, and the OSCE Convention, or co-operate with forces which are permitted to operate outwith international law.
§ Baroness Chalker of WallaseyThe discussion was attended by the Assistant Under-Secretary for Policy in the MoD, a member of the Directorate of Defence Policy, MoD and the Head of Security Policy Department, FCO. It was a presentation of the personal views of a prominent academic from the United States, not a statement of US policy. Neither I nor other members of Her Majesty's Government see any need to opine on his views or their compatibility with the various conventions and treaties listed.