Research Briefing
Russia and Ukraine – update June 2014
Ukraine is due to sign its agreement with the EU on 27 June; Russia's reaction is awaited
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Research Briefing
Military options in Iraq
The UK Government is not planning a British military intervention in Iraq. This note summarises commentary about the possible military options for the UK and US in Iraq.
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Research Briefing
Defence Equipment and Support (DE&S)
Defence Equipment and Support (DE&S) became a bespoke trading entity on 1 April 2014. This note explores what why the Government’s preferred GOCO option failed and a trading entity means.
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Research Briefing
Negotiation with Iran: update May 2014
An impoortant second stage of negotiations on Iran's nuclear programme started in May.
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Research Briefing
Women in combat
Women may soon be able to serve in combat roles in the Armed Forces. The Defence Secretary has launched a review of the current policy that excludes women from ground close combat roles. It will report back by the end of 2014, a shift from the Government’s previously stated position to not review the policy
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Research Briefing
Women in combat: a bibliography
Women may soon be able to serve in combat roles in the Armed Forces. The current policy excluding women from ground close combat roles is to be reviewed and will report before the end of 2014. This note provides a short overview and a bibliography of sources of further reading.
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Research Briefing
Constituent casework: war memorials
Resources and information for Members' staff about war memorials.
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Research Briefing
The US-Japan Security Treaty and the East China Sea
During a three day visit to Tokyo in late April 2014, US President Barack Obama confirmed that the islands in the East China Sea known as Senkaku by Japan and Diaoyu by China are covered by 1960 US-Japan Security Treaty, under which the US has pledged to come to Japan’s defence if its territory is attacked. Some observers have argued that Obama’s statements mark the first time a US president has clearly taken Japan’s side over islands. However, President Obama stressed that this was "not a new position". His remarks come at a time of growing Japanese nervousness about the state of its longstanding alliance with the US.
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Research Briefing
Defence Reform Bill: Lords Amendments
The Defence Reform Bill provides for the reform the way in which the Ministry of Defence procures equipment and support for the Armed Forces and, separately, extends the scope for the use of the Reserve Forces. The Government made several amendments to the Bill during its passage through the House of Lords and the consolidated Lords amendments to the Bill are available as Bill 197 2013-14. The Bill returns to the Commons on 29 April 2014.
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Research Briefing
Prospects for Afghanistan as ISAF withdrawal approaches
2014 is a pivotal year for Afghanistan, with a crucial presidential election in April and the end of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) combat mission in December. Security overall is deteriorating in Afghanistan and although the Afghan National Security Forces are taking the lead, questions remain about their effectiveness and the government’s dependence on international help to pay for them. It is unclear whether there will be any Western military presence after 2014. Negotiations with the Taliban do not seem to offer much hope.
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Research Briefing
The Military Justice System: an introduction
The Service Justice System provides a legal framework that ensures Service personnel are subject to a single disciplinary code that applies wherever they are serving.
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Research Briefing
Armed Forces Redundancies
The fourth and final tranche of the Armed Forces Redundancy Programme was announced on 23 January 2014. Over 11,000 personnel have made redundant since 2011 with a further 1,500 expected in 2014.
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Research Briefing
Germany’s 2013 election: shaping the future?
Where is Germany – the most influential country in Europe – heading, under its new grand coalition government?
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Research Briefing
The Deal with Iran
On the 24th of November, the world woke up to news that a deal had been reached between the Permanent Five plus One (the UK, US, France, China, Russia and Germany) and Iran. A Joint Plan of Action was the outcome of weeks of hard negotiations. The deal was indeed revealed to be the fruit of years of US-Iran secret negotiations alongside a decade of public Iranian diplomacy following the revelation of a wide scale Iranian enrichment programme. This note seeks to outline the terms of the deal and reactions to it, background information for context and give a sense of potential technical and geopolitical outcomes.
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