Cameron told ‘military failures’ mean he is not right man for Nato job
DAVID Cameron’s military policy failures mean he must be ruled out of the running in the race to become the next Nato chief, the Tory chairman of the Defence Select Committee has said.
The former prime minister is a man of “charm and ability”, but lacks the wisdom to take on the role of Nato Secretary General, said Julian Lewis.
Mr Cameron has been tipped as a possible replacement for current post-holder Jens Stoltenberg, whose term is due to end in the next two years. But Mr Lewis said Mr Cameron’s military intervention in Libya, which MPs criticised for lacking a coherent strategy, as well as his decision to drastically cut troop numbers and claim Brexit could put peace in Europe at risk, meant he was not the right man for the job.
In a speech as part of the Speaker’s lecture series, Mr Lewis said: “During the Christmas recess, an obviously planted story appeared in a tabloid newspaper suggesting our most recent former prime minister should be the UK’s candidate as next Nato Secretary General.
“It was duly taken up by the wider media, with heavy hints suggesting No 10 was actively considering the proposal.
“David Cameron is a man of charm and ability. He deservestofindarolecommensurate with his talents, and I am sure he will; but those talents do not include wisely judging strategic issues, whether when toppling Arab dictators in places like Libya, increasing military commitments whilst cutting the armed forces, predicting a Third World War in consequence of Brexit, or dangerously delaying the renewal of Trident for the sake of coalition politics – as he did.”