BFBS Radio Sitrep

Sitrep 31st March (presented today by Paul Osbourne)

How long can the coalition hold together in Libya?

Is the RAF about to run out of pilots?

Why there's a growing role for reservists in Afghanistan

And what did the Government apologise for in Northern Ireland?

In Sitrep today....

In Libya - who’s running the military operation?  What’s the objective?  And is there an exit strategy?

Plus the other Middle East countries on the brink of revolution

And, in Afghanistan as seven provinces are handed over to Afghan security forces, is the end in sight ?

The continuing crisis in the Middle east

A top General tells Sitrep he's optimistic about progress in Afghanistan but also urges caution

What role would Brtish forces play if the UK had a nuclear emergency?

The Cold War ended a long time ago so why are Russian bombers trying to penetrate British Airspace

And a special tribute for the town that's honoured our fallen soldiers

In this week’s Sitrep….

Why the MoD says there’ll be no U-turn on defence cuts,

How should the international community respond to the crisis in Libya?

And how did the SAS operation in the desert go so badly wrong?

Plus: why China is boosting its influence in Afghanistan

Who’ll win the tug of war over Libya’s future?
 
The harsh realities of the Defence Review as each Service prepares for job losses 
 
The renewed push for a  political surge in Afghanistan
 
And a career change for veterans - from the front-line to the classroom

The Shadow Defence Secretary’s response to the fiasco of the ‘sacking by email’ and the failure to legalize the the Military Covenant
 
And….after successful demonstrations in Egypt and Tunisia, what’s the possible outcome for the protesters in Bahrain, Libya and Iran?
 
Plus: why Prince William’s wedding attire is causing a royal headache…

Has David Cameron broken his promise to the armed-forces?
 
The story behind the botched search-and-rescue helicopter deal
 
If American pressure helps to change Egypt’s Government, can it mend the Middle East Peace process?
 
And should all serving personnel be awarded a medal?

This week,  Sitrep looks back 20 years ago to the first Iraq War as the legalities of the most recent Iraq war are still being debated ahead of Tony Blair’s return to the Iraq Inquiry

Plus: as the governments in Tunisia and Lebanon collapse, what can be done to calm renewed tensions in the Middle East?

Is the government politicising the military convenant

How a change to  Forces’ pensions  could leave many out-of-pocket

Why the Chief of the Defence Staff believes the UK should have it’s own Cyber Command.

And  why one group are campaigning to raise the age of recruitment from 16 to 18.

This week’s Sitrep looks ahead: what can the defence world expect in 2011: what’s the prognosis for peace in Afghanistan ?  And why is Pakistan the key to peace in the region?
 
How will the cuts from last year’s defence review affect British Forces around the world?
 
Plus, why the Government is holding a review into the care of  Forces’ amputees and why Germany’s ending conscription.

Sitrep looks at the reasons why the experts are saying the strategy in Afghanistan isn’t working
 
What’s the future for defence spending and procurement
 
Find out what’s being done to counter Islamic extremism in the UK
 
And, find out why the number of  homeless ex-Forces personnel has fallen dramatically in the last 10 years.

In this week's programme....

The true definition of the Military Covenant and what’s it means for Forces’ Families

Analysis of the  continuing fall-out from Wikileaks

What’s behind the latest spying allegations?

And, could climate change trigger the next war?

In this week's Sitrep..............

There's been more Wikileaks - but how damaging are they and what's still to come?

The story of how one woman's determination changed forever the repatriation process for servicemen and women.

And we say farewell to Ark Royal as it head towards Portsmouth

In this week’s Sitrep ….what’s on the agenda at the Lisbon  Nato conference?

The EU’s Naval Force talks about its continuing fight against pirates off Somalia

Why the governments paying compensation to former Guantanamo prisoners.

And In Germany, concerns by top brass that the withdrawal of British Forces there will be ‘difficult’

In this week's Sitrep, Scotland's First Minister, Alex Salmond, explains why he's backing the fight to save Lossiemouth
Did torture prevent terrorist attacks on the UK?
And why some veterans think the Poppy Appeal is too glitzy