BFBS Radio Sitrep

As the western military intervention in Afghanistan draws to an end, Sitrep looks back at the last 20 years, and asks what it will mean in the future. A former head of the Army tells us about “frustrating” conversations with ministers at the height of the fighting, while an MP who served in Afghanistan warns withdrawal will alarm Britain’s allies. We get an update from Kabul, and we hear how a small town became the focal point for Britain’s tribute to the lives lost in the conflict.

As the western military intervention in Afghanistan draws to an end, Sitrep looks back at the last 20 years, and asks what it will mean in the future. A former head of the Army tells us about “frustrating” conversations with ministers at the height of the fighting, while an MP who served in Afghanistan warns withdrawal will alarm Britain’s allies. We get an update from Kabul, and we hear how a small town became the focal point for Britain’s tribute to the lives lost in the conflict.

How did sensitive MoD documents end up dumped by a bus stop in Kent? An accident? Or something more sinister? As China’s Communist Party marks its centenary, an expert on the country tells us what Britain’s getting right — and wrong — in the increasingly fractious relationship. We meet the former serviceman leading calls for a public inquiry into a fatal mid-air collision over Scotland. And we hear from Lieutenant Commander Pete Reed, as he continues his recovery from the spinal stroke which ended his world-beating rowing career.

What really happened when a British warship sailed close to Crimea? We try to cut through the conflicting stories. More than a decade after a report highlighted problems with bullying and sexual harassment, researchers say women in the armed forces still face the same problems. We speak to the author of a new report that sets out the problems facing women who serve, and the issues for female veterans as well. We speak to an expert on UFOs as US officials prepare to release a major report into mid-air encounters and 100 years of the WRENs Association.

Joe Biden says his talks with Vladimir Putin were “good, positive”. The Russian president called them “constructive”. But the US and Russia remain far apart on big issues like cyberattacks. So how did the Geneva summit go? Joe Biden’s meeting with Vladimir Putin followed a NATO summit that included a warning to anyone thinking of targeting alliance members’ assets in Space. We ask if that that could trigger military strikes back on earth. We learn about the man who’s likely to be the next President of Iran — and who could be the country’s future Supreme Leader. And we find out about the challenges of getting supplies to Royal Marine Commandos deep inside enemy territory.

President Biden is in Europe for a week of intense top-level diplomacy, including a G7 summit, a gathering of NATO leaders, and then face-to-face talks with Vladimir Putin. It’s the first overseas trip for the US President since his election — and a chance for him to demonstrate his commitment to restoring America’s relations with allies, strained under Donald Trump’s administration. We hear about the issues likely to dominate in the coming days. We’ve a special report from a huge exercise in America’s deep south, which saw troops from the Welsh Cavalry training in extremely harsh conditions. Three months from the deadline for withdrawal from Afghanistan, we ask if western powers are willing to stand by and watch the Afghan government be deposed by the Taliban. And we report on how military leaders are stepping up the fight against climate change.

As remaining international forces prepare to leave Afghanistan, the fate of the thousands of Afghans who helped them has been in doubt — until now. Both Britain and the US now say they’ll resettle thousands of people, fearing otherwise they’ll be at the mercy of the Taliban. We ask one former Army officer who served two tours in Helmand what that says about the last 20 years of international operations in Afghanistan? Denmark’s in the doghouse with some of its international allies after reports claimed it’s helped US intelligence to spy on them. The new Service Complaints Ombudsman for the Armed Forces tells us the system still isn’t working properly. And we meet the researcher trying to put right a long-standing wrong in Britain’s military past.

There’s been international outrage after Belarus forced a Ryanair jet to land in the country, and arrested a prominent critic of the country’s regime. But how far are western powers willing to go to confront Alexander Lukashenko’s behaviour? And will it make any difference? We hear from a former British ambassador in Belarus. Dominic Cummings says Britain’s failure to prepare for emergencies like the coronavirus pandemic cost thousands of lives. We speak to an expert in crisis planning on how to avoid the same mistakes in future. We look at why British troops could soon be on the way to Somalia, and speak to the head of a charity trying to fund a study into the use of MDMA — ecstasy — to treat veterans struggling with PTSD.

Almost two weeks of fighting between Israeli forces and Palestinian militants has left more than 200 people dead — almost all of them in Gaza. The International Criminal Court warns both sides may have committed war crimes — in this week’s Sitrep, we learn more about the laws of war, and ask whether anyone will be held to account if they’re being broken. We hear from the RAF’s commander for Middle East operations, who warns the Islamic State group it has “nowhere to hide”. A former National Security Adviser tells us Britain needs to decide what role it wants to take in the world post-Brexit. And we ask why the Army commissioned a report to establish its economic value to the UK, and find out what it says.

The government promises to bring forward legislation to deal with legacy issues related to the Northern Ireland Troubles. How drones will change warfare. Royal Marines on training exercises before deploying to the High North. And the Antarctic expedition that plans to mark the life of Sir Ernest Shackleton.