Continuity or Change? British Strategic Culture and International Military Operations

Abstract

This chapter studies British strategic culture and participation (in all four) of the operations studied in the book. It shows that British strategic culture maintain that the country has an important role in the world, which affects its willingness to participate in international operations. Traditionally the prime minister takes decisions on participation in international military operations, but increasingly parliament has come to play a role, and presently the practice is that parliament is consulted on such decisions. The role of the armed forces in the decision-making process is important in the sense that they are involved in the process from the beginning through double-hatting of civilians and military on positions in the Ministry of Defence.