Major-General Andrew Mackay, a general who led the Afghanistan campaign has resigned over his disillusion in the direction of the Government’s strategy. Major Gen Mackay, 52, who was the architect of the military’s new counter insurgency doctrine, is said to have told colleagues of his anger at the lack of resources being put into the battle.
He is also said to be “disillusioned” over the failure of the Foreign Office and Department for International Development in fulfilling their obligations in Afghanistan
The resignation will come as a significant blow to the Government and the Army as Major Gen Mackay, who led a brigade in Helmand, was seen as a leading proponent for readjusting Britain’s counter-insurgency plan that has foundered during three years of fighting in Helmand.
He is the most senior officer to leave the Army as a result of disquiet over the direction of the campaign. Other high-profile resignations have included Brig Ed Butler and Col Stuart Tootal who have both later derided shortcomings in resources for Helmand.
Major Gen Mackay’s time as the brigadier in charge of 52 Brigade in Helmand over the winter of 2007 was seen as an invigorating shake-up of the direction of the campaign and a template for future commanders. Upon arriving in Afghanistan, he was said to have been shocked that senior officers were "making it up as we go along".
He realised that the British had to fully engage with the civilian population and led from the front in the re-taking of the Taliban held town of Musa Qala, at one point coming under direct fire from the enemy. He was awarded the CBE for his efforts.
In a secret memo published in the book Operation Snakebite by Stephen Grey Major Gen Mackay said much of the equipment was “tired, limited and failing regularly”.
In the document to Whitehall he described a "grave crisis" over equipment.
Scimitar tanks could not go into reverse unless their engines were restarted and Vector vehicles were out of action because "the wheels just kept falling off, literally” and only one fifth of machine guns were working.
Major Nick Haston, who was Major Gen Mackay's deputy chief of staff, resigned from the Army earlier this year in protest at bureaucratic incompetence. He said troops had been so short of vital equipment that his staff bought spares on the internet. "I would say that some of the people that procure [equipment] in our Ministry of Defence haven't a clue," he said.
Major Gen Mackay also talked about failure coming from the “top down” and that other Government agencies were not doing their part.
The ‘bottom up’ approach, of soldier slogging it out in pitched battles with the Taliban, was only buying breathing space. Without reconstruction stepping in behind there was little chance of a long term solution.
The book said the “central tenets of counter insurgency doctrine” were failing
Senior military commanders are currently fighting for extra troops in Helmand and admit that they are suffering greater casualties as a result of not having enough soldiers on the ground.
Downing Street is currently considering sending an extra battlegroup to Helmand of up to 1,000 men bringing the total to 10,000 but is said to be apprehensive about public opinion, cost and the potential for more casualties.
While the Ministry of Defence insisted that he had gone for “personal reasons” one general expressed “deep shock” at his departure.