Bob Ainsworth
Bob Ainsworth
Robert William "Bob" Ainsworthis a British Labour Party politician who was the Member of Parliamentfor Coventry North East from 1992 to 2015, and was the Secretary of State for Defence from 2009 to 2010. Following the general election in 2010 he was the Shadow Defence Secretary, but was replaced by Jim Murphy following the election of new Labour leader Ed Miliband...
NationalityBritish
ProfessionPolitician
Date of Birth19 June 1952
fighting insurgency national political prevent protect reduced returning terrorists war
The war in Afghanistan is too important to be reduced to a political football. We are fighting there to protect our national security. We are confronting the Taliban-led insurgency to prevent terrorists returning to that country.
afghan forces government insurgents lasting people reasoning resist security success terrorists
The reasoning for our civil-military plan is that lasting success will be when the Afghan government, security forces and people can resist the insurgents and terrorists themselves.
armed forces good hope ordinary politics
I'll tell you what I do have: I have a good feel for ordinary people, for politics, and those are my strengths. I understand, I hope instinctively, where many of our Armed Forces come from.
defence extremely honoured job
I am extremely honoured to be the Defence Secretary, and I would not do the job if I did not think that I could make a useful contribution in the role.
chief defence defend defending interests means staff tackling threats
As the Chief of the Defence Staff says, you don't defend on the goal line. Defending the interests of the U.K. means tackling threats early and at source, and that means intervening overseas.
government
You have to make the compromise: resign, stay out of the government, and you can say what you like... but no one has to do anything about it.
country politics
We have tended in politics in this country to concentrate on the domestic, on the here and now - the 'what's in it for me'.
inflict
The last thing we want to do is to go into an area and inflict unnecessary civilian casualties. One is too many.
cold equally policies pushed putin war
Stalin's policies pushed the world into the Cold War. Putin has the potential to be equally as dangerous.
casualties taliban
Our aim is always to minimise casualties and to separate a hardline Taliban from those who have been caught up in the insurgency.
power
On the back benches, you can have your say but no power to do anything.
armed forces life major similar
If I had another life, that's what I'd be - a regimental sergeant major or a similar rank. That's where the spirit of the armed forces is.
appointed defence forces minister prior
I was Minister for the Armed Forces in the Ministry of Defence for two years prior to being appointed Defence Secretary.
defence history keen subject
I have always had a keen interest in defence and military history and read more on this subject than anything else.