We face a grave risk to global security

As former heads of the US, French and British Armed Forces, our concerns about the world are deepening

It may surprise many people to know that there is a remarkable bond of mutual respect between the military leaders of most countries. Occasionally this relationship goes beyond respect and develops into genuine friendship, a friendship which, in turn, extends to their close families.

We, the recent professional Heads of the Armed Forces of the United States, France and the United Kingdom, are fortunate enough to enjoy such a relationship. In part it derives from the fact that, in recent times, we often shared with each other the otherwise lonely burden of our national responsibilities. In particular those responsibilities which involved the custodianship of our nation’s military capabilities; and our professional duty to advise our respective governments on the threats we faced and the risks we ran.

The three of us met recently in the inspiring surroundings of the Tower of London and, although now relieved of those responsibilities, we all knew that our professional concerns endured and were, if anything, only deepening. We thought, therefore, that we would share three of those concerns more widely.

The first concern is the need to recognise that the world has, quite suddenly, become a less certain, less stable and more dangerous place. The symptoms of this are, of course, easy to see: terrorism, mass migration, revanchist states.

The causes, however, are not so straightforward to recognise, partly because they lie in societal fault lines among and within countries. Simply put, mankind continues to generate a massive disparity in the distribution of wealth and opportunity across the world.

At the same time, it tries to sustain a world order in which many nations believe they are being denied their historic entitlement.

For too many people, the world is not a fair place to live in, and the proliferation of globally connected social media only feeds that awareness.

The second concern adds to the danger of the first.

There appears to be a continuous decline in the effectiveness of international institutions. This creates an absence of empowered mechanisms by which to resolve these global problems. Moreover, it leads to a lack of appreciation that, in a dynamic and changing world, it is only through collective action that stability can be sustained while beneficial change is accommodated.

And our third concern completes the picture.

A lack of commitment to collective and collaborative leadership means that there is an absence of any truly effective international will to resolve these global challenges. International leaders increasingly look inward, their focus remaining firmly on domestic popularity or personal ambition.

As military men, we recognise the strong arguments for more resources and greater predictability in military budgets, but none of what is written above is in itself an appeal for increased defence spending or military solutions.

Indeed, the best way to enhance military capability is through alliances built on trust. And the worst way to solve global challenges is to militarise them.

All we wish to emphasise is the very grave risk that now exists to global security unless the dangers are recognised, inclusive leadership steps forward and collective solutions are identified.

Martin E Dempsey was Chairman of the United States Joint Chiefs of Staff between 2011 and 2015. Pierre De Villiers was France’s Chef d’état-major des Armées between 2014 and 2017. Lord Houghton of Richmond was Chief of the Defence Staff of the British Armed Forces between 2013 and 2016