The reputation and integrity of Britain’s elite military taskforce is at risk following a probe into allegations of misconduct, including extra-judicial killings and excessive force, an ex-senior officer has warned.
Lieutenant Colonel Stuart Crawford, who served in the army for 20 years, claimed that without accountability and reform the UK’s special forces risk losing their moral authority, which could have serious consequences on its effectiveness and public support.
The allegations stem from operations in Afghanistan between 2009 and 2011, where Special Forces (SF) units are accused of carrying out unlawful killings. It now includes nine members who are under investigation for two separate incidents more recently in Syria where they are alleged to have used excessive force and killed a suspected jihadist when he should have been arrested.
These accusations are made worse by the investigation of a Special Boat Service (SBS) incident involving a car chase and gunfire two years ago. Such claims, if proven, could tarnish the image of these highly respected units, known for their professionalism and commitment to operating within the rule of law.
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The former officer raised pointed out structural concerns that would have ensured scrutiny of the elite military unit including the absence of parliamentary oversight for special forces operations. The Director of Special Forces (DSF) reports directly to the Defence Secretary and the Prime Minister, bypassing scrutiny from elected representatives, such as the Commons Defence Committee.
Crawford compared this lack of transparency to “marking their own homework,” claiming it is a critical vulnerability in maintaining the accountability of such elite units. He warned that the lack of oversight could create a culture where unethical behaviour is overlooked or even condone, damaging the “moral high ground” for the UK military and undermining trust domestically and internationally.
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In blogpost, he wrote: “This is not a good look for Britain’s elite soldiers. Of course they do good work and we’re all grateful for them, but I firmly believe that if we lose the moral high ground we become no better than the terrorists who seek to harm us and we’re screwed.
“The inquiry is all the more relevant because much of the current hierarchy of the British army: a succession of recent Chiefs of the General Staff (CGSs) all have had a SF background of sorts, as have assorted Government ministers of different parties….Circumstances such as those alleged circumstances would be exactly when an officer should have stepped in and said quite firmly this is not how we do things in the British Army, SF or not.
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“Any who are present in such circumstances and do nothing are as guilty as the wrongdoers themselves and have failed as leaders.As the old military adage has it, ‘there are no bad regiments, just bad commanding officers’. Enough said.”
He concluded: “There is no Parliamentary oversight of SF operations as far as I am aware, not even by the Commons Select Defence Committee, which means that in effect our SF are marking their own homework.
“I believe that this is unacceptable in an allegedly free and liberal democracy, and that scrutiny by our elected representatives is absolutely necessary. Sessions could easily be security vetted and held in camera as required, but no oversight is a recipe for trouble. Plus it would help protect our SF personnel from false and vexatious claims.”
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