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There are many who have welcomed the dose of realism about Iraq offered by General Sir Richard Dannatt. But are they equally happy with the tone of his supplementary remarks? The Independent reports:

Sir Richard also lamented the disappearance from British society of what he called the "broader Judaic-Christian tradition" which underpins the Army.
He said: "When I see the Islamist threat in this country I hope it doesn't make undue progress because there is a moral and spiritual vacuum in this country. Our society has always been embedded in Christian values; once you have pulled the anchor up there is a danger that our society moves with the prevailing wind. I think it is up to society to realise that is the situation we are in.
"We can't wish the Islamist challenge to our society away and I believe that the Army, both in Iraq and Afghanistan and probably wherever we go next, is fighting the foreign dimension of the challenge to our accepted way of life. We need to face up to the Islamist threat, to those who act in the name of Islam and, in a perverted way, try to impose Islam by force on societies that do not wish it.
"It is said that we live in a post-Christian society. I think that is a great shame. The broader Judaic-Christian tradition has underpinned British society. It underpins the British Army."

Who elected this guy to pontificate about the ethos underpinning British society? Particularly, if by so doing, he loses the trust of the government. How can the Minister of Defence be expected to work with a chief of staff who is prepared to offer his political philosophy to The Daily Mail, of all papers?