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Welcome:
Help for
Heroes was founded by Bryn and Emma Parry in October 2007 out
of a desire to help the wounded Servicemen and women returning from
Afghanistan and Iraq. Read more...
The
Defence and Security Forum was
founded
by Lady Olga Maitland in 1983. It was originally a
campaigning organisation known as Families for Defence launched to
challenge the anti-nuclear protest movements such as CND. Families for
Defence’s remit was to promote the NATO case for multilateral
nuclear disarmament. In the course of doing so the purpose
was to focus on the importance of a proper provision for the defence of
the United Kingdom. Follow the DSF on Twitter: @dsf_forum.
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Our
Keynote Topics
- International
Relations
- Economics
- Politics
- Defence
and Security
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DSF News
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Lady Olga Maitland on GB News
Watch Lady Olga Maitland's interview with GB News, Wednesday 18th August 2021, on the ‘Plight of Women in Afghanistan’.
Protecting Nations: A Speech by Lady Olga Maitland
Businesses
have every right and expectation that while they have individual
responsibility to protect their enterprise, there is one body above,
who have a duty of care for the safety of a nation against
cyber-attacks, and this in particular applies to the military. A
country that is safe and at peace from any form of attack will
naturally prosper.
Covid-19 Lockdown Dialogues and News
During
the lockdowns many DSF events had to be postponed. Here we look back at
some of the news and lockdown dialogues from that time.
DSF Coronavirus lockdown dialogue...
DSF News from the Capital Cities, 26th June 2020
Lockdown: A personal message from Lady Olga Mailtand. |
‘NATO: 20TH Century Relic or Credible 21 Century Strategic Actor?’
Sir David
Logan, KCMG, former Ambassador to Turkey, discusses the relevance of
NATO in the 21st Century. Lady Olga Maitland says, ‘The Address by Sir
James could not be more timely post-Afghanistan, and the painful
lessons learnt. Sir James is still working closely with NATO forces
and will give a realistic insight on how the NATO Alliance might move
forward.’
Read Sir David Logan's speech
Read Sir James Everard's speech
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Protecting Nations: A Call For An Arms Control Agreement on Cyber-Warfare
Lady
Olga Maitland says a conventional war with military hardware was where
it was easy to see the enemy. He was there in front. World War 1
and World War 11 had a clear enemy, the German military might.
In the Iran Iraq war and the Gulf Wars of the 1990s, Saddam
Hussein invaded with tanks. You knew who the enemy was –
and squared up accordingly. There is now a new enemy – an invisible
enemy causing a cyber-attack on military and critical civilian
infrastructure.
Read her full speech...
Beirut Institute
Summit e-Policy Circle 11 - 15th July 2020
Lady Olga Maitland joins a prestigious panel of experts
to discuss whether an Iran-China Pact could be nore symbollic
than strategic., and other geo-political issues - including threats to
international and national security.
Dr
Irina Zvyagelskaya, who heads the Centre of the Middle East Studies at
the Primakov National Research Institute of World Economy and
International Relations in Russia, and a speaker at the Summit, told The National
newspaper, that it "points to Beijing's increasing confidence while
facing up to Washington. “I believe that China can really outlive any
sanctions nowadays. It doesn't need Russia even, it can do it alone."
Article: 'Protection Philosophy - Modern Tendencies in Ensuring Business Safety'; by Franz Ferenbach. Read more...
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Will Russia invade Ukraine on Sunday night?
Media
reports suggest that Russia is about to invade Ukraine, but will Putin
dare to do so, and when? It may just be another modern cold war game, a
game brinkmanship more than an actual threat. Find out what's likely to happen, read this article to see if Russia will invade this Sunday night.
US and NATO talks with Russia: failure or a new "Great Game"
The talks between the US and Russia in Geneva
and between NATO and Russia in Brussels were declared a failure by most
analysts and commentators. Russia put forward its demands, and these
demands were rejected by both Washington and its NATO allies...Find out more.
Afghanistan: The Use
of Force
Transcript of a speech by Major General Patrick Cordingley, DSO OBE, DSC, FRGS - July 2020, in which he discusses the effectiveness of the use of force in war - citing Afghanistan as an example.
Meeting The Patriarch
Lady
Olga Maitland and HH Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia (in
white hat) at the Cavalry and Guards Club on Sunday, 16th
October 2016. Full photo here...
Iran Debate: ‘Should Iran Be Bombed?’ Read Rt. Lord Lamont's Speech, which was presented to the DSF on 24th January 2012.
BBC: Lamont says sanctions will be useless.
The Russian bear – hug him or hit him?
Russia
is wily, ruthless, manipulative, driven by history, does not want to be
ignored. Will resort to any tool, propaganda or military might.
She
is the elephant in the room – there, huge, dominating but the west is
flummoxed in how to respond. Russia is running circles around
western policy makers.
FACT: Russia Wants to be a world player, be noticed, be the decision maker… Read Lady Olga Maitland's full speech...
Al Qaeda: A Threat Transformed
This CSIS Homeland Security report looks at the threats posed by Al Qaeda and other terrorist groups in 2011. Read it here. Uploaded on 3rd November 2011.
Bio-Safety And Bio-Security International Conference
Lady Olga Maitland's speech to the conference, which falls under the patronage of HRH Prince Hassan bin Talal of Jordan,
HRH Princess Sumaya of Jordan, and Royal Scientific Society in
Amman.
Click here to read her speech. The conference was held in September 2011. Uploaded on 3rd November 2011
Lady Olga Leads Trade
Mission to Algeria
Michael
Thomas, the Director General of
the ABBC, and Lady Olga
Maitland led an ABBC Trade Mission to Algeria on 10 – 13th
July 2011.
"With the Algerian Government’s massive spending programme,
and a big effort under way to open up the country to foreign investment
and trade, this is a golden opportunity to explore how British
companies can participate", she says.
Please click here
to read the event's flier with all the details for
registration. Email her at olga.maitland@virgin.net
or call her on +44 7778
917133 if you have any queries. Updated:
July 2011.
Country
Reports on Terrorism, 2010
United States
Department of State Office of the Coordinator for
Counterterrorism.
Country Reports on
Terrorism 2010 is submitted in compliance with Title
22 of the United States Code, Section 2656f (the
“Act”), which requires the Department of State to
provide to Congress
a full and complete annual report on terrorism for those countries and
groups meeting the criteria of the Act. Posted: 24th August
2011
Media
Release: Defence
cuts allow beginning of global arms race - February 2011.
A
new
global arms race in the Asian nations has begun as a result of the
economic expansion and military aspirations of China. In sharp
contrast, the western powers have underestimated the magnitude of the
new Chinese military threat, according to David Murrin, CIO of Emergent
Asset Management and author of Breaking the Code of History.
Read
more.
Media
Release: The year
the greater Euro will become the lesser Euro says CIO of Emergent -
January 2011
A
radical
re-structuring of the Euro currency is staring financial
markets in the face according to David Murrin, CIO of Emergent Asset
Management.
Read
more.
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Dr. Richard Burchill Appointed Director of Studies
Dr. Richard Burchill. Hear him speak at the Valdai Discussion Club.
4th Nov. 2019: The
President of DSF, Lady Olga Maitland, is pleased to announce the appointment of
Dr. Richard Burchill as the new Director of Studies. The Director of
Studies will be providing briefing and analysis on issues relevant for
DSF.
Dr. Burchill was formerly the Director of Research at TRENDS
Research & Advisory, a think tank based in Abu Dhabi, UAE. TRENDS was
named one of the top 10 Best New Tanks in 2016 by the Global Go-To Think Tank
Report of the University of Pennsylvania. He was also the Director of the
McCoubrey Centre for International Law at the University of Hull and a member
of the Law School at Hull. He has written widely on a range of
international security issues, with a particular focus on matters of terrorism
and extremism, international law and the Middle East. Please feel free to
contact Richard at richardburchillAToutlook.com.
Edward Heath International Lecture
Image: Banqueting House, courtesy of Historic Royal Palaces.
Delivered by Dr. Henry A. Kissinger At the Banqueting House, Whitehall, London October 24, 2016 When
the Tories unexpectedly won the 1970 election, Richard Nixon was so
elated that he called nearly every hour to update me on the status of
the returns. In terms of hierarchy, it should, of course, have
happened the other way around. But I found myself in Mexico attending
the 1970 World Cup without secure communications...Read more...
Peace
in an Afghan Valley
The
DSF gave a very warm welcome to the increasingly
influential and charming Chief
Ajmal Khan Zazai in late
February 2010.
He
is
a leading tribal
chief in south-east Aghanistan who has successfully achieved support
from nine tribes and brought peace to his valley in the face of almost
impossible odds against the Taliban. DSF members will be notified by
email or by post.
Updated:
2nd March 2010.
Will
freedom come to Syria?
Lady
Old Maitland
spoke on 18th May 2010 to member of the European-Atlantic Group about
the prospects of democracy in Syria.
Contact her or Justin Glass for
further
information about her speech and the event.
Read a
newswire about the
event.
Posted
on 20th
May 2010
DSF
Raises £2,150 for the SBSA
The
Defence and
Security Forum has recently received the thanks of the Special Boat
Service Association, further to raising £2,150 However, with
the
added 25% Gift Aid, this sum will be worth than this amount.
The Association's assistant secretary, Tony Ward, thanked the DSF in a
letter and said:
"I am writing on b ehalf of the Trustees and all members of the Special
Boat Association to thank you for the individual donation emanating
from the auction you kindly organised. The Gift Aid forms
will
help raise a further 25%. It is much appreciated by us all. Please pass
our thanks to the numerous donors.
It is comforting to know that the efforts of our remarkable young
people on behalf of their country are so recognised. They, in turn are
extremely grateful for your support."
Posted
on 2nd March 2010.
Breaking
the Code of
History: Strategic Military Stupidities in the
Face of a Rising China
Having
conceived the
ideas described in Breaking the Code of History
over seven years ago in 2003, it is very scary to see the events coming
true in front of my eyes, whilst understanding the dire implications
and consequences of such events. Foremost of which is a new global arms
race in the emerging nations.
Read
more.
Nuclear
Policy at sea
A
Part -Time Deterrent Will Not Do!
Britain’s
nuclear capability is once again a subject of intense debate. Some
suggest that, in order to save money and make a political statement on
global disarmament, Britain should reduce its deterrent capability. But
as Tim Hare argues, these arguments are
misleading.
News
and Media Coverage from the old DSF website can be found by clicking here.
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