British Atlantic Committee - Revision history

Tom Griffin: added category/removed slightly tenuous illustration

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added category/removed slightly tenuous illustration

Tom Griffin: /* Creation */

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Creation

Tom Griffin: /* 1980s */ moved material to Atlantic Council of the United Kingdom

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1980s: moved material to Atlantic Council of the United Kingdom

Tom Griffin: /* Creation */

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Creation

Tom Griffin: /* 1980s */

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1980s

Tom Griffin: /* 1980s */

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1980s

Tom Griffin: /* 1980s */

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1980s

Tom Griffin: /* 1980s */ Lashmar& Oliver

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1980s: Lashmar& Oliver

Tom Griffin: /* Creation */

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Creation

Tom Griffin: /* Creation */ moved material to Labour section

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Creation: moved material to Labour section

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 :A former secretary of the right-wing Labour Manifesto group (most of whose members defected to the Social Democratic party in 1981), Robertson joined the government-funded British Atlantic Committee in the same year that it was publicly attacking the Labour party's non-nuclear defence policy. He was on the Council of the [[Royal Institute for International Affairs]] (Chatham House) from 1984 to 1991 and on the steering committee of the annual [[Konigswinter]] conference for much of that time. He has been a governor of the Ditchley Foundation since 1989 and was vice-chairman of the [[Westminster Foundation for Democracy]] from 1992 to 1994.<ref> Tom Easton, [http://www.bilderberg.org/bap.htm The British American Project for the Successor Generation]</ref>
 ==People==
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 ==References==
 <references/>

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 ::The [[British Atlantic Committee]] took shape in 1953 and became an umbrella for existing societies and 'ginger groups' for better international relations. such as the [[English Speaking Union]], the [[United Nations Association]] and the Labour Party-backed [[Friends of the Atlantic Union]].  The BAC had impeccable establishment credentials, with the Foreign Office's endorsement and former Moscow ambassador Sir [[David Kelly]] at its head.  Official and NATO propaganda continued, but the private entities now handled most publicity work."<ref>John Jenks, [http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=Nqw9FFX86RwC&pg=PA104&lpg=PA104&dq=%22Atlantic+Treaty+Association%22+%22British+Atlantic+Committee%22&source=bl&ots=qv-1shltjh&sig=ZK5Cc9pVh7j1OPu6Baw4uCqEhrE&hl=en&ei=mY9ETOa-J4WM0gSA5-ibDw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=9&ved=0CEAQ6AEwCA#v=onepage&q=%22Atlantic%20Treaty%20Association%22%20%22British%20Atlantic%20Committee%22&f=false British propaganda and news media in the cold war], Edinburgh University Press, 2006, p.104.</ref>
-The BAC publication ''The Atlantic Community'' was distributed to most British secondary schools from 1957.<ref>Alexandra Gheciu, [http://books.google.com/books?id=o8FvL55amrIC&pg=PA272&lpg=PA272&dq=British+Atlantic+Committee&source=web&ots=pJEDjXkMxx&sig=0kMgrgAA5UyuGYDTxXafsBm7Axo&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=5&ct=result#v=onepage&q=British%20Atlantic%20Committee&f=false p.272.</ref>
+The BAC publication ''The Atlantic Community'' was distributed to most British secondary schools from 1957.<ref>Alexandra Gheciu, [http://books.google.com/books?id=o8FvL55amrIC&pg=PA272&lpg=PA272&dq=British+Atlantic+Committee&source=web&ots=pJEDjXkMxx&sig=0kMgrgAA5UyuGYDTxXafsBm7Axo&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=5&ct=result#v=onepage&q=British%20Atlantic%20Committee&f=false NATO in the "new Europe": the politics of international socialization after the Cold War], Stanford University Press, 2005, p.272.</ref>
 ==Charitable Status==

← Older revision		Revision as of 00:17, 24 July 2010
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	:Mr. Hurd: Like other non-governmental organisations, the British Atlantic Committee is given, on request, some government publications and films. Ministers have on several occasions spoken at meetings organised by the committee.<ref>Hansard, [http://hansard.millbanksystems.com/written_answers/1983/feb/28/british-atlantic-committee British Atlantic Committee], HC Deb 28 February 1983 vol 38 cc30-1W.</ref>		:Mr. Hurd: Like other non-governmental organisations, the British Atlantic Committee is given, on request, some government publications and films. Ministers have on several occasions spoken at meetings organised by the committee.<ref>Hansard, [http://hansard.millbanksystems.com/written_answers/1983/feb/28/british-atlantic-committee British Atlantic Committee], HC Deb 28 February 1983 vol 38 cc30-1W.</ref>
−
−	~~David Osler in Lobster 33, 1997, states that the BAC was funded by The [[Dulverton Trust]] whose Trustees listed for 1994 included [[Lord Carrington]].~~

	In the context of the debate surrounding the Labour Party’s defence policy and membership of NATO, Stuart Croft states that in 1984 the BAC published 'Diminishing the Nuclear Threat', a report written by a number of 'distinguished former military officers' who argued that the notion of controlled escalation enshrined in flexible response was impractical. These he characterizes as "a group of analysts who may perhaps best be termed disenchanted orthodox thinkers, people who shared many of the orthodox assumptions and yet agreed with the alternative thinkers on this issue". This also touches on the 'special relationship;<ref>Stuart Croft (1994) 'Continuity and Change in British: Thinking about Nuclear Weapons,'Political Studies, XLII, 228-242.</ref>		In the context of the debate surrounding the Labour Party’s defence policy and membership of NATO, Stuart Croft states that in 1984 the BAC published 'Diminishing the Nuclear Threat', a report written by a number of 'distinguished former military officers' who argued that the notion of controlled escalation enshrined in flexible response was impractical. These he characterizes as "a group of analysts who may perhaps best be termed disenchanted orthodox thinkers, people who shared many of the orthodox assumptions and yet agreed with the alternative thinkers on this issue". This also touches on the 'special relationship;<ref>Stuart Croft (1994) 'Continuity and Change in British: Thinking about Nuclear Weapons,'Political Studies, XLII, 228-242.</ref>

← Older revision		Revision as of 22:25, 23 July 2010
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	The BAC publication ''The Atlantic Community'' was distributed to most British secondary schools from 1957.<ref>Alexandra Gheciu, [http://books.google.com/books?id=o8FvL55amrIC&pg=PA272&lpg=PA272&dq=British+Atlantic+Committee&source=web&ots=pJEDjXkMxx&sig=0kMgrgAA5UyuGYDTxXafsBm7Axo&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=5&ct=result#v=onepage&q=British%20Atlantic%20Committee&f=false p.272.</ref>		The BAC publication ''The Atlantic Community'' was distributed to most British secondary schools from 1957.<ref>Alexandra Gheciu, [http://books.google.com/books?id=o8FvL55amrIC&pg=PA272&lpg=PA272&dq=British+Atlantic+Committee&source=web&ots=pJEDjXkMxx&sig=0kMgrgAA5UyuGYDTxXafsBm7Axo&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=5&ct=result#v=onepage&q=British%20Atlantic%20Committee&f=false p.272.</ref>
		+
		+	==Charitable Status==
		+	According to the Register of Charities, the BAC was registered as a charity on 24 August 1970. It's charitable objects were:
		+	::TO ADVANCE THE EDUCATION OF THE INHABITANTS OF THE UNITED KINGDOM IN THE A)AIMS OF THE ATLANTIC TREATY ENTERED INTO BY THE GOVERNMENT OF THE UNITED KINGDOM AND ITS SUPPORTING ORGANISATION (NATO)AND THE DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE SAID GOVERNMENT AND INHABITANTS THERUNDER. B) PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH THE PROMOTION OF CLOSER LINKS BETWEEN THE MEMBERS OF THE ATLANTIC ALLIANCE.<ref>[http://www.charity-commission.gov.uk/Showcharity/RegisterOfCharities/RemovedCharityMain.aspx?RegisteredCharityNumber=261484&SubsidiaryNumber=0 261484 -THE ATLANTIC COUNCIL OF THE UNITED KINGDOM], Charities Commission, accessed 23 July 2010.</ref>
		+
		+	A constitution was adopted on 13 December 1984, and amended on 14 December 1988, and 19 March 1993.<ref>[http://www.charity-commission.gov.uk/Showcharity/RegisterOfCharities/RemovedCharityMain.aspx?RegisteredCharityNumber=261484&SubsidiaryNumber=0 261484 -THE ATLANTIC COUNCIL OF THE UNITED KINGDOM], Charities Commission, accessed 23 July 2010.</ref>
		+
		+	The Committee, by now operating under the name Atlantic Council of the United Kingdom, was removed from the register on 1 June 1994.<ref>[http://www.charity-commission.gov.uk/Showcharity/RegisterOfCharities/RemovedCharityMain.aspx?RegisteredCharityNumber=261484&SubsidiaryNumber=0 261484 -THE ATLANTIC COUNCIL OF THE UNITED KINGDOM], Charities Commission, accessed 23 July 2010.</ref> A separate registration for the Atlantic Council had earlier been made on 8 October 1993.<ref>[http://www.charity-commission.gov.uk/Showcharity/RegisterOfCharities/CharityFramework.aspx?RegisteredCharityNumber=1026837&SubsidiaryNumber=0 1026837 - THE ATLANTIC COUNCIL OF THE UNITED KINGDOM], Charities Commission, accessed 23 July 2010.</ref>

	==1980s==		==1980s==

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 :Mr. Hurd: Like other non-governmental organisations, the British Atlantic Committee is given, on request, some government publications and films. Ministers have on several occasions spoken at meetings organised by the committee.<ref>Hansard, [http://hansard.millbanksystems.com/written_answers/1983/feb/28/british-atlantic-committee British Atlantic Committee], HC Deb 28 February 1983 vol 38 cc30-1W.</ref>
- David Osler in Lobster 33, 1997, states that the BAC was funded by The [[Dulverton Trust]] whose Trustees listed for 1994 included [[Lord Carrington]].
+David Osler in Lobster 33, 1997, states that the BAC was funded by The [[Dulverton Trust]] whose Trustees listed for 1994 included [[Lord Carrington]].
 In the context of the debate surrounding the Labour Party’s defence policy and membership of NATO, Stuart Croft states that in 1984 the BAC published 'Diminishing the Nuclear Threat', a report written by a number of 'distinguished former military officers' who argued that the notion of controlled escalation enshrined in flexible response was impractical.  These he characterizes as "a group of analysts who may perhaps best be termed disenchanted orthodox thinkers, people who shared many of the orthodox assumptions and yet agreed with the alternative thinkers on this issue".  This also touches on the 'special relationship;<ref>Stuart Croft (1994) 'Continuity and Change in British: Thinking about Nuclear Weapons,'Political Studies, XLII, 228-242.</ref>
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 The first episode of Duncan Campbell's<ref>There is an interesting 1999 account of Campbell's  investigations into several aspects of the 'secret state' [http://jya.com/justice-dc.htm Ferrets or Skunks?] The ABC Trial and a New Statesman, 12 August 1988 article [http://jya.com/echelon-dc.htm  Somebody's listening] </ref> BBC documentary series 'Secret Society'(1987) called 'The Secret Constitution' [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7_A18GSzvXE offered] a critique on covert groups and committees within the UK government, explored the secret decision to buy U.S. Trident nuclear submarines and the cabinet level dirty tricks campaign against CND and this included criticisms of the BAC, and the [[Coalition for Peace Through Security]] for keeping key decisions secret from MPs.  It was banned by the BBC, although the programme on the '[[Zircon]]' spy satellite tend to be the focus of reporting on the affair.<ref>http://www.bbc.co.uk/heritage/in_depth/pressure/pdf/zircon.pdf</ref>
-Steve Dorril in (1984) Lobster 3 'American Friends: the Anti-CND Groups,' states that:
+Steve Dorril wrote in 1984 that:
-:[[Ernest Lefever]] used the $200,000 given by USIA to help "highly placed and influential leaders in Western Europe to gain a solid understanding of US defence and arms control policies, with special reference to their religious and moral implications." One conference was organised in Britain in May (New Statesman 20th May 1983) with church leaders in attendance. It was sponsored by the British Atlantic Committee (BAC) and the [[Institute for European Defence and Strategic Studies]].
+Dorril also adds that the Administrator of the Ethics and Nuclear Arms Conference was [[Ken Aldred]], General Secretary of the British Atlantic Committee's '[[Peace Through Nato]]' campaign.<ref>Steve Dorril, [http://www.lobster-magazine.co.uk/online/issue03/lob03-03.htm American Friends: the Anti-CND Groups], Lobster 3, February 1984.</ref>
 [[Paul Rogers]] recalls:

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 This also adds that the Administrator of the Ethics and Nuclear Arms Conference was [[Ken Aldred]], General Secretary of the British Atlantic Committee's 'Peace Through Nato' campaign. And it also points out that many of the Labour right-wing were members and were linked to the similar American right at Georgetown, adding that his has been covered in ''CIA Infiltration of The Labour Movement'' by Militant (1982), and also in ''State Research'' No 16 1980.
-[[Paul Rogers]] in Lobster 28, 1994 stated:
+[[Paul Rogers]] recalls:
-:I remember going on one of the British Atlantic Committee briefing visits to NATO in the late 1980s and talking to a German civil servant attached to NATO's Nuclear Planning Group. He spoke with considerable enthusiasm about the feasibility of using very small numbers of air-burst nuclear detonations, perhaps as few as five, which would cause very few casualties but would demonstrate to the Soviets that NATO was serious. As far as I could tell, he really did believe that a limited nuclear war could be fought and won, and would not escalate to an all-out nuclear exchange.
+:I remember going on one of the British Atlantic Committee briefing visits to NATO in the late 1980s and talking to a German civil servant attached to NATO's Nuclear Planning Group. He spoke with considerable enthusiasm about the feasibility of using very small numbers of air-burst nuclear detonations, perhaps as few as five, which would cause very few casualties but would demonstrate to the Soviets that NATO was serious. As far as I could tell, he really did believe that a limited nuclear war could be fought and won, and would not escalate to an all-out nuclear exchange.<ref>Paul Rogers, [http://www.lobster-magazine.co.uk/online/issue28/lob28-02.htm A note on the British deployment of nuclear weapons in crises - with particular reference to the Falklands and Gulf Wars and the purchase of Trident], Lobster  28, December 1994.</ref>
 ==1990s==

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 ==1980s==
-According to authors Paul Lashmar and James Oliver, a small [[Information Research Department|IRD]]-style unit set up under defence minister [[Peter Blaker]] in 1981 established contacts with the BAC.<ref>Paul Lashmar and James Oliver, Britain's Secret Propaganda War 1948-1977, Sutton Publishing, 1998, p.174.</ref>
+According to authors Paul Lashmar and James Oliver, a small and short-lived [[Information Research Department|IRD]]-style unit concerned with CND and defence issues was set up in 1981 following discussions between Ministers of State [[Peter Blaker]] of the [[Ministry of Defence]] and [[Douglas Hurd]] of the [[Foreign and Commonwealth Office|Foreign Office]]. Under Blaker's leaderrship, this unit established initial contacts with the BAC.<ref>Paul Lashmar and James Oliver, Britain's Secret Propaganda War 1948-1977, Sutton Publishing, 1998, p.174.</ref>
-The, now defunct, British Atlantic Committee, was funded by the government and an understanding of its function can be gained from this exchange in [http://hansard.millbanksystems.com/written_answers/1983/feb/28/british-atlantic-committee Hansard], February 1983, between the late [[Robin Cook]] and [[Douglas Hurd]] (now Lord Hurd).
+In 1982, Foreign Office Minister [[Malcolm Rifkind]] told Parliament that the government had granted £33,185 to the Committee for 1981-82 and had so far granted £44,000 in 1982.<ref>Hansard, [http://hansard.millbanksystems.com/written_answers/1982/oct/28/british-atlantic-committee British Atlantic Committee], HC Deb 28 October 1982 vol 29 c474W.</ref>
 :Mr. Cook: asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much money is provided by Her Majesty's Government to the British Atlantic Committee; and what stipulation is made as to the use of the money.
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 :Mr. Cook: asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assistance with resources and speakers is provided by Her Majesty's Government to the British Atlantic Committee.
-:Mr. Hurd: Like other non-governmental organisations, the British Atlantic Committee is given, on request, some government publications and films. Ministers have on several occasions spoken at meetings organised by the committee.
+:Mr. Hurd: Like other non-governmental organisations, the British Atlantic Committee is given, on request, some government publications and films. Ministers have on several occasions spoken at meetings organised by the committee.<ref>Hansard, [http://hansard.millbanksystems.com/written_answers/1983/feb/28/british-atlantic-committee British Atlantic Committee], HC Deb 28 February 1983 vol 38 cc30-1W.</ref>
-Other [http://hansard.millbanksystems.com/written_answers/1982/oct/28/british-atlantic-committee Hansard] entries establish that in 1981 the funding to the British Atlantic Committee was £33,185 rising to £44,000 this was paid through the Foreign and Commonwealth Services Vote, Class II, Vote 5. David Osler in Lobster 33, 1997, states that the BAC was funded by The [[Dulverton Trust]] whose Trustees listed for 1994 included [[Lord Carrington]].
+ David Osler in Lobster 33, 1997, states that the BAC was funded by The [[Dulverton Trust]] whose Trustees listed for 1994 included [[Lord Carrington]].
 In the context of the debate surrounding the Labour Party’s defence policy and membership of NATO, Stuart Croft states that in 1984 the BAC published 'Diminishing the Nuclear Threat', a report written by a number of 'distinguished former military officers' who argued that the notion of controlled escalation enshrined in flexible response was impractical.  These he characterizes as "a group of analysts who may perhaps best be termed disenchanted orthodox thinkers, people who shared many of the orthodox assumptions and yet agreed with the alternative thinkers on this issue".  This also touches on the 'special relationship;<ref>Stuart Croft (1994) 'Continuity and Change in British: Thinking about Nuclear Weapons,'Political Studies, XLII, 228-242.</ref>

← Older revision		Revision as of 16:49, 20 July 2010
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	::The [[British Atlantic Committee]] took shape in 1953 and became an umbrella for existing societies and 'ginger groups' for better international relations. such as the [[English Speaking Union]], the [[United Nations Association]] and the Labour Party-backed [[Friends of the Atlantic Union]]. The BAC had impeccable establishment credentials, with the Foreign Office's endorsement and former Moscow ambassador Sir [[David Kelly]] at its head. Official and NATO propaganda continued, but the private entities now handled most publicity work."<ref>John Jenks, [http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=Nqw9FFX86RwC&pg=PA104&lpg=PA104&dq=%22Atlantic+Treaty+Association%22+%22British+Atlantic+Committee%22&source=bl&ots=qv-1shltjh&sig=ZK5Cc9pVh7j1OPu6Baw4uCqEhrE&hl=en&ei=mY9ETOa-J4WM0gSA5-ibDw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=9&ved=0CEAQ6AEwCA#v=onepage&q=%22Atlantic%20Treaty%20Association%22%20%22British%20Atlantic%20Committee%22&f=false British propaganda and news media in the cold war], Edinburgh University Press, 2006, p.104.</ref>		::The [[British Atlantic Committee]] took shape in 1953 and became an umbrella for existing societies and 'ginger groups' for better international relations. such as the [[English Speaking Union]], the [[United Nations Association]] and the Labour Party-backed [[Friends of the Atlantic Union]]. The BAC had impeccable establishment credentials, with the Foreign Office's endorsement and former Moscow ambassador Sir [[David Kelly]] at its head. Official and NATO propaganda continued, but the private entities now handled most publicity work."<ref>John Jenks, [http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=Nqw9FFX86RwC&pg=PA104&lpg=PA104&dq=%22Atlantic+Treaty+Association%22+%22British+Atlantic+Committee%22&source=bl&ots=qv-1shltjh&sig=ZK5Cc9pVh7j1OPu6Baw4uCqEhrE&hl=en&ei=mY9ETOa-J4WM0gSA5-ibDw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=9&ved=0CEAQ6AEwCA#v=onepage&q=%22Atlantic%20Treaty%20Association%22%20%22British%20Atlantic%20Committee%22&f=false British propaganda and news media in the cold war], Edinburgh University Press, 2006, p.104.</ref>
−
−	Hugh Wilford's (2003) '[http://books.google.com/books?id=e4kNqc_p6uYC&pg=PT198&lpg=PT198&dq=British+Atlantic+Committee&source=web&ots=L4EC_v5CyN&sig=cDRLjfqSXlvvVgoKVFp8qvLPUv0&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=5&ct=result#PPT198,M1 The CIA, the British Left, and the Cold War: Calling the Tune?]' mentions the BAC in the context of Atlanticist organisations with labour (in the sense of trade union) connections, and its role in aiding American labour diplomats within both "British labour and intelligence circles." But he also notes that the organisation of these Atlanticist organisations in the early 50s were partly a response to a concern over anti-Americanism in the British labour movement gathering around Aneurin Bevan.

	We can go back further to the 1950s, and 'NATO in the "new Europe"'by Alexandra Gheciu available<ref>Alexandra Gheciu '[http://books.google.com/books?id=o8FvL55amrIC&pg=PA272&lpg=PA272&dq=British+Atlantic+Committee&source=web&ots=pJEDjXkMxx&sig=0kMgrgAA5UyuGYDTxXafsBm7Axo&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=5&ct=result NATO in the "new Europe"]', Google Books, accessed 20 August 2008</ref> via Google Books, states that the BAC published ''The Atlantic Community'', which was distributed to most British Secondary Schools in 1957:		We can go back further to the 1950s, and 'NATO in the "new Europe"'by Alexandra Gheciu available<ref>Alexandra Gheciu '[http://books.google.com/books?id=o8FvL55amrIC&pg=PA272&lpg=PA272&dq=British+Atlantic+Committee&source=web&ots=pJEDjXkMxx&sig=0kMgrgAA5UyuGYDTxXafsBm7Axo&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=5&ct=result NATO in the "new Europe"]', Google Books, accessed 20 August 2008</ref> via Google Books, states that the BAC published ''The Atlantic Community'', which was distributed to most British Secondary Schools in 1957: