Forces chief Sir Jock Stirrup faces calls to stand down early

[FarCenter]

Britain’s top military commander faces mounting pressure to step down from generals who believe that he lacks the necessary experience to lead the war effort in Afghanistan.

Air Chief Marshal Sir Jock Stirrup, the Chief of the Defence Staff, is expected to be asked to retire earlier than planned to allow one of the two most senior army commanders to take over the role of principal military adviser to the Government.

There is a growing view in Whitehall that a soldier, rather than an airman, should run the Armed Forces up to 2014 — a period when the Army will absorb an increasing amount of the MoD’s resources because of its leading role in the Afghan land war.

Labour and the Conservatives are both committed to holding a strategic defence review if they win the election. Senior Whitehall sources said that it also made sense for a new man, from the Army hierarchy, to head the Armed Forces — both to bring fresh ideas to the review and to help to implement its conclusions.

The possibility of a change at the top is leading to tensions at the highest level in the Ministry of Defence. The chiefs of the Royal Navy and RAF are understood to be particularly concerned about the prospect of further cuts to their services.

<SNIP>http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/article6983153.ece

[DJ13]

1. What a terrible name

[PDJane]

2. His parents should have been shot. eom

[muriel_volestrangler]

3. It's a nickname that everyone uses

His real forenames are 'Graham Eric': http://www.debretts.com/people/biographies/search/results/18948/Graham%20Eric%20%28Jock%29%20STIRRUP.aspx

So it's nothing to do with his parents (unless they gave him the nickname, I suppose). Actually, one of the British DUers is related to him, so I'm sure we could find out exactly how he got the name, and why it stuck.

[PDJane]

4. Knowing the Brits,

and since it is a common nickname among them, it's probably one of those odd jokes that they indulge in.