About DSF
MISSION & HISTORY.
Our mission is to engage with public and policymakers to build a strong, stable, secure future.
We operate at the heart of the defence and security world, with decades of experience.
We de-code complex global issues and help people understand what’s happening and what’s important.
We bring together policy and subject matter experts, politicians, and academics to debate, analyse, de-code and disseminate global defence and security issues alongside the world’s most pressing geopolitical challenges.
From its inception as a campaigning group challenging the anti-nuclear protest movements in the 1980s, the Defence and Security Forum has evolved into an independent, non-partisan forum for those who believe in a strong defence policy to ensure the security of our country.
Defence and Security Forum was founded by Lady Olga Maitland, who remains a key figure in the defence world. As President of DSF, Lady Olga spent her career at the heart of matters: in her earlier career, she held a private audience with Ronald Reagan in the Oval Office, met with Pope John in the Vatican, and met with head of the Soviet Peace Committee Genrikh Borovik in Moscow. She led a DSF delegation that was received by Margaret Thatcher at 10 Downing Street in 1984.
Recently, Lady Olga has brought together political, military and diplomatic speakers to address DSF, including Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto; heads of MI6 Richard Moore and then Sir John Scarlett; the former Secretary General of NATO Lord Robertson, ambassadors who have served in Moscow, Paris, Washington; the US Head of Arms Control John Bolton, among others. Successive Defence Secretaries Sir Michael Heseltine, Sir George Younger and Sir Malcolm Rifkind are all contributors to DSF. Today, our leadership team includes Major General Patrick Cordingley, who led the Desert Rats in the First Gulf War, and Sir John Wheeler, former Minister of State for Northern Ireland responsible for counter-terrorism.
A MESSAGE FROM OUR PRESIDENT.
Lady Olga Maitland
“Our mission is to provide a permanent reminder of the importance of a strong defence policy. When I founded Women and Families for Defence in 1983, our goal was to support the NATO missile deployments and counter the anti-nuclear protest movement that were largely inspired by the then Soviet government.
In 1991 our goal was achieved with the successful signing of the INF disarmament treaty and in 1993, the signing of the START Treaty.
Those were tumultuous years – but different threats have arisen, and the challenge today has never been so high. Instability is world-wide. Shifting tectonic power plates from the US to China are putting huge pressure on Asian nations. We also have to face a shifting Washington interest to China, leaving Europe to fend for itself in a world of hard power, for which they are ill-prepared.
Russia has launched a perilous war in Europe. Millions have been displaced and hundreds of thousands of people have died. Russian attacks are relentless, especially as they leverage perceived weakness in NATO and European cohesion.
Containing Russia is a priority as Putin seeks to restore its ‘historical lands’. Europe will have to step up to ensure that aggression against and into a sovereign nation can never win. This means the whole of Europe, including the UK must be prepared to demonstrate its determination to protect our interests.
The Middle East is volatile, with multiple terrorism-led conflicts embroiling the region in war. Israel is de-stabilised with threats to its sovereignty. The 7th October attacks highlight the plight of the Palestinians which has never been resolved. Iran continues to bring terrorism to the region through proxies.
Our role now is to analyse and disseminate the issues, and help people to understand what’s at stake and how our own security is under threat.
This will mean being prepared to spend more on defence and with it, deterrence. Public awareness and support will be critical.
To this end, Defence and Security Forum will work with all political parties and organisations to engage in this debate.”
PARTNERS
AND SPONSORS.
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