Episode 14: Lord Peach: Evolving, Adopting and Adapting Alliance Strategy

Lord Peach is the UK’s most experienced officer, having served in key 4-star appointments, including as the UK’s Chief of the Defence Staff (2016–18) and as the 32nd Chair of the NATO Military Committee (2018–21). He led the NATO military staffs through the creation of NATO’s new Military Strategy and the family of plans that sit beneath it. He is now the UK’s Special Envoy to the Balkans.

In conversation, he offers insights into the challenges and strengths of Alliance strategy-making in NATO. In his view, while NATO requires unanimity for the adoption of any new decision, this is not only possible, but vital. It is a strength rather than the weakness some, less familiar with the organisation, perceive it to be. However, once unanimously adopted, a strategy must cope with ambiguity and evolve before it is adapted to ever-changing, and inevitably ambiguous, circumstances.

The views or statements expressed by guests are their own and their appearance on the podcast does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent. Views and opinions expressed by RUSI employees are those of the employees and do not necessarily reflect the view of RUSI.

Martin van Creveld, Supplying War: Logistics from Wallenstein to Patton, Cambridge University Press (2004).

Andrew Boyle, Trenchard: Man of Vision, Collins, 1962. Available at https://archive.org/details/trenchard0000andr/mode/2up?view=theater

Russell Miller, Uncle Bill: The Authorised Biography of Field Marshal William Slim, Weidenfeld & Nicholson, 2014.

William Slim, Defeat into Victory, Cassell & Company, 1956. Available at https://archive.org/details/2015.505709.DefeatIntoVictory/mode/2up