World War Three 'a real risk' due to coronavirus crisis, warns top UK military chief

General Sir Nick Carter said the world needed to learn from international missteps that led to the previous world wars given the uncertainties caused by Covid-19

By Patrick Daly, Lizzy Buchan 

Political Correspondent DAILY MAIL

8 NOV 2020

NEWS

Sir Nick Carter warns that history "has a rhythm"

The world risks plunging into another global conflict amid economic chaos triggered by the coronavirus crisis, the head of the UK armed forces has said.

General Sir Nick Carter said there was a "risk" of World War Three as escalation of threats during the pandemic could prompt a "miscalculation" which would lead to fresh conflict.

The Chief of the Defence Staff said Britain and the rest of the world would need to "learn" from history and the international missteps that led to the previous world wars given the uncertainties caused by Covid-19.

Sir Nick expressed fears that the increase in regional conflicts playing out across the world could ramp up into "a full-blown war", mirroring the run-up to the two world wars in the 20th century when a series of alliances between countries led to years of bloodshed.

The UK's most senior military commander said the world was "a very uncertain and anxious place" during the pandemic and there was the possibility "you could see escalation lead to miscalculation".

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"We have to remember that history might not repeat itself but it has a rhythm and if you look back at the last century, before both world wars, I think it was unarguable that there was escalation which led to the miscalculation which ultimately led to war at a scale we would hopefully never see again," he told Sky News' Sophy Ridge on Sunday.

Asked if there was a "real threat" of World War Three, he said: "I'm saying it's a risk and we need to be conscious of those risks.

"And that's why Remembrance matters, because if you look back at history, hopefully you learn from their experience and you make sure that you're very cautious about how you manage the sorts of regional conflicts that we see playing out in the world today."

In a separate interview with Times Radio, Sir Nick admitted to being uneasy about the prospect of the military being drafted in to police coronavirus lockdowns in the UK.

He said forcing "people to get off the streets" is "not what the military is for".

Sir Nik added: "I would be leery about getting involved in all of that.

"There are others who are better qualified to do it, I would suggest."