How British Army is fast becoming foreign legion

THE Army has stopped actively recruiting Commonwealth and foreign soldiers because the numbers joining up have risen by nearly 3,000 per cent in seven years.

Imposing a cap on the number of Commonwealth and foreign soldiers allowed to serve in each infantry regiment has been discussed by army chiefs.

“It is after all supposed to be the British Army, not the Commonwealth Army,” one defence source said.

The sharp rise in Commonwealth recruits began a few years ago when army planners realised that there was an untapped source of soldiers in the Commonwealth who might be persuaded to join the British Army. Under the eligibility rules, recruits can join the Army if they are Commonwealth citizens or have dual nationality, of which one half must be British, or are citizens of the Irish Republic.

Defence sources said that the Army had now stopped actively recruiting in the Commonwealth, even though there was still a significant shortfall in manpower.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2-1871215,00.html