Tempest414 wrote:For me if the UK wants to be a global player going forward

What does that actually mean a global player, beyond a nice slogan the governments come up with to mean not eu.

And on your priority list the one you highlight as your second priority is the only priority because all your other ones are mute without it. Possibly, but “U.K. defence” needs to start outside of the Atlantic. Having the ability to strike at those that want to strike you, forces them to think abou...

I would say that the main lesson from Afghanistan is that the UK cannot rely solely on the US to project influence on the main stage. To be a credible enabler it needs to be able to wield credible level of power (not necessarily at scale), and logistics, to act as a nucleus for future coalitions of...

Some interesting stuff on the German operation in Kabul

https://twitter.com/bbcpolitics/status/1427933549529747458?s=21 https://twitter.com/bbcpolitics/status/1427933549529747458?s=21 Has she been asleep since suez? What did she do to decrease our dependance on the US when she was PM? Probably most of them have been. Most likely nothing But doesn’t make...

https://twitter.com/bbcpolitics/status/1427933549529747458?s=21 https://twitter.com/bbcpolitics/status/1427933549529747458?s=21 Has she been asleep since suez? What did she do to decrease our dependance on the US when she was PM? Probably most of them have been. Most likely nothing But doesn’t make...

Lack of funding and ambition in our armed forces (remember the “first tier or not” discussions) were very much part of her premiership also. I do and I think she wouldnt use the term perhaps investing less in rhetoric, maybe she knew then capabilities actually were failing in over ambition not a la...

They shouldn’t be in this position but there doing a great job

I hope this is seared into the minds of all political classes for a long time https://twitter.com/thepagey/status/1427177944569483264?s=21 I hope also that all those who have been to or affected by Afghanistan are getting all the help they can at present it must be very difficult to process. Those t...

https://rusi.org/explore-our-research/publications/commentary/twelve-dilemmas-behind-uks-afghan-defeat There is anxiety in Whitehall about an Afghanistan inquiry. But this inquiry will not be like the 12-volume Chilcot report on UK involvement in Iraq. Nobody is alleging malign intent but there is a...

A lot of people working seriously hard this weekend

Haiti appears to be in desperate trouble again https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-58215631 A powerful earthquake has struck the Caribbean nation of Haiti, killing at least 227 people. The 7.2-magnitude quake hit the west of the country on Saturday morning, toppling and damaging buildings...

U.K. deploying 16 air assault to evacuate afghan embassy

https://www.defenceconnect.com.au/land-amphibious/8557-defence-rejects-reported-boxer-crv-roadblocks/amp?__twitter_impression=true “Defence has a process in place to consider placing projects as a project of concern via Independent Assurance Reviews. There has been no suggestion or recommendation th...

Sounds like the Australians are also fond of requirement creep.

A400m has a centre line refuelling option. The principle customers of air to air refuelling is the fastjet fleet. The choice of refuelling method is largely governed by receiving aircrafts fuel system and the flow pressure it can accept. No point have a very high flow rate boom or centreline pod if ...

friends in the region will tell you "why You don’t find out why sailing round the ogin you find out the why by getting into communications or by being were decisions are taken in capitals. There are no nation like UK in Asia. UK historically has interests world wide. Asian nation does not. Jus...