That the combined navies of EU member states plus those like us not in the EU have vacated the seas to illegal migrants is a complete mystery with no logical explanation save that the politicians involved are all weak, woke, cosmetic, virtue signalling inadequates in hoc to the human rights lobby and terrified of being labelled inhumane and racist.
Politicians on the continent of Europe are as useful as a trap door in a canoe.
That does go to show that we cannot rely on EU navies. The EU is a large land mass whereas, we, a small island rely much more heavily on maritime trade. Relying on maritime trade requires a navy capable of protecting our sea lanes. We have to build the navy back up but it will take a long time as so much has been run down, including shipyards, skilled workers, weapons manufacturers and first and foremost, naval manpower.
If I remember correctly, Gaddafi warned the West not to attack Libya, or there would be a whole load of uncontrolled immigration from Africa into Europe. This is separate from the coastal fishery pillaging you wrote about - but additive to it.
I watched a video about the 'forever' war in Sudan recently. It's crazy. A civil war with three parties - the Christian South with all the oil. The Islamist West with all the gold. And the Islamist East holding the Nile and the Red Sea, so with all the water.
Whenever one part 'breaks away' to become independent, it then descends into a separate 'fractal' civil war itself. They just can't quit it!
No end in sight and each destined to push waves and waves of people away to wherever they can find safety. The Sudan wars have been going on for years, so there's no hope of repatriating refugees, except, as you said, to the nearest safe African countries.
Here's the video I mentioned about Sudan. It's an interesting watch:
The idea that Britain could become a naval power to challenge China is very amusing, but forwarded as a serious proposition quite terrifying. From where are the skilled workers drawn to build very complex warships? From where is the vast amount of money found to pay for it? Where are the components manufactured? Who will design them? What if the US hegemon decides it doesn't approve of one of its vassals building up its navy? A serious military is contingent upon a serious country and we haven't been that for a very long time.
Exactly what is the British navy meant to do about Filipinos on Chinese fishing vessels off Africa having to shit overboard ? What are the mission and victory conditions here?
That the combined navies of EU member states plus those like us not in the EU have vacated the seas to illegal migrants is a complete mystery with no logical explanation save that the politicians involved are all weak, woke, cosmetic, virtue signalling inadequates in hoc to the human rights lobby and terrified of being labelled inhumane and racist.
Politicians on the continent of Europe are as useful as a trap door in a canoe.
That does go to show that we cannot rely on EU navies. The EU is a large land mass whereas, we, a small island rely much more heavily on maritime trade. Relying on maritime trade requires a navy capable of protecting our sea lanes. We have to build the navy back up but it will take a long time as so much has been run down, including shipyards, skilled workers, weapons manufacturers and first and foremost, naval manpower.
Brilliant piece, Pete.
It is so true that we're being hit from many different angles that 'staying out of it' is not the right approach in half the cases.
Given how pally both Tories and Labour are to China, I'm not surprised that nothing has been done about it.
If I remember correctly, Gaddafi warned the West not to attack Libya, or there would be a whole load of uncontrolled immigration from Africa into Europe. This is separate from the coastal fishery pillaging you wrote about - but additive to it.
I watched a video about the 'forever' war in Sudan recently. It's crazy. A civil war with three parties - the Christian South with all the oil. The Islamist West with all the gold. And the Islamist East holding the Nile and the Red Sea, so with all the water.
Whenever one part 'breaks away' to become independent, it then descends into a separate 'fractal' civil war itself. They just can't quit it!
No end in sight and each destined to push waves and waves of people away to wherever they can find safety. The Sudan wars have been going on for years, so there's no hope of repatriating refugees, except, as you said, to the nearest safe African countries.
Here's the video I mentioned about Sudan. It's an interesting watch:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wagkzDigGic
There's several more articles in there
The idea that Britain could become a naval power to challenge China is very amusing, but forwarded as a serious proposition quite terrifying. From where are the skilled workers drawn to build very complex warships? From where is the vast amount of money found to pay for it? Where are the components manufactured? Who will design them? What if the US hegemon decides it doesn't approve of one of its vassals building up its navy? A serious military is contingent upon a serious country and we haven't been that for a very long time.
Then we need to start sorting out this mess.
Exactly what is the British navy meant to do about Filipinos on Chinese fishing vessels off Africa having to shit overboard ? What are the mission and victory conditions here?