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The Military Quote of the Day

Doug Watt
@DougWatt
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On Great Britain's not so great military:

Retired Sir General Barrons, who now works for the Chatham House policy institute, said: 'The armed forces that we have now, because of their size, but also because of their sophistication, can make a very small contribution on land, in the air and at sea, to an enterprise either led by the US or more likely a Nato undertaking.

'What it cannot do is anything substantial.'

He went on: 'Today's army frankly could do one very small thing, essentially it could seize a small market town on a good day.'

The UK is not alone in having poor military capability. The Commonwealth nations of Canada, Australia, and New Zealand are not any better.

Canada has offered nothing more than sleight of hand in claiming they increased their military spending when all they did was add their coast guard to the military. Then they included the current Coast Guard budget to claim an increase in military spending. Oh, Canada, the US stands on guard for thee.

Japan, another island kingdom, has more operational frigates and destroyers than the UK and France combined.

As of 2025, the JMSDF operates a total of 155 vessels (including minor auxiliary vessels), including: two multi-role aircraft-carrying cruisers (or light aircraft carriers), two helicopter destroyers (or helicopter carriers), 36 destroyers, six frigates, six destroyer escorts (or frigates), 23 attack submarines, 19 mine countermeasure vessels, six patrol vessels, three landing ship tanks, seven training vessels, and a fleet of various auxiliary ships.

"Operational" is the keyword. Japanese destroyers and frigates use the Aegis system, and their latest subs can launch Tomahawk cruise missiles. Japan is building more subs.

Britain had one operational destroyer to send to Cyprus in the current war with Iran. Social engineering is worthless if you cannot defend yourself and all those wonderful social engineering projects.

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Discussion (8)

  • Seawriter@Seawriter

    I've posted this elsewhere. I guess I should post it on Ricochet, too.

    The Dutch in the Medway

    Rudyard Kipling

    If wars were won by feasting,
   Or victory by song,
Or safety found in sleeping sound,
   How England would be strong!
But honour and dominion 
   Are not maintained so. 
They're only got by sword and shot, 
   And this the Dutchmen know! 

The moneys that should feed us 
   You spend on your delight, 
How can you then have sailor-men 
   To aid you in your fight? 
Our fish and cheese are rotten, 
   Which makes the scurvy grow– 
We cannot serve you if we starve,
   And this the Dutchmen know! 

Our ships in every harbour
   Be neither whole nor sound,
And, when we seek to mend a leak,
   No oakum can be found;
Or, if it is, the caulkers,
   And carpenters also,
For lack of pay have gone away,
   And this the Dutchmen know! 

Mere powder, guns, and bullets, 
   We scarce can get at all; 
Their price was spent in merriment 
   And revel at Whitehall, 
While we in tattered doublets 
   From ship to ship must row, 
Beseeching friends for odds and ends– 
   And this the Dutchmen know!  

No King will heed our warnings, 
   No Court will pay our claims– 
Our King and Court for their disport 
   Do sell the very Thames! 
For, now De Ruyter's topsails
   Off naked Chatham show, 
We dare not meet him with our fleet–
   And this the Dutchmen know!
  • cdor@cdor

    I read or heard a report this morning that the new "armada" headed to defend the Strait of Hormuz is spearheaded by England. I had to laugh. England only has one ship that can barely make it to Iran, so they send it to the front to head the spear. Sorry, I am not impressed.

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