Protests Erupt over British Decision to Open Military Base in Bahrain

THE SUNDAY TELEGRAPH: Human rights groups say Britain is being rewarded by the Gulf state's monarchy for its silence over political jailings

Britain’s decision to open a major naval base in Bahrain despite concerns over the country’s human rights record has been met with protests by opposition groups and human rights activists.

Hundreds of protesters were filmed marching through the town of Sitra, a Shia opposition stronghold, calling for the removal of the British ambassador, Iain Lindsay, after the decision was announced.

Activists said Bahrain’s decision to largely fund the base was a “reward” for Britain’s recent silence over the jailing of opponents to the Sunni monarchy.

International groups also objected to the decision. “As Bahrain pursues brutal crackdown, what better time for UK to build military base there?” said Kenneth Roth, Human Rights Watch’s executive director. » | Richard Spencer, Manama | Sunday, December 07, 2014

Navy Sacks Enough Sailors over Drugs to Fill a Ship
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: The Royal Navy sacked so many sailors for failing drugs tests in the past four years they could have filled an entire warship, new figures reveal.

A total of 63 sailors tested positive for illegal substances between October 2007 and July 2011.

That is more than the number who typically serve aboard one of the navy's minesweepers.

Of these, 29 were discharged between October 2010 and September 2011 for a variety of offences, including taking cocaine and ecstasy.

This included two female ratings aged 22 and 23, who both tested positive for cocaine on HMS Ark Royal on March 7 last year. » | Monday, February 13, 2012

Royal Navy to Send HMS Dauntless to Falkland Islands
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: The Royal Navy’s most sophisticated warship is being sent to the South Atlantic in a move that will send a powerful message to Argentina.

Dauntless will set sail for the Falkland Islands in the coming weeks armed with a battery of missiles that could "take out all of South America's fighter aircraft let alone Argentina's," according to one Navy source.

The Type 45 destroyer is the most advanced anti-aircraft and anti-ballistic ship in the world equipped with 48 Sea Viper missiles and the Sampson radar, which is more advanced than Heathrow air traffic control

The ship is in a league of its own in air defence able to track dozens of multiple targets
"It can shoot down Argentine fighters as soon as they take off from they bases," said another Navy source. "This will give Buenos Aires serious pause for thought." » | Thomas Harding, Defence Correspondent | Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Royal Navy Sends Its Mightiest Ship to Take On the Iranian Show of Force in the Gulf
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: The Royal Navy's most formidable warship is being sent to the Gulf for its first mission as tensions rise in the strategically vital region, it can be disclosed.

Iran has threatened to block the Strait of Hormuz, which served as the conduit for 17 millions barrels of oil every day last year.

Naval commanders believe the deployment of HMS Daring, a Type 45 destroyer, will send a significant message to the Iranians because of the firepower and world-beating technology carried by the warship.

Philip Hammond, the Defence Secretary, has publicly warned Iran that any blockade of the Strait of Hormuz would be "illegal and unsuccessful".

The Daily Telegraph understands that HMS Daring has been fitted with new technology that will give it the ability to shoot down any missile in Iran's armoury. The £1 billion destroyer, which will leave Portsmouth next Wednesday, also carries the world's most sophisticated naval radar, capable of tracking multiple incoming threats from missiles to fighter jets. » | Thomas Harding, Defence Correspondent | Friday, January 06, 2012

Navy Chief: Britain Cannot Keep Up Its Role in Libya Air War due to Cuts
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: The British military intervention in Libya is unsustainable, the head of the Navy has said.

Adml Sir Mark Stanhope said the campaign would have been more effective without the Government's defence cuts.

The aircraft carrier and the Harrier jump-jets scrapped under last year's strategic defence review would have made the mission more effective, faster and cheaper, he said.

Sir Mark warned that the Navy would not be able to sustain its operations in Libya for another three months without making cuts elsewhere.

The First Sea Lord's comments will stir the debate over defence cuts that have left Britain without a working aircraft carrier and forced the Royal Navy's Harrier jump jets to be mothballed.

Highlighting military anger over the shrinking Armed Forces, another admiral warned that "comical" defence cuts would leave the Navy without enough ships to be effective. » | James Kirkup, Political Correspondent | Monday, June 13, 2011

This PM is clueless. So is his Chancellor. Labour made one HUGE mess of things. Now this lot are trying to compete with the last shower.

To cut military spending at this dangerous time in our history is totally absurd. Cutting military spending when we are at war with militant Islam beggars belief. Then, to go into another country and get involved in a revolution is more incredible still. Just imagine if Qadhafi had decided to take us on if we had riots in the streets!

This Coalition talks about austerity, but then proceeds to squander billions in unnecessary military operations. And to add insult to injury, makes huge cutbacks at home at the same time as sending billions in overseas aid. Billions for this, and billions for that. Has Cameron never heard of the expression, Charity begins at home?

With all the U-turns that Cameron is having to make, and now this, he is really starting to prove that he is out of his depth there in Downing Street. He's behaving like the greenhorn he truly is.

How nice it would be to have a mature PM for a change. One with lots of experience in the university of life. – © Mark

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Royal Navy Warships on Standby Over Falklands Oil Dispute
THE TELEGRAPH: Royal Navy warships were on standby on Thursday to protect commercial shipping to the Falkland Islands as Gordon Brown said Britain would take a robust stand against Argentine encroachment on the resource rich South Atlantic territory.

HMS York, a type 42-destroyer, was on a "tight leash" patrolling the seas around the islands in response to rising tensions over British firms oil explorations activities near the Falklands. Argentina has demanded a halt to "illegal" oil drilling around the Falkands and on Wednesday imposed a permit system on ships passed from its ports to the island.

Gordon Brown, the prime minister, issued an explicit warning to the Argentinian government that the South Atlantic show of force – which also included a survey vessel backed up by a 1,000-strong military detachment on land – would respond to any disruption of the Falklands links to the outside world.

"We maintain the security of the Falklands and there are routine patrols continuing," Mr Brown said. "I think you will find that we have made all the preparations that are necessary to make sure the Falkland Islanders are properly protected." >>> Damien McElroy, Foreign Affairs Correspondent | Thursday, February 18, 2010

Iran: Five British Sailors Seized after Straying into Iranian Waters
THE TELEGRAPH: Five British sailors are being held captive in Iran after they strayed into the country’s territorial waters on their way to an international yacht race.

And what should we do with the Iranians? But we won’t. We are far, far too soft these days. – © Mark

Sam Usher, Olly Smith, Luke Porter and Oliver Young were aboard the Kingdom of Bahrain. Photo: The Telegraph
The Britons were part of the nine-strong crew of the Kingdom of Bahrain, a racing yacht, which was apprehended by the Iranian navy on Wednesday.

It is thought the boat, which carried a satellite tracker, may have drifted into Iranian waters after its propeller was damaged.

The newly refitted vessel was making its way from Bahrain to Dubai for a 350-mile race to Muscat, which began on Thursday.

When the yacht failed to arrive, expatriate yachting enthusiasts assumed that it had turned back because of technical problems but the Foreign Office disclosed last night that the crew had been taken captive by an Iranian patrol vessel on Wednesday.

It is understood that they were taken to Iran where they were said to be safe and well. Their families have been kept informed.

David Miliband, the Foreign Secretary, said that British diplomats had been in close touch with Iranian officials and hoped to resolve the matter “swiftly”.

The incident has echoes of the capture in 2007 of 15 Royal Navy sailors and Marines who were seized during a routine inspection of a merchant ship. The incident lead to a prolonged diplomatic stand-off.

Iran claimed that the British sailors were in its territorial waters but the MoD said they were in Iraqi waters.

The names of the captured sailors have not been confirmed, but sources said those on board were Sam Usher, Olly Smith, Luke Porter, Oliver Young and David Bloomer, a Bahrain Radio presenter who was planning to give regular updates through the race. >>> Duncan Gardham and Richard Spencer | Monday, November 30, 2009

THE GUARDIAN: Iran threatens 'hard measures' against seized British yachtsmen: Presidential aide says serious actions will be taken if men intercepted by Iranian navy had 'evil intentions' >>> James Meikle and Matthew Weaver | Tuesday, December 01, 2009

So the Politicians Have Let It Come to This: The Royal Navy Can No Longer Fight a Major War!
"We have come all the way from Lord Nelson to a part-time defence secretary, with the consequence that the Royal Navy now finds itself in the most degenerated state in which it has ever been. Labour has done what none of this countries' enemies have been able to do: bring the Navy to its knees." - Liam Fox, the shadow Tory defence secretary

THE SUNDAY TELEGRAPH: The Royal Navy can no longer fight a major war because of years of under­funding and cutbacks, a leaked Whitehall report has revealed.

With an "under-resourced" fleet composed of "ageing and operationally defective ships", the Navy would struggle even to repeat its role in the Iraq war and is now "far more vulnerable to unexpected shocks", the top-level Ministry of Defence document says.

The report was ordered by Des Browne, the Defence Secretary, who had intended to use it to "counter criticism" on the state of the Navy in the media and from opposition parties.

But in a damning conclusion, the report states: "The current material state of the fleet is not good; the Royal Navy would be challenged to mount a medium-scale operation in accordance with current policy against a technologically capable adversary." A medium-scale operation is similar to the naval involvement in the Iraq War.

The document adds that the Navy is too "thinly stretched", its fighting capability is being "eroded" and the fleet's ability to influence events at the strategic level is "under threat". Navy would struggle to fight a war – report >>>

Mark Alexander