Credo
"Sign on, young man, and sail with me. The stature of our homeland is no more than the measure of ourselves. Our job is to keep her free. Our will is to keep the torch of freedom burning for all. To this solemn purpose we call on the young, the brave, the strong, and the free. Heed my call, Come to the sea. Come Sail with me." -- John Paul Jones
"Pardon him, Theodotus; he is a barbarian, and thinks that the customs of his tribe and island are the laws of nature" --George Bernard Shaw, "Caesar and Cleopatra"
"And those who were seen dancing were thought to be insane by those who could not hear the music."--Friedrich Nietzsche
"A kind Providence has placed in our breasts a hatred of the unjust and cruel, in order that we may preserve ourselves from cruelty and injustice. They who bear cruelty, are accomplices in it. The pretended gentleness which excludes that charitable rancour, produces an indifference which is half an approbation. They never will love where they ought to love, who do not hate where they ought to hate."--Edmund Burke
"Μολὼν λαβέ" -- Leonidas
"Blogito Ergo Sum" -- Neptunus Lex
Fifty ships. For a maritime nation dependent upon sealift for trade outside of Europe, it doesn’t bode well if they effectively give up the ability to protect their sea lanes of commerce. The Admiralty know this. What has the politicians convinced it won’t be necessary? What else do they need to spend those pounds on?
Sad.
“What else do they need to spend those pounds on?”
Why, single – payer health care. It’s for the children, don’t you know?
[When I descend to Hades there are two chaps I would like to meet - The first proposed "Gee, we can solve our colonial labour problems by purchasing those black fellows for sale in Africa and shipping them where needed." The second proposed "Gee, we can save big bucks by by integrating our girl's high schools with the boy's high schools."
Kindly think about it. The connecting thread to Lex's post is that historically female - dominated cultures so not survive.]
How many years before the US follows this path? How long before the Coast Guard has more commissioned vessels than the USN?
The bulk of their losses are among coastal and service ships. If that is the cost of getting 2 REAL carriers, I’d take it.
We can pick up the slack for the rest, and two additional carriers between our nations would be great.
Well. They ain’t a real island no more. They have the Chunnel of course…
Not.
b2
I don’t think I like where you’re going, Cottus.
It is saddening to hear this news, Lex. It’s tempting to go over there and paint on some tears to Lord Nelson’s statue.
With proper paints, of course. Nothing staining.
I hate to say this, but since our GDP is 7.15 times bigger than the Brits, they could make a good argument that we are the ones who are skating.
I think we have 279 ships, so on that basis the Brits’ quota would be only 39!
And if they have 2 “real” carriers, we ought to have 15!
Maybe it’s time for an inverse Chesapeake-Leopard operation.
Turnabout’s fair play. Our guys are good at boarding foreign ships and humiliation of the complements thereof.
Oh, being Scots (or Scotch)-Irish, and borderline autistic, to boot, I’m perfectly comfy with nursing an hereditary historical grudge FOREVER.
Must be mah Celtic timpruhmint, or sumthin.
Eh, maybe they’re buying UAV’s.
Justthisguy wrote, “Oh, being Scots (or Scotch)-Irish, and borderline autistic, to boot, I’m perfectly comfy with nursing an hereditary historical grudge FOREVER.”
Funny you should mention that, my grudge is against my heritage. In my veins runs the blood of the Rampaging Nordic Hordes. Unfortunately, all this has done to improve my lot in life is given me a stoic outlook, a penchant for warm clothes, and the ability to eat incredibly bland food with gusto. From some of the greatest seafaring explorers the world has seen there lives me, mostly capable of operating a rowboat on a pond with extreme luck.
As winter arrives on the High Plains I continually ask myself why, oh why, did my ancestors brave the Atlantic crossing with nothing more than what they could carry on their backs, brave the wild frontier to trek from New York to the Dakota Territory, then be so blamed stupid as to stay in a place just as cold and inhospitable as the one they left? I mean, if you’re going to trade, trade for something *different!*
That portion of the clan in Iowa and Missouri are at least, you know, *warmer.* The ones in North Dakota we don’t talk about much. You know, black sheep and all…
– Max
I think Cottus touched on a important point. The RN apparently decided that it won’t ever again fight a major battle independently from the USN. Thus it decided to become a small carrier-centric force able to keep up with the Nimitzes (in a bid for some insider influence), rather than a balanced force capable of independent ops. This is of course risky; just before the Falkands/Malvinas war the RN was on its way to becoming NATO’s North Atlantic ASW force; the junta just barely saved the carriers.
Maybe the skin cancer ain’t so bad for us palefaces in the high-numbered latitudes?
Really, the Brits almost built as a battle cruiser a ship with proposed name of Leopard, during the Great War. They later came to their senses and gave that up.
Just their launching a ship with that name would be a nasty insult to the USA.
Coastal defense via aircraft isn’t such a big deal, easily replacing a few of the coastal ships. Having a couple of carriers full of Harriers does help to extend the range of the coastal defense. At some point though if you’re an island nation you have to be able to break a blockade, and show the flag with your trading partners. At 55 ships I’m thinking it’s a one-or-the-other game.
– Max
Yup, Max, if you live on an island which does not produce enough food to feed everyone who lives there, you either need a good navy or a nastisexual relationship with another country.
Just back from a week in the Great White North…like the Brits the Canucks (gotta love -em) know that if and when the s**t hits the fan us Yanks, as always, will save their bacon…in the meantime reflexive, mind boggling and all consuming anti-Americanism gets them through the day. Best
PS, Max, re your comment # 12 above…well said and very funny…must pass it on to my bride who is also of a similar persuasion.
Snake
You must have been hanging out around Taw-ran-ta…
We don’t all hate ya! [ICSFT]
Michelle, Correct you are… I suppose I’m being unfair to the rest of Canada, especially Nova Scotia…by lumping you and them in with Ontario, that snake-pit of Loyalist (anti-American) sympathies , sweet Jesus… I even saw a road sign on the Trans Canada – ( Rt 401), indicating the way to the … “Loyalist Highway” …a most unpleasant sight to be sure…so please accept my apologies. Best
As late as 1943, a majority of Quebec opposed continuing the war against Hitler! Vichy France was the role model for these people. That put everything else I hear from Quebec into context.