The importance, once more, of national defence

I HAVE TO TALK DEFENCE once more. This time, not only about the forthcoming further decreases promised by Cameron to the MoD's already paired down budget; but also to the way we are deploying our forces. It seems that our military are being used now as some kind of paramilitary wing of the Department for Oversees Aid, instead of being used for its primary function of defending this nation.

                

                Our army has already been reduced to a mere 84,000, to be topped up by the recruitment of 50,000 reservists (or part-timers; or weekend soldiers). But even these 50,000 reservists have yet to materialise. Despite this, another round of cuts to the defence budget is promised by the newly invigorated Tory government emboldened by their recent election victory.

                

                 At this moment the Royal Navy are sweeping up human detritus in the Mediterranean. HMS Bulwark the navy's amphibious support vessel is acting as a kind of …what? Max Hastings suggests a ferry service for migrants: he is not far off the mark. The coast of Northern Libya is the Dunkirk beachhead for those migrants from the various conflicts that currently engulf Libya, Iraq, and Syria, all seeking to make their way to Europe.

                

                 These wretched of the earth are paying unscrupulous people vast amounts of money to provide transport from northern Libya to Italy; and having survived this treacherous sea journey in 'boats' that are ill-fitted for such a journey: they will sooner or later be given European citizenship, if they succeed, as they surely will be, due the EU liberalarti. They will then have ready access under the EU's free movement of people's treaty to join us in the UK.

I DESPISE CAMERON; not because he presents himself as a Conservative, when he is obviously no such thing (he is instinctively a social democrat); for why would he allow his chancellor to pare to the bone this nation's ability to defend itself; while staying loyal to the overseas aid budget? I despise the man because he despises his party's own true conservative traditions. Cameron is a modern media creation. He lives and breathes the modern media as did his mentor, Tony Blair.

                

                Recently Barak Obama requested that Cameron sticks to the NATO rule that all member nations commit two per cent of their GDP to defence: Cameron has yet to promise to do any such thing, indeed, he is about to do the reverse at a time when, I for one, believe there is a definite 1930's feel about today's Europe. There is no Hitler on the horizon, but there is a threat and an equally disconcerting attitude among our leaders in Europe to bury their heads in the sand when it comes any kind of military preparedness to meet such a threat…in fact they do not acknowledge that such threat exists.

                

                 So, what is the threat to Europe? At a non military level we see the threat crossing the Mediterranean in the thousands; and as far as the UK is concerned, we see the same threat currently bottlenecked in Calais.

               

                 As for the military ones; our politicians in Europe are depending as they always have done during two world wars; and the peace following the latter, on American military might to see off any threat; first from communism, and now from Vladimir Putin if the worst comes to the worst.

                

                 Another threat, and a far more problematic one for Europe, is the growth of Islamism and the success of ISIS (and for those of you who believe Iraq, Syria, and Libya, to be faraway places that need not concern us … then look to the Mediterranean to be convinced of the opposite.

              

                Europe has 15 million Muslims living on its soil; brought about through the modern liberal conscience; whose feelings of guilt regarding their various countries colonial histories, have welcomed those from Europe's colonies to come live among us. This will sooner or later end in tears when comes to the Muslim communities spread throughout Europe.

                

                An increase in defence spending has never been more needed since the 1930's; but it seems that it is not going to happen despite Obama's plea to Cameron. The only way to shake Europe from its complacency would be for the USA to announce the withdrawal of all military support from Europe. We Europeans have grown fat on the handouts of the American taxpayer, with little appreciation for what America is providing. In the UK, for instance, we have only been able to create and continue to support the NHS, because American military might has subsidised a large part of our defences.

               

                In fact many European liberals despise America despite what it has achieved for them in the past. So why, when America is now looking toward the Pacific region rather than Europe, does she not do what the Roman's did in the fifth century after Rome was on its last legs … and order its European cantons to look to themselves? The same message needs to be sent to Europe. Only then will they take the continents defences seriously … and only then would Cameron and Osborn, as well as all the other European leaders become invigorated with the needs of national defence.

                

                When it comes to America, she is molly-codling Europe. It is the USA's presence in Europe that allows the likes of David Cameron to cut back further on the MoD's budget; knowing that the US taxpayer will pick up the bill. In other words Europe's leaders, including of course our own are living off American welfare.

                

                 But we do so only because it serves the interests of America; when such an arrangement ceases, as it will; Europe will be left to its own pitiful devices. We chose the NHS over defence spending; we also chose overseas aid over defence spending. We have made our choice and we must now live with it.