Japan unveils $1.2B not-an-aircraft-carrier aircraft carrier, biggest Japanese ship since WW2

[kentonio]

Falklands? Kind of true, but we provided massive logistical support. It is doubtful that without our refueling support that your fleet would have been able to prosecute the war successfully.

What refuelling/logistical support was that?

Besides, we knew you guys could handle it.

That made one of us then, because we were far from sure.

[kentonio]

Working against us? Not yet from a defence POV, I'd like to think - but yes clearly it's a known fact that they treat us with arrogant contempt.

The US will work with us on defense as long as it is in the US interest. Nations do not have friends.

We're already whoring ourselves to the US - it's a fact of life that won't be going away anytime soon. Wake up and smell the coffee!

It got a lot worse under Blair, that that does not mean we need to continue that route.

But it is correct. Maybe you'd like to reread what I actually wrote, instead of jumping to the wrong conclusion? The UK nuclear arsenal had absolutely no effect whatsoever. Please stop deluding yourself that we're more powerful than we actually are.

It's very easy to forget these days quite how powerful the UK was just half a century ago. When we talk about the Great Powers at the start of WW2, that actually meant something. The UK continued to carry huge power in the decade or two following, and continues to carry much more today than is justified purely by our size or military weight. We shouldn't overestimate the weight the Uk carries in the world today, but it's also very easy to underestimate it because of the inevitable comparison with the US.

Yes we are, which is why the costs of retaining Trident like for like is already eroding into our 'small but strong and adaptive armed forces' - it's already being cut to the bare bones as it is!

For me Trident or something comparable should be considered more vital than any other military expense. It's the final guarantee of our independance/survival no matter what happens in the world. We give that away at our peril.

Please stop jumping to conclusions! At what point have I ever mentioned land based nuclear sites!!? I have never mentioned them. Why are you assuming I have?

Please tell me what I've already suggested as a nuclear deterrent option, so that I know you're actually paying attention - and then tell me why you think it's a bad idea?

Apologies, when you said we could still destroy cities I assumed you meant retaining nukes but without the expense of a sea based system. You did actually say about a smaller fleet though, so apologies for tripping on that one.

[PLATO]

What refuelling/logistical support was that?

I remembered from years ago that their was some aerial refueling assistance given, but after a fairly exhaustive search, I can find no evidence of it. I guess the memory IS the first thing to go. Thanks for making me check my sources!

Casper Weinberger did have this to say about U.S. assistance (which references fuel, but not refueling):

The first requests were for missiles, particularly our Sidewinders, the AIM 9-L air to air missiles, with which the British wreaked such havoc on the Argentines, and aircraft fuel. But initially we had to, and did, add enormously to the facilities at Ascension to receive and deliver the fuel and other supplies to the British task forces' ships and planes.

Further investigation revealed that the fuel was probably related to the Black Buck Vulcan missions which were deemed to fairly ineffective (but did keep the Argentines from operating fast jets from Stanley).

So,,,I stand corrected good sir!

[kentonio]

I remembered from years ago that their was some aerial refueling assistance given, but after a fairly exhaustive search, I can find no evidence of it. I guess the memory IS the first thing to go. Thanks for making me check my sources!

Casper Weinberger did have this to say about U.S. assistance (which references fuel, but not refueling):



Further investigation revealed that the fuel was probably related to the Black Buck Vulcan missions which were deemed to fairly ineffective (but did keep the Argentines from operating fast jets from Stanley).

So,,,I stand corrected good sir!

The best help you guys gave us was almost certainly the wealth of intelligence and satellite imagery you fed us, which was apparently hugely valuable.

[kentonio]

DP

[Aeson]

The US will work with us on defense as long as it is in the US interest. Nations do not have friends.

Israel

[kentonio]

Israel

Why do you think the US/Israel thing confuses everyone so much?

[kentonio]

Maybe because you have friends and family in Israel? It would be the most logical explanation to your irrational stance on the country?

Huh?

[kentonio]

Aren't you pro Israel?

Yes, but not in the US sense of supporting anything and everything they do blindly.

[PLATO]

Why?

Do you believe in the Jewish people having a right to exist and have a state of their own?

[kentonio]

Why?

Why am I pro-Israel? Basically a fair part of it is probably a guilt hangover from the war and from the centuries of abuse previously that Britain contributed to. Our nations had opportunities to help prevent the holocaust and we didn't take them. Even after the war we could have worked together to find a homeland that was less controversial. After the holocaust the Jews had earned the right to a homeland as much as anyone ever has. It's not particularly fair that they got it at the expense of others, but even then the original plan was for shared territory. Then we got decades of the arab states trying to have their own version of the holocaust, whilst the west let the Jews down yet more times.

When I look at Israel now I see a nation that wants to be a normal modern democratic nation but which has been turned into a paranoid and volatile threat by the endless existential threats to its existence. I feel sympathy for the Palestinians but I don't think it has to be an either/or situation. Both got screwed over repeatedly by both the western nations and the arab nations.

[Wezil]

Do you believe in the Jewish people having a right to exist and have a state of their own?

There are other groups without their own state (eg Kurds).

[regexcellent]

They weren't murdered 6 million at a time.

[Wezil]

Not all in one go but they have suffered serious abuse over the years. They don't even need "someone else's land" as they have their own.

[PLATO]

There are other groups without their own state (eg Kurds).

Yes...so? Does that change anything about the Jewish people?