US and UK launch strikes against Houthi rebels
 

I think everyone saw this coming.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/worl...anada-67952029

I think its just aweful!!!

Re: US and UK launch strikes against Houthi rebels
 

As usual we will do what the US wants us to do.

Re: US and UK launch strikes against Houthi rebels
 

Both in an election year, a good patriotic conflict is what's needed to divert he electorate. Worked many times.

Re: US and UK launch strikes against Houthi rebels
 

I would have liked to have seen a more international effort. I know some nations provided background support but the issue in the Red Sea affects all western nations.

Shipping has been greatly affected which impacts all of us, not least Egypt, which will lose revenue from the Suez Canal.

This response has been wrapped up in a self defence narrative because US/UK naval ships have been targeted

Re: US and UK launch strikes against Houthi rebels
 

Tale as old as time.

Re: US and UK launch strikes against Houthi rebels
 

Interesting, though predictable , updates added to Paul's original link.

Re: US and UK launch strikes against Houthi rebels
 

Terribly obliging of those Houthi chaps to start firing missiles into the Red Sea. Wonder if they’re Tory donors?

Re: US and UK launch strikes against Houthi rebels
 

Timing is everything. As is the option of not joining America’s next hapless crusade in the Middle East.

Re: US and UK launch strikes against Houthi rebels
 

As I said. It’s almost as if every Wa’eed-2 is a donation-in-kind to the Tory election chest. I wonder if they’ll have to update the rules so incoming munitions aimed at civilian ships and the Royal Navy have to be declared as fundraising.

Re: US and UK launch strikes against Houthi rebels
 

Alternatively, the Houthis could not attack civilian ships.

Re: US and UK launch strikes against Houthi rebels
 

They certainly could - but that doesn’t detract from it being a political choice by our Government to participate in joint military action with the Americans against them. Just as it’s a political choice for those Governments in NATO and around the world who do not.

Post office pardons, trips to Ukraine to fund our military industrial complex some more. Things are looking up for Rishi.

Re: US and UK launch strikes against Houthi rebels
 

In addition i see an upsurge in the sale of tinfoil. Many hats will be created :)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wFNO2sSW-mU

Re: US and UK launch strikes against Houthi rebels
 

Some sobering commentary from Sky News. It does seem to me a risky strategy and it's notable that other Western nations have not rushed to join the UK and US.
https://news.sky.com/story/strikes-a...-iran-13046631

Re: US and UK launch strikes against Houthi rebels
 

The Post Office I’ll give you. Something that was recently very difficult and down to the appeals court is suddenly solvable via once-in-a-lifetime legislation. Fairly obvious electioneering.

As for the rest of it … interest in freedom-of-navigation issues is longstanding UK foreign policy. From the Armilla Patrol in the Persian Gulf in the 1980s and 90s, to sailing a carrier through the South China Sea or patrolling off the coast of Somalia or in the Caribbean Sea to deter piracy, it’s manifestly just what we do. In the present situation the severely heightened threat is obvious, as is the necessary response.

And no, our involvement in Ukraine has nothing to do with promoting our military industrial complex or whatever else you’ve been inhaling on hard-left Xitter. Such nonsense belongs in the Socialist Worker or similar profoundly unserious publications. If you want to understand the UK’s approach to Ukraine you would be better off listening to what Russia’s near-neighbours in Eastern Europe and the Baltic have to say on the subject. We have been listening to them and taking their warnings rather more seriously than most of Europe or indeed the US.

I grant you, our Prime Miniature will be thinking that footage of him touring Ukraine or ordering the RN into action will play well with the electorate, but the suggestion that this is why he’s doing it doesn’t stand up to even a microsecond’s actual thought.

---------- Post added at 14:29 ---------- Previous post was at 14:20 ----------

Other Western nations

1. Don’t have very big navies
2. Those that do (France) don’t like putting them under US operational command
3. Don’t have anti-air capabilities anything like as sophisticated as the UK’s T-45 destroyers, whose initial design concept was informed by real, hard earned experience of the only serious naval war since WW2 (the Falklands)
4. For the most part feared that the US’s proposed rules of engagement were too timid and liable to lead to heightened risk of damage even to well defended naval vessels.

Note that the ‘final straw’ swarm attack on Tuesday was repelled by 3 US destroyers, a US aircraft carrier and 1 RN destroyer (HMS Diamond) which took down around a third of the incoming ordnance all by itself. We do it because we can. Most others can’t.

Re: US and UK launch strikes against Houthi rebels
 

There’s nothing “hard left” about the reality that investment in the Ukraine war machine for us (like for the Americans) results in the vast majority of the money flowing back to us.

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/w...-b2477472.html

It’s literally there in black and white. Money goes to Ukraine to purchase drones. We manufacture drones. There’s no conspiracy theory involved.

Similarly American politicians are on record about the value of the investment in Ukraine that returns to American shores in terms of jobs, specifically weapons manufacturers.

Re: US and UK launch strikes against Houthi rebels
 

“Money is being spent with UK arms manufacturers” is a fact.

“We are involved in Ukraine so we can spend money with UK arms manufacturers” is a conspiracy theory.

It is difficult to understand your claim that Sunak is making “trips to Ukraine to fund our military industrial complex” in any way other than indulging in that conspiracy theory.

Re: US and UK launch strikes against Houthi rebels
 

If it’s helpful happy to revise to trip that funds our military industrial complex.

Either way he’s there for the PR.

Edit: I’ve just realised my 10,000th post was earlier in the thread. :D

Re: US and UK launch strikes against Houthi rebels
 

Congratulations on your 10,000th post, you win a role of tinfoil :)

Re: US and UK launch strikes against Houthi rebels
 

Oh come on Sirius, surely it deserves 2 rolls of extra wide tin foil at least.

Re: US and UK launch strikes against Houthi rebels
 

Bit puzzled as to how attacking ships wasn't an escalation. Same with Oct 7th attacks by Hamas. How much non-escalation escalating is to be allowed before any response?
If somebody hits you when trying to incite a response, and don't get one, they will keep hitting more frequently and harder until they get one.

Re: US and UK launch strikes against Houthi rebels
 

I agree, they decided to start firing at military ships at this point I don't see why there shouldn't be a response back.

Re: US and UK launch strikes against Houthi rebels
 

They were attacking civilian ships, which don't have the ability to defend themselves.

Terrible to get you guys involved..... THE US SHOULDNT EVEN BE INVOLVED :mad:

The US think they own the world and its sickening!!

Re: US and UK launch strikes against Houthi rebels
 

The Houthi attacks are on international shipping. Who else is going to deal with that? China?

Re: US and UK launch strikes against Houthi rebels
 

Kind of does when the prime miniature squeaked his rationale for the strikes was because the Houti's were damaging peoples shopping :spin:

Also the precise strikes he mentioned killed 5 people apparently, 73 missiles launched and 5 dead, we could teach Israel a thing or two or they could teach us a thing or two :shrug:

Re: US and UK launch strikes against Houthi rebels
 

So, to flip it on its head, do you believe that the Houthi regime should have been allowed to continue firing missiles at civilian shipping in the Red Sea unopposed?

Re: US and UK launch strikes against Houthi rebels
 

I've not said that or intimated that anywhere so lets flip it back to that great statesman and his concerns about damaged shopping, marvellous isn't it, he can stop the Houti's small boats thousands of miles away but can't stop ones 20 miles away :rolleyes:

Re: US and UK launch strikes against Houthi rebels
 

Well, they could use the same method, but I suspect you (and others) might complain if they stopped the "ones 20 miles away" with missiles & air strikes. :erm:

Re: US and UK launch strikes against Houthi rebels
 

If they were damaging shopping then they'd fully deserve it and I wouldn't give a hoot(i)

Re: US and UK launch strikes against Houthi rebels
 

The ships maybe slow-moving, but they are still moving and the missiles/drones are launched a long distance away. Food and energy in the form of oil and LNG, also are affected.They narrowly missed an oil tanker.

Re: US and UK launch strikes against Houthi rebels
 

A political choice?

So let’s just keep letting those arse-holes, fire on our ships then, unchecked & unchallenged, goodness me, pathetic. :rolleyes:

Re: US and UK launch strikes against Houthi rebels
 

That’s not what I said and you know it.

Re: US and UK launch strikes against Houthi rebels
 

Really?

Re: US and UK launch strikes against Houthi rebels
 

Yes, specifically his suggestion:

“So let’s just keep letting those arse-holes, fire on our ships then, unchecked & unchallenged, goodness me, pathetic.”

Nowhere did I suggest taking no action. My cynicism is principally around timing, and being the typical US poodle.

Re: US and UK launch strikes against Houthi rebels
 

What's Norway or Uzbekistan doing about it all, that's what I want to know.

Re: US and UK launch strikes against Houthi rebels
 

Norway: providing unspecified support to the international naval patrol. Also protesting vigorously at the targeting of a Norway flagged ship on 12 December.

Uzbekistan: Landlocked, so :shrug:

Ya you have a point.........

It shouldnt be happening at all!!

Re: US and UK launch strikes against Houthi rebels
 

What you all mean to say is the rest of the world stands by and watches as usual while the UK and USA have to sort everything out while all the other toothless countries shout from the sidelines.

I personally hope the Houthi rebels get a right pasting.