"SIR – Falklands fever is apparently gripping oil and gas exploration companies. Should we not remind ourselves that the purpose of our Armed Forces and diplomatic service is to protect our territory and our homeland – not the interests of commercial organisations solely out to make profit?The author's name? The very appropriate "Chris Thrift" of Buckingham.
If such companies want to explore remote places and expect protection from neighbouring countries, let them contribute to the cost."
UPDATE: To avoid any confusion; I do not in any way endorse the views of Mr Thrift.
Nice one.
ReplyDeleteBut the letter is a load of old codswallop as well. One of the other duties of Her Majesty's Armed Forces is to protect British interests worldwide, too. Seventy billion barrels of fresh oil falls firmly into that category, one would think.
This morning's gaggle of leftie paper reviewers on Radio 4's Broadcasting House' included a certain Susannah Clapp, who's a theatre critic at the 'Observer'.
ReplyDeleteI'm afraid you've missed a little there denverthen. It's the duty of HM Forces to protect British interests abroad insofar as any British citizen or affiliated land is threatened from another. It is not the duty of our military to protect commercial interests.
ReplyDeleteIf that were so the army would be defending the Corus decision to withdraw from the NE and open up new steel plants in India. They want the massive grants associated with the falacy of carbon footprints.