The Ship Model Forum

The British economy was much stronger when the Royal Navy had the ability for world wide operations. E.g. between the world wars (when the Empire was already in decline!), 70 cruisers was considered necessary in addition to a large force of sloops for policing the sea. Obviously, the RN today with six destroyers, 13 frigates, and 4 offshore patrol vessels cannot not do the same. Even with quadrupling the spending for the RN, the force would be obviously insufficient, the Cold War levels were already insufficient (even before Thatcher and her cuts). Here the numbers - and less the quality of the ships - counts.

You forget something regarding Iran: after "Deal Killer" Trump sabotaged the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action the remaining western countries were not able to fulfil their obligations from the treaty, i.e. to keep up the levels of trade. If the European signatories of the treaty would have been able to fulfil their part, there would have been unlikely that kind of escalation. The treaty should protect Iran from an attack from the USA without it requiring to have a nuclear deterrent. When Trump withdrew the USA from the treaty, the purpose was threatened - and it got useless, when even the economic part was not longer working because the European companies where not protected by their governments (including the British) from the US sanctions.

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No I didn't forget that but it is only part of the cause of Iran's aggressive behaviour. I think Trump was wrong to abandon the treaty but he seems to really hate Iran and is spurred on by his crooked friend in Israel. However, Iran's government is not innocent either.

Do not let dislike of Trump drive you into thinking that the Iranians must be the "good guys"! They are much worse that DT - and that is saying something! He is motivated by lust for power and greed, but greed is the bigger factor by far. The president of the US could have started a war if that was what he wanted but really it is money that motivates him and he is making all kinds of contacts all around the globe with an eye to making even greater deals for his businesses when he leaves office.

Iran is run by religious loonies and they are busy trying to spread their version of the "Truth" all over the world. So don't choose which idiot to side with, just treat both with the contempt they have so gloriously won.

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In 1757 Admiral John Byng was shot "pour encourager les autres". Voltaire

To think that in this kind of conflict there are "good" and "bad" guys is always misleading.

My critic is not an attempt to defend the Iranian rulers, but to point out that Trump's Iran politics is counter-productive and everything, which supports that instead of stopping it, is also counter-productive.

The last elections in Iran were all won by moderate forces - but the economic sanctions and the military pressure helps the hardliners in the regime to hold on power and to deflect the anger about the problems to "foreign" forces (Trump etc.). The same happened in the 1990s with the economic sanctions against Hussein - in spite of the uprisings he could stay in power. And the western military interventions were all disasters (Somalia, Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya..) all failing to create stable, democratic states. It is time for a different approach - but that was sabotaged by Trump intentionally and by the British government not intentionally.

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Latest posts are too political and should be deleted by moderator.

A third tanker seized!


USA Today

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"Haijun" means "navy" in Mandarin Chinese.

"You have enemies? Good. It means you stood up for something in your life."- Winston Churchill

An update on the tanker taken by Iran weeks ago:

New York Times

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"Haijun" means "navy" in Mandarin Chinese.

"You have enemies? Good. It means you stood up for something in your life."- Winston Churchill

There were explosions on an Iranian tanker in the Red Sea - and Iran claims that it was hit by two missiles:

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-mideast-iran-tanker/iran-oil-tanker-hit-by-two-missiles-off-saudi-coast-iranian-state-media-idUSKBN1WQ0G0

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