Fighting For His Navy

Very few British troops remain in Iraq.About 100 Royal Marines and sailors are still training the Iraqi navy to protect oil facilities.The Iraqi navy is starting from a low baseline,says Admiral Sir Mark Stanhope,KCB,OBE,First Sea Lord,commander of the Royal Navy.Sir Mark,57,attired in desert fatigues and a black beret,was assessing this training mission in country recently.
At the same time,Sir Mark is fighting to preserve the Royal Navy.Budget hawks in the British government have it in their sights.Sir Mark argues that,if you're going to have aircraft carriers and submarines,you need support vessels to sustain them as well.That's what a first rate navy is all about,in his view,and he wants Britain to have a first rate navy,the admiral insisted.It's a sentiment British shipyards will be echoing enthusiastically,along with other contractors in the defence industry.