Colder As She Goes:Britain's New Defence Arctic Strategy

In the face of a Russia that is reopening Cold War era bases in the Arctic and increasing the number of submarine patrols in the area,not to mention violating British sovereignty by conducting a chemical weapons attack on British soil,killing an innocent British citizen in the process,Great Britain's Minister of Defence,Gavin Williamson,is presenting a new Defence Arctic Strategy to the Conservative Party and the British public.
Beginning in 2019,the UK will deploy 800 Royal Marine and British Army commandos to a new base in Northern Norway,close to the border with Russia,every winter for at least 10 years.They will operate with US and Dutch Marines at the outpost,as well as Norwegian troops,drilling to increase their capacity for Arctic warfighting.
Mr.Williamson explained:
We will not let Russia rewrite the outcome of the Cold War.*
Before addressing his concerns to the Conservative Party Conference,Mr.Williamson revealed that:
We see Russian submarine activity very close to the level that it was at the Cold War,and it's right that we start responding to that...This threat has really come back to the fore.If we want to be protecting our interests in what is effectively our own backyard,this is something we need to be doing.*
The US had previously announced that,at Norway's request,it was more than doubling the number of Marines deployed on rotation to Norway from about 330 to 700,and extending the bilateral agreement with Norway for another five years.*
Russia has criticised both moves,saying they are unnecessary and will only increase tensions in the Arctic.

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.