Today HMS Illustrious paid off for the last time after 32 years service. Still serviceable but no longer wanted. At the same time we are seeing reports that Russia is effectively invading Ukraine after annexing Crimea. The Baltic states fear that they are next on the list and are members of the EU and NATO which, should Russia threaten them, we would be bound by treaty to get involved.
In the meantime our armed forces have been run down to desperately low levels on the basis of saving money and on the assumption that there will be no need for a major military effort in the foreseeable future. History shows that such assumptions are foolhardy to say the least and we, and much of Europe, could be sleepwalking to disaster as President Putin has confirmed his status as an adventurer who is perfectly willing to ignore international law on the basis that he can get away with it. So far he is doing fine and there is no leadership on the part of the West to put a stop to it. The guy is clearly a loose cannon with nuclear capability which is not a good thing!
There is a lot of truth in the old adage that those who ignore history are condemned to re live it and the present generation of politicians appear to be particularly incompetent in that respect. I think there is a very real risk that things could get very serious much more quickly than anyone seems to appreciate and so history will repeat itself once again. Maybe our nuclear subs will come in useful after all despite Alec Salmond's posturings!
Colin