The Strategic Defence Review marks a step change but raises questions more than answers
Ukraine shows how tactics and the use of weapons change and are reshaped over months. Take the switch from the radio controlled to fibre optic drones, and Russia's switch from artilley to mass drone and glide bomb bombardment of civilian areas. Take the sheer novelty this weekend of the drone attacks taking out a third of Russia's strategic bomber force, using cheap commercial drones and basic container lorries in an ingenious way – and then ehancing the shock effect by social media. So how could Britain cope with such an attack on some of our rural RAF bases or container ports, I asked during the presentation of the SDR ? Not essily was the answer. We might rely on the mighty radars of the Navy's Type 45 destroyers – of which only four are in operation – and for the rest look for early warnings from allies.
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The Herald Scotland
11 hours ago
- The Herald Scotland
Renaming USNS Harvey Milk exposes Hegseth's insecurity
In a statement, a spokesman for the Department of Defense said: "Secretary Hegseth is committed to ensuring that the names attached to all DOD installations and assets are reflective of the commander in chief's priorities, our nation's history, and the warrior ethos." Hegseth's plan to scrub Harvey Milk's name from a ship is peak insecurity The "warrior ethos," Secretary Hegseth? Are you an insecure 12-year-old? Nothing says indomitable warrior quite like, "I'm afraid of this boat's name." Opinion: Musk calls Trump's bill an 'abomination.' I hate it when our two weird dads fight. A true warrior would be familiar with American history and would know that Milk served as a U.S. Navy operations officer on rescue submarines during the Korean War, then went on to become the first openly gay man elected to public office in California. He was serving on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors when he and the city's mayor were assassinated in 1978. Milk served in the Korean War and earned his place in history A true warrior would recognize that U.S. service members throughout history have proudly served, fought and died for the rights of all Americans to speak and live freely. A true warrior would be appalled to read the statement Milk's nephew Stuart Milk, who chairs the Harvey Milk Foundation, had to release in response to Hegseth's pathetic renaming plan, saying of the slain activist: "His legacy has stood as a proud and bright light for the men and women who serve in our nation's military - including those who have served on the USNS Harvey Milk - and a reminder that no barriers of race, gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity, religion, or physical infirmity will restrain their human spirit." Hegseth apparently sees US Navy ship names as 'woke' The New York Times reported that there are other ships named after civil rights leaders that might be renamed under Hegseth's feeble leadership. The names include Thurgood Marshall, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Harriet Tubman and Cesar Chavez. Make no mistake that behind these decisions is an administration limply fighting back against any incursion on the power of straight, White men, wholly unaware that people with real power don't need to exert their will on others. Announcing that you're stripping the name of a gay rights activist from a Navy ship at the start of Pride Month is, of course, a transparent provocation. To insecure, whiny, entitled men who spend their days listening to other insecure, whiny, entitled men, it's a show of strength. It's something they can smirk about as they exchange awkward high fives. Opinion: Joe Biden's decency will always outshine Donald Trump's cruelty Hegseth and others in the Trump administration don't know true strength But that's not strength. It's not a "warrior ethos." Heck, it's not even an ethos. It's just a bunch of unconfident losers trying to push others down to make themselves feel tall. If Harvey Milk's name is scrubbed from a Navy ship, it won't alter his legacy. His name, decades upon decades from now, will still echo in the pages of history, the hearts of students of civil rights and the mind of any soldier with a true warrior ethos. Pete Hegseth's name, on the other hand, will prompt only one response: "Who's that? Never heard of him." Follow USA TODAY columnist Rex Huppke on Bluesky at @ and on Facebook at
Spectator
11 hours ago
- Spectator
Is the UK-EU defence pact a threat to Nato?
The Nato meeting of defence ministers in Brussels today will give its participants an opportunity to discuss the issues facing the alliance in perhaps a more cordial, if frank, manner before the inevitably more theatrical leaders' summit in The Hague at the end of the month. Much of the focus will be on proposed defence expenditure increases, not least in Britain, where following the publication of the government's Strategic Defence Review (SDR) this week there were suggestions that Nato would 'force' Keir Starmer to raise defence spending to 3.5 per cent of GDP. Next week's spending review should cast light on how feasible this is, given current plans to reach 2.5 per cent by 2027. At the same time, Europe is bracing for a diplomatic rollercoaster of a month. Overlapping discussions with the US on security, Ukraine and EU-US trade are leaving leaders worrying about their exposure to the whims of Donald Trump's administration. For Britain, there are challenges and opportunities.
Scottish Sun
19 hours ago
- Scottish Sun
Cash-strapped Government trying to flog half-built warships amid claims it can't afford to finish them
Selling them 'would give Defence Secretary John Healey and the Treasury breathing space to find the time to pay for them' SHIP SHOW Cash-strapped Government trying to flog half-built warships amid claims it can't afford to finish them Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) THE Government is trying to flog half-built warships amid claims it can-not afford to finish them. Military top brass invited Norway to buy £1billion frigates HMS Belfast and Birmingham, which are midway through construction. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 2 Selling half-built warships would give Defence Secretary John Healey and the Treasury breathing space to find the time to pay for them, a source said Credit: Alamy Selling them would give Defence Secretary John Healey and the Treasury breathing space to find the time to pay for them, a source said. But they added that the Navy would have to wait years to get its promised eight vessels if Norway jumped the queue. They said: "The Royal Navy only has eight frigates, the smallest number in its history. 'It desperately needs these new Type 26 frigates as soon as possible. 'But the MoD budget is under so much pressure that selling the half-built hulls to Norway would give the Treasury breathing space to find the time to pay for them.' It comes after the Strategic Defence Review warned the Navy needed a 'cheaper, simpler fleet'. The MoD said Norway was 'one of the UK's most important allies'. A Norwegian source said: 'The government of Norway is in the final phases of making a decision, but no date has been set.' Proud Scots workers watch latest Royal Navy frigate roll out at Babcock Rosyth shipyard
