Our columnist provides the second piece in our series this week about Brexit – almost a year since the end of transition.
The naive globalisation of the 1990s has become a liability. Britain and its allies need to beef up their defences
In particular, the escort fleet needs to double in size by acquiring more low-end capability to carry out presence operations and other low-end tasks.
Some say this that they are inherently discriminatory. Too right they are – but ‘discriminatory’ does not mean the same as ‘unfair’.
The UK needs a fresh, robust template. Central to it should be a differentiation between strategic and non-strategic areas.
There are also diplomatic and geostrategic opportunities for Global Britain to lead on developing human and environmental standards.
There should be a growth target to complement the inflation target – to drive government departments to take actions that will promote more UK activity and jobs.
Experience suggests that killers motivated by Islamist extremism seldom act outside terrorist networks.
A new culture of inquiry and challenge is essential if government is to be better prepared for what ministers cannot be blamed for failing to anticipate.
Truss says her “vision is to strengthen our economic and security ties in order to build a network of liberty around the world.”
Putin’s Russia is closer to home – remember the Salisbury attack – and Islamist extremism is already here.
The deal sends a starkly clear message to China – and will reassure India, Japan, South Korea and Taiwan that their security interests are also British interests.
The three countries will work “hand-in-glove to preserve security and stability in the Indo-Pacific” (i.e: to contain China).
My great fear is that isolationism on the left and right could take root. And not all interventions have been disastrous – let alone about imposing our values.
The bottom line is that no-one has to make these dangerous journeys. We need to be crystal clear about that.