Britain should be ready to use military force in order to defend its global interests after Brexit, according to extracts from a speech defence minister Gavin Williamson will give on Monday.
Williamson will speak about Britain’s plans to send its new aircraft carrier to the Pacific, invest in offensive cyber capabilities and adopt a harder military stance after Brexit, which is only weeks away as Prime Minister Theresa May tries to find a last-minute agreement on leaving the European Union, Reuters reported.
“Brexit has brought us to a great moment in our history. A moment when we must strengthen our global presence, enhance our lethality, and increase our mass,” Williamson will say in a speech in London. READ MORE: May Vows to 'Battle for Britain and N Ireland' in Brussels to Avoid Hard Border
“We can build new alliances, rekindle old ones and most importantly make it clear that we are the country that will act when required. And, a nation that people can turn to when the world needs leadership,” Williamson will reportedly say.
Williamson will announce that the first mission of the HMS Queen Elizabeth aircraft carrier will include work in the Mediterranean, Middle East and Pacific regions, with the vessel carrying two squadrons of British and US F-35 jets.
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AP Photo / Tim Ireland
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Williamson will also highlight US-UK military relations while echoing Trump's call for NATO countries to increase their spending, citing a need to better handle what Williamson calls Russian provocations.
"Such action from Russia must come at a cost," Williamson will say in the speech, extracts of which were seen by Reuters.
He will claim that the cost of non-interventions has often been “unacceptably high” and argue that Western powers cannot ignore those in need as “to talk but fail to act risks our nation being seen as little more than a paper tiger.”Source: sputniknews.com
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