Britain sets out global role for its armed forces post-Brexit
UK defence minister seeks to strengthen global presence and says Russia is a growing threat
London — Britain will use military force to support its interests after Brexit, defence minister Gavin Williamson said on Monday in a speech setting out a global role for the armed forces, but with little detail on how to fund such ambitions in the long term. Williamson outlined plans to send Britain’s new aircraft carrier to the Pacific, where London has been seeking to demonstrate its influence in relation to China, and invest his defence budget in new equipment and cyber capabilities. Citing Russia as a danger to the international order, Williamson called for a tougher military stance after Brexit.
“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,” he said. He said boundaries between peace and war were becoming “blurred” by the increasing use of technological warfare, subversion and propaganda, and that Britain and its allies had to be ready “to use hard power to suppo...
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