Vulnerability of Shipping?

 Isle of Wight Incident!

Terrorism is one of the major threats that nations face today and success in shutting down terrorist networks has been of note in the last twenty years, but many of these groups move on to new fields of operation in terms hijacking other causes?

Piracy did not die with the advent of steam and Diesel and this is noted in the Arabian sea and throughout the Indonesian islands today, ships are vulnerable to being boarded at night while in port or by the crew themselves?

We do not really know what was going on in the English Channel, but it was serious to have to call in special forces? 

The cost of security of ships lays with their owners and many foreign ships still do not pay their workers very well, in fact shipping can be a real legal minefield as to who owns what and what flag the vessel is under and who crews it from the Master to cheap labor?

It will be almost impossible to secure ship and there is a new front forming in using large vessels as terror weapons around the world?

The British Army, N.A.T.O and Europe?

Future!

Britain has now lost its once great empire, but it still has many territories and some have a great strategic value such as the Falklands! Britain still has many interests and NATO commitments?

But now the European Union are set on creating its own armed forces in a united Europe, confirming much speculation over the years! 

The EU already operates under the humanitarian flag in the Arabian sea between Yemen and the Horn of Africa protecting shipping from Somali piracy, as well in the Mediterranean in connection with Libyan refugees being smuggled and abandoned at sea!

But a land army is a much different matter, will this see the end of N-Atlantic pact? Relations between Europe and the U.S are now at an all time low and we have to make up our minds who we will be with in the future?