The U.K. Defence Command Paper, “Defence in a Competitive Age,” released by British Defense Secretary Ben Wallace yesterday as a follow-up to the defense, security, and foreign policy review released last week, focuses on the “21st century threats” that the U.K. supposedly faces in a world allegedly characterized by permanent confrontation. “Those of us in government charged to protect and defend have a duty to enter new domains, as well as continuing investment in the traditional ones, but always adapting to the threat,” Wallace wrote in the foreword. “History shows us, time and time again, that failing to do so risks irrelevance and defeat. As the threat changes we must change with it, remaining clear-eyed about what capabilities we retire, why we are doing so, and how they will be replaced.” Therefore, the process for developing the new policy began with “assessing the threats we are encountering and anticipating, before considering how we should address them, and only then with which equipment, and what resources are required to field them.”
“We must actively champion those shared values of liberty, justice and tolerance that have given billions of souls the world over the chance of a better life, and do so through our actions, not just our words. U.K. diplomacy is underwritten by the credibility of the U.K. armed forces, and they will be more integrated, active and agile, capable of both deterring threats and defeating enemies,” Wallace declared. This is all to be backed up by £188 billion in defense spending over the coming four years—an increase of £24 billion or 14%–which, Wallace claimed, “is an investment in that vision of security and prosperity in 2030.”
