And now it's Yemen's turn to meet the fleet ...

[airborne_artist]

BBCi reporting (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-13671262) that Royal Marines on board RFA Fort Victoria are standing by to rescue UK nationals from Yemen.

Just as well we're not reducing the size of the fleet at the moment ... - oh heck, we are :\

[professor moriarty]

Yep....and the Fort Vic is next to be given the chop. Shame as they were comfy boats.

[welliewanger]

Of course we're reducing the fleet. As long as we're not at war we don't need a military - oh heck, we are :\ !

[12 twists per inch]

Let 'em fend for themselves, it's not like they haven't had months to prepare to get out, bloody tax dodgers :rolleyes:

[Pontius Navigator]

Last time we had a big warship off the now Yemenii coast I recall it was 5 flat tops including the 3 Commando carriers.

Of course in those days we had several fleet carriers and almost as many commando ones.

[November4]

Reminds me of the incident in 2002 when Marines landed on the Spanish beach instead of the one in Gib. One of the Marines said something along the lines of "I know we are good but it would take a little more than 20 to capture Spain".

80 Marines on an RFA that is due to be scrapped...HMS Cumberland on it's way to be scrapped, rescuing British nationals from Libya.....you couldn't make this up :ugh:

Edited to add - Misread the BBC report - added the 0 to 8 to make correct number of Marines.

[helimarshaller]

November4

My reading of the BBC news report states Eighty (80) Royal Marines not 8:ugh:

[PhilipG]

As I recall in 1986 the Royal Yacht was used to evacuate people from Aden, then part of South Yemen... So this is prospectively the third evacuation.

[airborne_artist]

Has anyone else spotted that it's not even a warship that the Marines will be using as their platform - RFAs are civilian-flagged and operated, albeit owned by MoD Navy.

Perhaps we don't have enough warships for the constantly-changing world we live in and trade with? :\

[Fareastdriver]

Once the evacuees are on board with all their valuables then it will be the Somali pirates turn to jump on board.
They know that British troops are not allowed to touch them.

[WE Branch Fanatic]

Despite being short of frigates and destroyers, I suspect we have a frigate or two East of Suez. But, according to the Telegraph, RFA Argus is also in the area (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/yemen/8560706/Britain-says-military-assets-deployed-near-Yemen.html).

The noteworthy thing about both ships is their aviation facilities, Fort Victoria is operating three or four Merlins, and Argus even more Merlins/Sea Kings/Lynx/Chinooks.

Now who was it who said we wouldn't need shipborne aviation for ten years?

[airborne_artist]

Now who was it who said we wouldn't need shipborne aviation for ten years?


All we need now is a para-insertion of ground troops and we'll have the set :E

[Biggus]

While I'm not saying that it applies in this case....

just because you use a capability that you currently have, it doesn't mean that its retention is essential...

[The Helpful Stacker]

Now who was it who said we wouldn't need shipborne aviation for ten years?

I don't believe anyone did.

I believe it was specifically shipborne fixed-wing aviation (even more specifically, the need to retain Harrier GR9 in order to maintain carrier currency for the WAFU) that questions were raised over and that you have been banging, nay pummeling, your drum over.

[david parry]

One or Two Strike Carrier, would be the answer..... If we had any:{ Ships V/Victorious Hermes off Aden 1967 (http://www.ourlifeboat.org/gallery/Ships%20V/album/slides/Victorious%20Hermes%20off%20%20Aden%201967.htm)

[Al Murdoch]

Helpful Stacker - I think there's something else going on in the Med that makes that argument....

[Norfolk Inchance]

For what it is worth I am afraid I have to agree with a former poster on this thread. Why the hell are we as a country putting our troop's lives at risk to rescue ex-pats and tax dodgers? if you wish to go and work in Dubai/Algeria/ Middle East etc, taking the big dollars then good for you. But you should be prepared to accept that potentially you are standing into danger; and you should not expect HMG to come and get you(stand fast Brit Embassy staff etc). I was sickened to hear those whinning ungrateful gits standing on the jetty in Libya when the RN was unable to get them out. Make your beds and lay in them!! For too long these oil workers et al have been able to get away with their tax dodges, despite supposedly being proud Brits; yet when they are taken ill they rush home to get the good old NHS to look after them. Let them rot in bloody Yemen.

Rant over.

[david parry]

Withdrawal Aden 1967 BRITISH TROOPS WITHDRAW (aka SIR HUMPHREY TREVELYAN LEAVES ADEN) - British Pathe (http://www.britishpathe.com/record.php?id=44999)

[Whenurhappy]

For all those complaining about the 'tax-free expats', would you prefer to have UK nationals slaughtered/taken hostage/attacked, resulting in direct, focussed (ie kinetic) intervention by HM Forces?

Not everyone who lives in the Middle East are money-grubbing individuals with outstanding CCJs, CSA etc after them. In Yemen (which is hardly the expat destination of choice) there are a large numbe rof NGO and IO staff, in addition to 'domestic' British Passport holders.

[helen-damnation]

Why the hell are we as a country putting our troop's lives at risk to rescue ex-pats and tax dodgers? if you wish to go and work in Dubai/Algeria/ Middle East etc, taking the big dollars then good for you. But you should be prepared to accept that potentially you are standing into danger; and you should not expect HMG to come and get you(stand fast Brit Embassy staff etc). Make your beds and lay in them!! For too long these oil workers et al have been able to get away with their tax dodges, despite supposedly being proud Brits; yet when they are taken ill they rush home to get the good old NHS to look after them. Let them rot in bloody Yemen.

Some of us were on a grey war canoe "in the area" in '86 for the last effort.
Some of us came to the middle east because some cowardly :mad: drove several aircraft into buildings and we lost our jobs while others lost a lot more.
Some of us have/still pay taxes so why shouldn't we use the NHS.
Some of us think that being in the ME is generally safer than certain parts of the UK.
Some of us are still "proud Brits".
Some of us have worked bloody hard to make the best of things and lay in our nice, soft fluffy beds.

If you're happy where you are, great. But don't have a go at "us" for making the most of what we have and have given to you.:=

[Fareastdriver]

I have found that the people that complain the loudest about ex-pats not paying taxes are those with their hands deepest in the benefits bucket.

[WE Branch Fanatic]

1. Any more on this - as the situation in Yemen is still going from bad to worse?

2. Given Yemen's potential to be a failed state (not unlike Afghanistan, but next to the Gulf of Aden shipping lanes) where many Al Qaeda plots are coming from, are we missing the big picture? This will be war#3...

See: AL QAEDA IN YEMEN AND SOMALIA:A TICKING TIME BOMB (http://foreign.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/Yemen.pdf)

[Norfolk Inchance]

In yesterday's Torygraph was an article which said that despite FO warnings to get out of Yemen there were still over 500 Brit passport holders in country. Why are they there; are they stupid, do they not heed warnings. If I stood on a crumbling cliff edge having just climbed over a fence and ignored the 'Danger' signs, and subsequently fell over the side (and magically survived), should I expect compassion? Fek them, thats what I say.

[Pontius Navigator]

And from the Torygraph the day before - the AAC Apaches are tooling up for the Yemen.

Nothing like operational security when the political imperative rears its ugly head.