Touched a nerve, Did i mate!
Just trying to explain the procedure mate,like most military guys i don't make policy i follow it! And by the way during our entire 6 month deployment in the Med, we had a British Sea Harrier Detachment on board with us. Seems at the time the Brits were out of money to put to sea so they came along with us to give the boys some training! As i remember they were a great bunch of guys/excellent pilots and judging by the pictures they brought back they really liked to get up close to the "unidentified" bogeys i mentioned! Now that the Soviet navy is back patrolling the UK Gap and the Chinese opened their new submarine base on Hainan Island who would you like to keep the Sea Lanes open around the world! Or are you one of those people who just pretend the world is a kinder gentler place now and can't we just all be friends!
As far as who appointed us the worlds policeman ? Glad to give up the job anytime the EU wants it! I have many friends made over many years from all the EU military who understand this! It's very "in" right now to be anti-American (a lot of it justified) but GWB will go in Nov and things will slowly return to normal i hope. And yes if a carrier is around you still will hear on guard "unknown rider bearing 240 at 200 miles identify yourself"