To highlight how short sighted the governments decision to remove the UK's maritime patrol capability is look at whats happening in the the Pacific with the latest tsunami.
Apart from the military issues look at the humanitarian responsibilities the UK has and how useful a long range aircraft with radar and sensors would be in the event of a major disaster such as what is happening in the Pacific area.
The Nimrod was not just a fighting aircraft it was a aircraft which could undertake many roles many of which were to save lives and even those opposed to the military must see that that having LRMP even with limited capabilities is an asset in the event of a natural disaster.
The types of military threats to our nation maybe changing but the threat from "mother nature" is always there.