The Italian Job RAF-style

The Coalition’s Near East adventures wobble between tragedy and farce. The bombing campaign is costing the MoD a fortune in hotel charges. How so? Because we have no aircraft carrier. It was decommissioned in the same week that Libya went tits-up, so the raids are carried out by RAF pilots based in Italy instead of Navy pilots based off-shore.

The Yanks have retired to the substitute’s bench, the rest of NATO doesn’t want to know, so it’s Dave and the Poisoned Dwarf saving the fedayeen in Shawadi Wadi.

It also exposes NATO as a farce. Where is this ‘all for one, one for all’ stuff that is supposed to be the core justification? The Rosbifs and the Frogs are the only European countries that are able to tackle any type of warlike engagement.

The Germans just get under foot. In Afghanistan 80% never leave barracks; they are not allowed out at night; and they can’t open fire unless shot at first. As for the Italians – well, you know the old jibe that the difference between Italians and a slice of toast is that you can make soldiers out of toast.