The main story of interest today is HMS Bulwark’s involvement in international efforts to rescue a wave of more than 3,000 migrants attempting to cross the Mediterranean.
HMS Bulwark
There is extensive, positive coverage this morning of HMS Bulwark undertaking her largest rescue operation since deploying last month. In her latest mission, the Royal Navy saved 1,200 migrants from nine overcrowded boats off the coast of Libya. This brings the total number of individuals rescued so far by HMS Bulwark to nearly 3,000. It is reported that among those rescued was a pregnant woman from Nigeria whose waters broke just as Royal Marines arrived.
The Times, Independent and Daily Mail make reference to Defence Secretary Michael Fallon’s visit to the ship over the weekend where he said the long-term solution is to destroy the people-trafficking networks and that the whole of Europe needs to adopt a much more comprehensive approach to targeting the traffickers who are making money of out human misery.
Defence Secretary, Michael Fallon, said:
HMS Bulwark continues to play a vital role saving lives at sea and I want to thank them for their unwavering efforts.
However, we cannot simply deal with the symptoms of this problem; we must go after the root cause and the trafficking gangs behind it who are making money out of human misery.
Working alongside the Italians, Germans, French, the Netherlands, Irish and the Portuguese, we are showing how European navies are working together with their ships and helicopters, to bring about a successful temporary solution. But now it’s time for Europe as a whole to work together to agree a solution, before we see a greater loss of life.
Read more about the latest rescue here.
Iraq deployment
A number of today’s outlets report on David Cameron’s announcement yesterday that Britain will add a further 125 troops to its deployment in Iraq, increasing the number of UK military personnel involved in missions in the country to 900. He insisted they will not be involved in direct fighting. The Prime Minister spoke before a bilateral with Obama and the two leaders are today due to meet Iraq’s president where it is expected they will discuss setbacks in the fight against ISIL.
The troops’ mission is to teach Iraqi forces how to handle ISIL explosives. Personnel will provide counter-IED training to the Iraqi security forces in up to four locations across Iraq including Taji, Besmaya and Al Asad. Around 25 additional personnel will provide training in other critical skills, including medical, equipment maintenance, manoeuvre support for bridging and crossing trenches and information operations.
Read more about our contribution to training here.
Defence spending
It is widely reported that Barack Obama has pressed David Cameron not to abandon the NATO target of spending two per cent of GDP on defence. In what was reported to be a forthright exchange at the G7 summit in Germany, the President told the Prime Minister to “find a way” to ensure his Government’s spending on the Armed Forces does not fall below the NATO minimum of two per cent of GDP and that the “special relationship” is at risk if he breaks the spending pledge.
As we have previously made clear, the MOD’s agreement - to make a further £500m of savings and adjustment this financial year - will not impact on the baseline defence budget, manpower numbers or current operations and the UK will continue to spend 2% of GDP on defence this financial year.
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