Wow, I only started this thread as a rhetorical question, albeit a very important one, since it affects our future existence.
I doubt, Jack, that either North Korea or Iran (two of the biggest bad bastards on the world stage at the moment) have yet got missiles which could deliver nuclear warheads onto European capitals; but watch this space, they'll be able to develop or buy that technology before too long. And how then to counter them? Only, I suggest, by having our own capability to pour a much greater degree of nastiness back upon them should we have to do so. Which is actually just what nuclear deterrence is all about.
But what is really frightening is the prospect of Islamist states saying "Allah Akhbar", (God is great) and launching into an attack in which they don't care about any repercussions of here on earth - it'll all be OK in heaven. (Where they'll then get twenty or is it twenty thousand virgins - God what a frightening prospect - as a reward ...)
And, Buttons, I have to challenge your assertion that there is now serious resentment as a result of what went on in the former British Empire. Maybe, but we very often unified disparate tribal groupings and created nations which stand in their own right today. And some of them, just occasionally, even admit that our former colonialism did them a lot of good. We could of course give up any pretence of being a significant European nation and retire to the sidelines like, say, Norway (no offence intended). Meanwhile I continue to personally believe that we must defend ourselves as a first priority.
Tony.
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