ARmy Rumour SErvice

I simply don't believe the Russians would be so underhand and beastly!!1! I mean it's like the whole world is ganging up on Syria and expecting Russia, against all odds and experience, to just drop everything and bow to the US!!1! Say it isn't so!!1!

Serious head on for 2 ticks: just check what FRA does nearly every day if you want see what realpolitik looks like.

The Yanks can't upset the Russkies on Syria. Reason is - we're fucked getting stuff out of Afghanistan without the Russkies, and Putin knows it. Expect Obama and Putin to agree to leave Assad in place. If we do any morestupid things like stopping that ship, we'll be fucked too.

A problem for you:
- Unless we want the Armyto have to 'walk to work' for the next 20 years, we're going to need vehicles.
- They are all in HERRICK, and we can only get them out via Russia or airyplane.
- One method is MUCH cheaper than the other.
- We are skint.

Work it out for yourself

Originally Posted by eodmatt

Cos that's been done before by the Koreans and will fool nobody. What the Brits did is eminently more civilised and will result in the Ruskies getting the equivalent of a fixed penalty fine and 6 points on their license.

A NK job would work. Just plant evidence of a underwate UXB from WW11.

Couple of points, this removal of insurance is just a gesture, seriously does anyone think this Russian ship is just going to stop and get new insurance. Best case scenario the Russian government underwrite the thing. In Jan a big thing was made about a Russian ship being stopped in Cyprus as its destination was Syria, it was allowed on its way next day after the captain to change his destination, the new destination was not disclosed.

Russia need and want a Navel port of Syria so they will prop up the present government.

As for not upsetting the Russian, I hear what you say Oldsnowy, but come the time, either through Pakistan to Karachi then shipping or Train through Turkmenistan, ferry to Baku and then Turkey seems the easier route. A few problems, but easier than the long way round.

Loved the headline "Britain Stops Arms Ship to Syria" and was expecting tales of derring-do, SBS grappling hooks over the side and men in black with stun grenades showing these darned foreigners what good old British defiance can do. However, it was 1st Battalion the Underwriters who came to the rescue this time. Cancelling the policy, what a dashed clever thing to do. Old Flashy would have been proud of the way they charged in, red biros at the ready, slashing amendments here and cutting exclusions to the policy there. If they try and wriggle out of it, we'll slap a fixed penalty notice for not having a SOSN (Statutory Off Seas Notice).
Now all we need is the TA version of Lloyds underwriters to infiltrate the Taliban, flog them life insurance policies but make them aware of the invalidity should the policy holder put themselves into risk situations and it'll all be over by Christmas.

I'm glad the Americans have various means of keeping track of this ship, because we, of course, have an embarrassing capability gap when it comes to maritime reconnaissance.

What with Russia not being allowed to win the Euro football thingy (I don't do footie-unless Eng-er-land win) and now this kerfuffle with withdrawing insurance from this ship. I expect the price of gas from Russia will be increasing!

We have an embarrassing capability gap with regard to a lot of military capabilities; the one thing that SDSR got truly wrong was the scrapping of Nimrod MRA4 without aviable replacement, even if only in small numbers.