If the UK and French navy combine, would the UK sailors be forced to act against Somalian pirates?
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British couple Paul and Rachel Chandler were kidnapped by Somali pirates in Oct ’09, with the UK Navy watchikng, afraid to endanger the pirates’ human rights. The Chandlers were allowed to see each other in May but are still held, 11 months later.
The French have taken out Somali pirates, regardless of their human rights
September 6th, 2010 at 1:45 pm
They already do act against pirates, and they have for more than 400 years!
Stricter rules/ more at stake now pal.
September 6th, 2010 at 2:26 pm
Let me make this clear, the British Royal Navy and the French Navy will never combine, a proposed idea (not even confirmed or officially announced yet) is to share some aircraft carriers to allow budget cuts to take place. This idea isn’t too favourable amongst the Royal Navy at the moment, so it may not go ahead.
The Royal Navy actively contributes to international maritime policing, we do protect merchant vessels from piracy in hotspots such as the South China Sea or the Gulf of Aden.
September 6th, 2010 at 2:51 pm
It will never happen.
September 9th, 2010 at 5:54 pm
So it seems these two elderly and increasingly frail British citizens are still out there, somewhere in anarchic Somalia? It’s a disgrace. ‘Special Forces’ are doing good work in Afghanistan. Cannot a few be diverted to rescue these two folk?