WE'RE BACK - AT 9:24 P.M. ET:  Just returned from a fascinating briefing by Liam Fox, the shadow secretary of state for defence, in Great Britain.  He will become the equivalent of our secretary of defense when (!!) the conservatives win the British elections next spring.

Fox is a medical doctor by training, a great guy, and intensely pro-American.  But what he said about the way Britain runs its defenses was upsetting.  For example, get this:  Military personnel working for the Ministry of Defence don't wear uniforms because some of the civilian employees find it upsetting.  I'm not making this up.  When Fox takes over, military personnel will be in uniform.

Also, there are almost as many procurement people in the Ministry of Defence as there are fighting troops in the British armed forces.

Also, there are more civilian employees in the Ministry of Defence than the size of the Royal Navy and RAF put together.

Also, Britain can only afford six of its new class of destroyers because they made it so expensive that any other nation that can afford to buy copies, and thus produce revenue, have already bought other destroyers or produced their own.

Clearly the British defence establishment is due for an overhaul, and Fox intends to do just that once he gets in office.

He also told this story about some of the absurdity involving NATO troops in Afghanistan.  It turns out that Germany is the only country whose troops are permitted alcohol.  Also, Germany has announced publicly that its troops are not permitted to fight at night.  Think about those two facts for a moment.  As Fox remarked, "When you tell your enemy that if they attack, we'll be drinking..." 

Maybe some seriousness is required.

Also, I asked Fox whether the impression we have here that Obama doesn't put much stock in the special relationship between Britain and America is felt in Britain.  He replied that it is, that there's a feeling in Britain that the Obama administration has been aloof.  However, he also pointed out that we've been there before, that both Bill Clinton and Bush 43 tended to downplay the special relationship when they entered office, but came around to the traditional view as time went on.  They came to realize, Fox said, that Britain would always be there, standing with America.  Others, with whom we might temporarily flirt, would not be.

Fascinating guy.  He's on our side.  You'll be hearing much from him.

September 15, 2009