Gunboat Diplomacy Works

Photo: First Sea Lord Admiral Sir Mark Stanhope. Ministry of Defense

Gunboat Diplomacy Works, Says Head Of Royal Navy -- The Telegraph

The head of the Royal Navy has issued a staunch defence of "gunboat diplomacy" as a means of resolving disputes without risking the lives of troops.

First Sea Lord Admiral Sir Mark Stanhope argued that stationing warships in hot spots around the world can prevent conflict and provide the necessary “leverage” for politicians seeking to settle disputes.

Citing the Navy's part in last year's successful Nato campaign against Muammar Gaddafi's Libyan regime, he said the "supreme advantage" of maritime power was that it could achieve "effect without regret".

But Admiral Stanhope noted that other events over the past decade – an apparent reference to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan – were a reminder of the "limits of military force alone in achieving security outcomes".

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My Comment: Spoken like a true naval officer.