‽istis reclaims (and defends) carrots (weekending March 20th
2021)
In a week when perhaps the headline takeaway from the extensive
UK’s Integrated Review of Security, Defence, Development and foreign Policy[i] was that the UK would apparently be lifting the cap on
its nuclear arsenal by 40 per cent, increasing to 260 warheads,[ii] ‽istis takes a first short, shallow dive
into the acrimony/acronymy of defence: from MAD to NPT to TPNW; from 1ACC to ZZ
(in the extraordinary 2014, 402 page document: Ministry of Defence acronyms
and abbreviations[iii]) and ponders
carrots and sticks – yet feels constantly at sea…
Perhaps the title of the UK’s March 2021 Integrated
Defence Review document might provide a clue to two constructs that possibly drive
the narrative, that finds the money, that supports the research, that builds
the production facilities, that even may (fossil)fuel the prospect of potential
mutually assured destruction – sooner or later – from many threats including terrorism,
nuclear explosion, mutating viruses, a collapsing complex life-sustaining
eco-system: ‘Global Britain in a Competitive Age…’[iv]: nation states[v] and competition…?
So ‽istis wonders what and how and
wherein lies security?
And for perhaps, possibly, maybe a ridiculously
naïve moment ‽istis tries to imagine what other ‘extraordinary things’ could be achieved to
keep us all safe:
‽ by those billions and billions of pounds
(some perhaps even effectively trackable and traceable in their public
good/private profit spending model)
‽ those thousands of ‘remarkable
people’ developing ‘exceptional technologies, facilities and projects’[vi]
‽ if possibly the allocation of 2.2% of
GDP[vii] - and - under 0.7% of
GDP[viii] were swapped
‽ if we perhaps pursued co-operation
more than competition, globalism more than nationalism
…if maybe, together, we really sought to grow and
prepare and cook and share the carrots more than upgrading and hiding a larger
number of threatening sticks‽
©
Pistis
NB: further reflections and comments linked to this week’s theme and past
blog
entries to be found on Twitter: replies, retweets (which don’t necessarily
indicate approval, sometimes the very opposite!) and ‘likes’:
@Pistis_wonders
[i] https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/global-britain-in-a-competitive-age-the-integrated-review-of-security-defence-development-and-foreign-policy/
[ii] https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/boris-johnson-uk-nuclear-weapons-international-law-b1817827.html
[iii]
(Now here’s a bedtime read!) https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/344563/20140808_MOD_Acronyms_and_Abbreviations.pdf
[iv] https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/global-britain-in-a-competitive-age-the-integrated-review-of-security-defence-development-and-foreign-policy
/
[v] An
anthem-soothed, flag-bedecked acceptable face – un-naturally constructed or
imposed - of sectarianism and tribalism?
[vi]
From the website of the AWE (UK’s ‘Atomic Weapons Establishment’) which with
BAE Systems, Rolls Royce and Babcock is a key player in ‘designing, building,
maintaining and operating’ the UK’ independent nuclear deterrent.
[vii]
Ibid: ‘We will increase our defence budget by over £24 billion over the next
four years and remain the largest European spender on defence in NATO, with our
expenditure now standing at 2.2% of GDP.’
[viii]
https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/spending-review-reducing-the-aid-commitment/
