Cuts In Britain's Defense Budget Forces The Royal Navy To Drop Somalia Piracy Patrols

A Royal Marines boarding team embarked om RFA Fort Victoria capture a pirate skiff. Royal Navy

Cuts Force Royal Navy To Drop Somalia Piracy Patrol -- The Guardian

Four frigates scrapped in defence review leave navy unable to commit full-time to David Cameron's foreign policy priority.

The UK has had to scale back its commitment to counter-piracy because the Royal Navy no longer has enough warships to dedicate one to Somalia all year round.

While the US, France, Italy, Denmark and other nations still send frigates to thwart criminals who cause havoc with international trade, the Guardian has learned that Britain has quietly withdrawn its ships from these patrols, even though David Cameron has made Somalia's piracy problem a foreign policy priority.

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Update: Outgunned Somali pirates can hardly believe their luck -- The Guardian

My Comment: More proof that Britannia does not rule the waves anymore.