In David Cameron's New Year message he talked about ongoing terrorist attacks and the need to work with the Muslim communities to try to eradicate the causes of the radicalism. On December 16th 2010 in Barrow, Cumbria, an event took place that was celebrated by the local community, including, sadly, school children from the surrounding area, and reported extensively on the local BBC Radio Cumbria morning programme. It was the naming ceremony for the latest nuclear powered hunter killer submarine being built at the local shipyard, and due to be launched 12 months from now.
We went to war in Iraq on suspicion that they had weapons of mass destruction. If Iran or North Korea had held a similar event I suspect there may have been an international outcry at the very least. Yet from talking to people around the country it would appear not many people here were aware of it, and more importantly of the message it sends to those countries who see the UK as an aggressive force in the world.
The politicians will doubtless say it is for defence. I would say to them, and specifically to Mr Cameron following his New Year statement, ask yourself this question: "What is it that I do that makes you hate me so much that you want to kill me?" Perhaps in Barrow on December 16th 2010 we saw an element of the answer to that question.
