For other regional hard power games, see Who is it that the UK and Spain intend to invade?. Seaborne assault capabilities need amphibious assault vessels, while escort duties and logistical support for evacuations can be provided by a less heavily armored type of light aircraft carrier, a "Sea Control" vessel.
If Great Britain was focused on the defensive needs of a maritime nation, its "big ships" would be attack submarines and light aircraft carriers. I've been accused of being a Marxist, yet while Harpo's my favourite, it's Groucho I'm always quoting. Odd, that.
Only in a region where the rivals have nuclear power capabilities.
I submit that is not the case. Israel is a nuclear power, yet I think you could easily argue that Iran, which is not a nuclear power, is a power player in the region for a variety of reasons, not the least of which being that their proximity to our bestest buddy, Saudi Arabia. Conservatives want live babies so they can raise them to be dead soldiers. - George Carlin
A regional rival with nuclear weapons is necessary for nuclear weapons to be a requisite of status as a regional power, not sufficient. I've been accused of being a Marxist, yet while Harpo's my favourite, it's Groucho I'm always quoting. Odd, that.
