The United Kingdom Elections 2010

[al Roumi]

1. it is a tool for political influence, it has utility in advance of the purely military

How about a cost based analysis of the influence it provides against that which could be achieved through other (perhaps more socially and economically constructive) means?

2. sure, and we'll still be among the top ten provided we want the role

Hopefully, but it will (or ought to be) for more than the British expeditionary appetite.

3. Capability + Will = Influence - to think otherwise is ridiculous

My point exactly, we don't have the "capability" to match our "will".

4. Hard-power, Soft-power, Economic-power are all important, but strategic power projection is an essential capability for a UNSC member, given that the SC needs to be able to coerce malefactors.

Not so sure about this, is possession of a nuclear detterrent an entrance requriement to the Security council -if so, where are the Israeli, Indian and Pakistani seats? Secondly, if millitary capacity and "Global Policing" more generally are requirement and raison-d'etre, when have Russia or China ever "coerced" malefactors though military means?

Edit: China and (in practice) Russia fundamentaly resist any attempts to meddle in the internal affairs of other states. Not a great Policeman if you won't go into someone's house...