‘We have an aircraft carrier – it’s called Cyprus’

British chief of the defence staff Sir Richard Knighton was on Thursday accused of leaving the country’s assets in the Middle East underprepared for a war in the region, with it being reported that he rejected suggestions that the country should deploy naval assets in advance of the conflict breaking out at the beginning of the month.

According to British political magazine The Spectator, a meeting of the United Kingdom’s national security council was held on February 27 – the day before the beginning of the conflict ...