Someone Else's Empire: British Illusions and American Hegemony

(Hardback)

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In A Strike Force in Someone's Else's Empire, Tom Stevenson scrutinises the unspoken assumptions behind British foreign policy. Why did the 'Indo-Pacific tilt' become a Whitehall priority Why is the Royal Navy sailing ships through the Taiwan Strait Why is Britain conducting military training programmes in the Persian Gulf and ten countries from Gambia to Somalia Why did the UK become so heavily involved in the atrocities committed in Yemen Why has it offered consistent support for autocracies such as Egypt Elite descriptions of Britain's position in the world ('punching above our weight') are incongruent with reality. Part of the reason is a refusal, in most parts of society, to examine the effects of Britain's relationship with the United States and to confront the reality of the post-9/11 wars in the Middle East. The impetus for so many decisions about British foreign policy come from a desire to maintain lieutenant rank with Washington. It is one thing to station military forces around the world to maintain your empire, but quite another to do so for someone else's. Stevenson scrutinises the infrastructure of the US-centred global order, from nuclear weapons and economic sanctions to space forces, and fits the UK into the picture without the usual euphemisms.

Reviews

A fascinating read about Britain's dreams of empire and embarrassing deference to Washington -- Antony Loewenstein, author of The Palestine Laboratory
This lacerating book lays bare everything from the sanguinary politics of the British defence establishment to the management of venal political proxies in the Middle East. -- Laleh Khalili, author of Sinews of War and Trade
Stevenson writes vividly of the United States' relentless pursuit of international predominance and Britain's role as its loyal adjutant. An insight-laden exploration. -- Rajan Menon, author of The Conceit of Humanitarian Intervention

Author Bio

Tom Stevenson writes about energy, defence and international politics. He has reported from Ukraine, the Middle East and North Africa for the London Review of Books, Times Literary Supplement, Financial Times and the BBC. He lives in Turin.