Dr Liam Fox, the new UK Defence Secretary, speaks a strange sort of language (he’s not a doctor of constitutional law or linguistics, by the way, but was actually the sort of doctor who you went to see because you were ill – in other words a real doctor)

“We are not in Afghanistan for the sake of the education policy in a broken 13th-century country. We are there so the people of Britain and our global interests are not threatened.”

Sorry – I didn’t quite get that. It sounds a little old fashioned in this age of “let’s all be friends and dance around together with flowers in our hair while genuflecting before the United Nations” doesn’t it? Our main concern should be the people of Britain? We should make our own global interests our number one priority?

Didn’t he get the memo? We live in a global community and our actions need to be approved by “world opinion” as represented by that international mafia of confidence tricksters, thieves, murderers and charlatans who strut and preen themselves in the corridors of the UN in New York.

“The first question I asked myself when I got the job was, ‘Do we have to be in Afghanistan? Is it worth it for those who have lost their lives or limbs?’ You have to keep asking yourself that question each day.”

You mean that it’s not all about letting politicians feel good about themselves – instead you have to consider the price in terms of blood and bone?

At present Dr Fox thinks the game is worth the price.

“We can’t afford to see Afghanistan roll backwards into a failed state that could become a base from which terrorist campaigns can be launched anywhere in the world.”

But there must always be a hard nosed sense of realism. The price is worth it at present to defend Britain’s interests but our soldiers should not be maimed or killed to spread “democracy”

“National security is the focus now. We are not a global policeman.

But after the briefings he has received since taking up his new job he has no doubt about where the main danger to our security lies – it’s in Tehran.

“There is a lack of urgency and understanding in this country about the threat posed by Iran.”…… “You’ve had Ahmadinejad talking about wiping Israel off the face of the map. People here may think that’s hyperbole but there are people in Israel who remember the last time someone said ‘We’re going to wipe you off the face of the map’ and had a damn good try at it.

He doesn’t appear to be the sort of person who feels that all you need to do with the Iranians is to sit down and have a nice friendly chat with them. There might have to be a lline clearly drawn in the sand to help focus the minds of the mullahs, even a little unpleasantness.

“Unless we get a sense of urgency into the European Union and other Western countries, there’s a danger that we either end up with Iran with a bomb or a bombed Iran.”

Dear me – I don’t think that sort of talk will go down all that well with the White House. No doubt  a low level hack will be sent to remind London that

1. Britain is now seen in Washington as on about the same level as Paraguay and should act accordingly.
2. Nuance is the order of the day
3. President Obama is not too happy about BP….

No – I don’t think President Obama would want someone like Dr Fox in his cabinet…….