Dom the Don!

This is coolbert:

Thanks to Time magazine for the reprint from way back when [1973] now.

As seen in a previous blog entry:

"Singapore, Aden, Cyprus, Malta, Gibraltar and no more a slow and steady return to the home islands, retrenchment and reality as mandated by BUDGETARY CONSTRAINTS!"

That British military beating a retreat from the world scene - - empire a thing of the past, for a period of two decades the English having to withdraw back to the home island, budget constraints mandating a retrenchment, those areas critical to the naval dominance of the Royal Navy [RN] in particular abandoned! To include those military bases and facilities found on the island of Malta!!

Dom Mintoff the Prime Minister of Malta most insistent that even a regimental sized contingent of English military be-gone, and with all due speed!!

"MALTA: Deadline Dom"

"A certain aura of predictability surrounded events last week on the tiny (122 sq. mi.) Mediterranean island of Malta. Britain's quarterly payment of $8,325,000 to cover the cost of garrisoning 2,800 troops on the island had been refused by Maltese Prime Minister Dom Mintoff. The fiery Mintoff, in rebuffing the routine payment from the Bank of England, 1) demanded higher rent from Britain; 2) intimated that he would evict the troops unless he received it; 3) flew to Tripoli seeking support from Libyan Leader Muammar Gaddafi; and 4) tried to con other NATO nations that share in the rent payments..."

That primary consideration being MONEY, Dom wanting more and more, a genial [?] but quite apparent extortion that was NOT complied with, the British evacuating "with all due speed"!

Here today, gone tomorrow, monetary considerations taking precedent over military concerns, the motivations of Dom being crass greed [?] not fulfilled!!

coolbert.