With French, US, Greek and a Dutch warship already in the eastern Mediterranean together with RAF jets and RN Wildcats, Cyprus is well protected for now. It is arguably far more important that HMS Dragon is well prepared, rather than arrive a few days earlier for what could potentially be a long deployment. She can either provide relief for ships already there or offer the option of further deployment into the Red Sea or Gulf if needed. The RN might be criticised at a macro level on some issues, but when it comes to the planning of operations, the people in charge are professionals who know what they’re doing. Should we perhaps trust the judgment of seasoned naval officers over casual observers with half the facts and a limited grasp on how navies work?