This is a truly momentous year for British foreign and defense policy. The United Kingdom is now undertaking two lines of effort that could affect its national security for generations. First, the country is negotiating a deal that will determine its “future relationship” with the European Union, most importantly in trade. The process is complex, politically fraught, and is supposed to be wrapped up by the end of the year — record speed for such a negotiation. Missing this deadline would mean that Britain would be trading with the European Union under World Trade Organization rules, which would have a grave effect on the British economy.
