As a trading nation with strong overseas links, Britain has a vital stake in maintaining international order and must be able to project hard power overseas.
The same imbalance applies now in the Balkans, notwithstanding last year's strategic defence review, which argued for retaining an ability to project British power overseas.
It said he was aware that one of the criteria for employment by the authority as an international project manager was the ability to work overseas for extended periods of time and that he had extensive experience living and working abroad in Africa.