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The Secretary of State for Air made a
statement to the Cabinet in the course of which
he emphasized the great importance of the speed
of aircraft, which, by enabling them to act with
great promptitude, rendered possible the main-
tenance of order in countries in the Middle East
with very small forces. To utilise the Air arm
to its full effect, however, the speed of aircraft
required as a corollary a speed in politic al
action to follow up Air action (the effect of
which was apt to wear off rather rapidly) and
speed in taking political decisions at home.
He gave instances of how air action had failed
in its full results from defective liaison
locally and slow action at hore.
In the course of the discussion the Secretary
of State for Foreign Affairs, while expressing
general agreement in the desirability of improving
the machinery of government in such a way as to
ensure prompter decisions, entered a caveat that
the Foreign Office must continue to be fully
consulted in regard to air action which might in
any way react upon foreign relations.
The Cabinet agreed
A
That the reference to the Sub-Committee of the Committee of Imperial Defence appointed to consider our policy in the Persian Gulf should be extended SO
as to cover the questions raised in the Memorandum by the Secretary of State for Air and its enclosures (Paper C.P.-160 (28)).
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