In Sierra Leone, ships could protect diplomats and provide neutral meeting space; in Confrontation, they enabled a multinational response to remain limited. Australian, New Zealand, Canadian, and other contributions were easier to combine when the conflict remained connected to a secure maritime system. Maritime containment allowed Malaysia to develop its own forces without being pushed immediately into a major war. Political advantage came from controlling the scale and visibility of outside intervention as well as from applying military power.
Notable Point · 1:32:54-1:34:30
Sea-based intervention can contain a crisis
Ships can shelter diplomats, host neutral meetings, assemble allies, and give a vulnerable partner time to build its own capacity.