The government deployed British troops to defend oil fields in Saudi Arabia without telling parliament or the public, it can be revealed. Opposition parties accused the government of lacking a "moral compass" and dodging scrutiny, while campaigners said the episode was "symptomatic of the toxic relationship" between the UK government and the oil-rich autocracy. The Ministry of Defence says the oil fields are "critical economic infrastructure" and that gunners from the 16th Regiment Royal Artillery were needed to help defend against drone strikes. Incredibly, the military operation, which was launched February in this ... (full story)