Why European allies are wary of Trump’s four-week plan

President Donald Trump is experimenting in the war against Iran the distrust of Europe and Great Britain towards his volcanic and unpredictable leadership and the reach of his true link with NATO. Unexpectedly, it was the British Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer, who told him “no” to the North American president by not allowing him to use his bases to bomb Iran or use his base in Diego García. Spain imitated it. A serious logistical problem for the United States.

For Starmer, a former Crown attorney, the dilemma was “the illegality” of the action for “a regime change from the air” against the mullahs of Tehran or the risk of weakening a “special transatlantic” relationship, which is already coming quite dented. She has been oscillating between childish language to suit Trump’s whims and ego and defending true British interests.

The specter of an illegal war like the one in Iraq and the cost it had for the kingdom decided Starmer to say no to Trump.

British government sources feel that this conflict with Iran It is “an agenda of Israel” and that “the war has not started well and can end worse” for the United States. They see “neither a plan nor an organization” for “the day after.” Israel “is eliminating all possible Iranian interlocutorsThe British military and its experience believe that “there is no alternative to entering with troops on the ground” and that “it will be a long war and not four weeks,” as Trump projects.

Donald Trump has once again criticized Keir Starmer over the UK’s refusal to collaborate on offensive attacks against Iran, stating that “the relationship is obviously not what it was.”

Speaking to The Sun tabloid on Tuesday, Trump unfavorably compared Starmer’s actions to France’s support for the attacks and to the backing of NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte.

“It hasn’t been much help. I never thought I’d see that. I never thought I’d see that from the UK. We love the United Kingdom,” said the American president. “It’s a different world, really. It is simply a very different relationship than the one we had with your country before. “It is very sad to see that the relationship is obviously not what it was,” he declared.

He said UK collaboration in offensive actions would not greatly affect US objectives.

“It won’t matter. But Starmer should have helpedI should have done it. I mean, France has been excellent. They have all been excellent. The UK has been very different to others,” he said. “You’ve seen NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte how well he spoke. It’s excellent. “No, they’ve all been pretty excellent, except… we think Keir was just very different.”

Trump said Starmer also needed to change course on the Chagos Islands deal — which the United States had previously supported — as well as North Sea oil and gas exploration and immigration.

“Prevent people from foreign countries who hate you from entering,” he warned. Asked if Starmer was trying to court Muslim voters, Trump said: “could be” the case.

Starmer issued his strongest rebuke to date of Trump’s actions in Iran, stating that the UK he did not believe in a “regime change from heaven.” He defended his decision not to allow the use of British bases to carry out the attacks.

However, the Prime Minister stated that the United Kingdom would allow the use of its bases “for defensive actions”in order to protect allied forces and nations in the Gulf and Middle East, affected by a wave of retaliatory attacks following the US and Israeli attacks against Iran. There are British and French defense agreements with the Gulf countrieswho do not have enough forces to defend themselves.

Starmer has previously been praised for his ability to maintain a good relationship with the volatile US president. But on Monday, in the House of Commons, the prime minister expressed doubts about the US action in Tehran and its legality.

“We all remember Iraq’s mistakes and we have learned those lessons. Any UK action always must have a legal basis and a viable plan and well thought out,” Starmer said. “That is the principle I applied to the decisions I made over the weekend.” The UK would not engage in “offensive attacks.”

For the first time, the war touched a European country: Cyprus. Starmer claimed in the Commons that the RAF had intercepted an Iranian drone attack heading towards a coalition base in Iraq, where British forces were stationed. They were also shot two drones against the British base in Cyprus, RAF Akrotiri, which Starmer said were launched ahead of Sunday night’s statement on the US’s use of British bases.

A Shahed-type drone breached Akrotiri’s air defenses on Monday, causing minor damage when it crashed on the runway, despite anti-drone units having been deployed to the scene. Two other approaching drones were intercepted later that day.

Cypriot sources said the drone that hit the runway is believed to have come from Lebanese territory controlled by Hezbollah, a pro-Iran allied group.

John Healey, British Defense Secretary, is considering send Royal Navy destroyer to Cyprus to help defend the British bases there: el HMS Duncanwhich is specialized in anti-drone operations. The ship would take between five and seven days to reach Cyprus from Portsmouth, as it travels at about 30 knots (55 km/h). The United States has not indicated how long it plans to continue bombing Iran, although on Monday night Donald Trump said the war could last. between four to five weeks.

France has already agreed to send a frigate and anti-drone systems to Cyprus, according to Cypriot government officials. Support has also been requested from Germany, which is considering it.

Iran has warned Europe not to participate in the war. “That will be an act of war. Any act of this type against Iran will be considered a gesture of complicity with the aggressors,” declared the spokesman for the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Esmaïl Baghaï, during a press conference in Tehran.

The European Union always supported a nuclear deal with Iran and worked on it.