I doubt any rational person believes that the Iranian terror regime should be left to murder and torture its citizens and export its vile hate filled dogma throughout the world. It should have been dealt with decades ago and the west is guilty of ignoring opportunities to do so. When Trump encouraged Iranians to demonstrate telling them, 'Help is on the way', 30,000 Men. Women and Children, perhaps many more, died because he did not turn up to this own party invitation.
When, finally, the US acted it was rather more that of being Israel's tail than a well-thought-out plan that involved regime change. No thought was given to Iranian capability, to their ability to choke of shipping via the Strait of Hormuz. Trump had boasted that his earlier action had destroyed Iranian nuclear ambition. Suddenly in a Starmeresque U Turn that was not true. Matching the religious fanaticism of the Mullahs, Trump's team sent their Christian Warriors on a mission of Epic Fury and Total Oblivion. Except, embarrassingly it's not. Perhaps all world leaders should be required to read Aesop's 'The Boy Who Cried Wolf' before taking office. Putin, China and the Ayatollahs must be wetting themselves with laughter.
The UK is in a position of extreme embarrassment. Successive governments have hollowed out our military to the point that it is barely operational. Our brave servicemen and women are persecuted by Human Rights Lawyers. Starmer announced that he would arrest Russian shadow fleet tankers entering the channel. Putin sent a war ship to escort them and Starmer left the country for 'peace' talks in the Gulf. Putin laughs and is entitled to.
We are vulnerable and have made the mistake of believing the US would always be there for us. History teaches a different lesson. While the Cold War raged and the USSR threatened global peace the US had no choice but to use Europe as its first line of defence. Times change, and it seems that Trump and Putin are firm friends.
Britain bankrolled the world when they fought to be free of the French and Bonaparte. We bankrolled Europe in the first world war. We did the same in the second and even when bust we gave succour to de Gaulle and many others without demanding a 'deal'. When the USSR entered the war we risked life and limb to supply and help them.
The USA is rather different. The new Republic had a treaty with France. When war started between Britain and France the French asked the Americans to honour the treaty. "You are not the people we made the treaty with", was the excuse for them declining to do so. Almost all US trade was with Britain and the Empire, but they sat out WW1 making lots of money until German attacks on US civilians got so bad they had no choice but to join in. The horrible intent of Hitler and the Japanese Empire was obvious and known to all. The US preferred to clutch its pearls, whine about neutrality and bleed us dry. When the stone had no more blood and the Japanese proved what everyone knew about them, the US joined. Toward the end of WW2 the US ganged up with Stalin against Churchill, Why, is not clear. In 1956 when Socialist Nasser broke his treaty and nationalised the Suez Canal, Eisenhower sided with Nasser. He lit a fuse that is blowing up in Trump's face today. It is quite simple. The USA acts in its own interests. If we had followed the same sensible policy we would be better off today.
How a man who seemingly is unable to tell the difference between Offensive and Defensive got elected President of the USA is a mystery. When the US was attacked President Bush asked for help and NATO responded. The USA has not been attacked. Certainly it is true that NATO partners, the UK included, do not spend enough on defence. Despite always hitting the NATO target our expenditure is nowhere near where it should be. As the table below shows there are different ways of presenting figures. In cash terms the UK is the third-biggest contributor. In GDP per Capita the Luxembourg police force beats everyone except Norway.
The lesson and one we must learn very quickly is that we cannot rely on others. We are capable of developing systems that will defend our Island and those overseas for whom we are responsible. We can and should learn from Ukraine. To those who claim that Might always win, we can point to Ukraine, and further back to Vietnam. The Uni-Party has written us off. We need to make clear that we will not accept that.
