Macron sends ships to defend British bases

That’s a switch up. So now it’s too late?

The question was what should Iranians do about their situation instead?

If I knew the answer to that I would have let the Iranians know a few decades ago.

Answer me this: if the answer to the agony of the Iranians' situation is for Trump and Netanyahu to start a war, why have they waited so long to do so? Why have they let the Iranian people suffer for so long?

@EasternStandard are you happy to go and fight the Iranian regime?

That’s good. The question was what should Iranians do about their situation instead?

If no one acted should they just wait out a few more decades of oppression or..?

It’s fine if you say yes you’re ok with that, it’s a position some will take, I’m wondering if you do

Blimey.

Well, given that one of the RAF Regiment’s roles is base defence, I’m a bit surprised that they weren’t already in Cyprus based on events over the last six - twelve months, or that they didn’t/ can’t get one or two Sky Saber batteries air lifted out - that’s what the things are for. While it might look impressive to have a ship deployed, I’m not sure it’s totally necessary, given that the threat is primarily from a few drones from Lebanon. It’s not even as if it would be much use for evacuation of UK citizens from Israel and I’m assuming we wouldn’t be sending it through the Suez Canal to the Gulf.

I dunno. Depends how performatively thick you are being.

There is a rule of thumb that I just made up that states the number of options you can derive from a given set of circumstances stands in direct proportion to your intelligence. The fewer you can find, the dimmer you are.

The grossest act was October 7th.
None of the subsequent deaths would have happened were it not for Hamas.

Israel will prevail.

People not wanting the UK to get involved in offensive action doesn't equal support for the regime in Iran.

Aside from the practical difficulties of having fighters on CAP 24/7 or on readiness state not a lot for an indeterminate period - and with your background you'll know the limitations of that, you'd need look at what the RAF, specifically the RAF Regiment have in the way of suitable equipment...

The Army might have something useful but if they have whether it would be deployed....way above any paygrade I ever had.

It's another case of follow the money or lack of it.

It's curious how after well over a decade of fierce discussion and demonstration of the various biases and blatant mendaciousness of the UK media, all of a sudden any "news" about military operations is treated as gospel.

Since Churchill has frequently been invoked, folk would do well to recall his observation of the orders of casualties in war.

I’ve been wondering that too!

Spain is sticking with what the Spanish people made very clear after the second Iraq war.

Hardly a way to run a country, Imagine Britain doing that ?

@HappyFace2025
Spain is sticking woth what the Spanish people made very clwar after the second Iraq war. Spain joined in, assisting UK and US, with at least two ships. For what I remember from the top of my head.
Well, that did not fall well within the Spanish population, at all.
Add to that serious concerns on how our military personnel was treated during the transportation up and down the Mediterranean. It ended with a dodgy plane that was transporting soldiers crashing. The families were concerned about the reamains that they were given to bury. DNA was done and, yeap, they were given random remains. The accident was bad indeed.
Then, the very same stupid president, who was already in serious trouble, had the stupid idea to get an ambassador slightly involved in a coup in Soith America. Now that he was best friends with the big guys, he thought.....
The government fell so hard on those elections. From cloud 7 to the ground, speed of light!
It was clear that is not in the population's heart.
If it is after consultations and talks, Spain will be there.
Joining random actions, nope!
It is their right and they are not afraid to exercise it.

The Iranians seem to be celebrating whilst mners make dry quips re international law from the safety of their homes in the U.K.

Really it’s decades more of oppression and violence by the regime or something else happens.

I do know posters who seem to be hoping it fails for them are not helping.

As an ex RN warfare officer, a better question might be “why couldn’t the RAF defend their own base from a single (or multiple) drones?” Why weren’t they on alert the minute they saw the US/ Israeli forces in motion - not like they weren’t there for several weeks.

It's hard not to feel a tad harassed here. As someone with not agency or influence in my own home, let alone across the vast unimaginable chasms of international geopolitics, it's neither my place, nor my desire to spout inane hare brained ideas that would fail before the sound reached the walls. I leave that to politicians.

If I were in Iran, right now, I would be trying to quietly disappear into thin air. Or as close to as is possible while there is clearly no idea what is happening where.

Whether or not that is possible, practical, or indeed insensitive I cannot say.

I can say that being asked that question again will simply elicit the above reply, possibly with a couple of extra words.

What should Iranians do @SerendipityJane?

It’s nice to be on mumsnet in the UK talking about international law but it doesn’t really tally with the choices of Iranian people. Another few decades of the brutal regime or…?

Any views on what they should do

Dresden ? Coventry ? The Blitz ? The carpet bombing of Vietnam, Korea, Cambodia (illegally, as you will all remember).

Civilians being deliberately targeted in wars is hardly a new thing.

Given international law protects the Iranian state over the people what should they do instead?

The US has violated international war by bombing Iran, of course Spain will receive help and support from the EU and if NATO if needed in the future. They have done nothing wrong.

Cyprus in the the EU. France is the EU. They are looking after their fellow EU citizens first and foremost.

Macron just did a big speech on how France is upping it's nuclear arsenal and is positioning itself to be the nuclear umbrella for Europe. For years he has been advocating for strategic autonomy and now with Trump it's clear we can't depend on the US.

www.rfi.fr/en/france/20260303-what-could-macron-s-french-nuclear-umbrella-mean-for-europe

Spain has offered too.
It makes some sense. They are just by there and we are all real allies.

Have you listened to any Iranians speak? What would you advise them to do instead?

Ahhh you’ve been asleep or in a trance and missed the huge numbers of civilians killed in the last few years in the Middle East predominantly by Israel? Or are you perhaps someone who believes lobbing a bomb into a family home or any built up area where people’s innocent children and families are isn’t deliberate because you were hoping to kill one particular person????

gross