Macron sends ships to defend British bases

[HappyFace2025]

So we are reliant on our nearest European neighbour to defend our bases in Cyprus 🤔

Tut, we need to stop dithering and get a warship there - apparently HMS Duncan, the most likely choice, will take about a week to arrive if it leaves today.

Anyway, thanks Macron. He is sending French ships and planes to defend RAF Akrotiri from Iranian attacks.

Greece dispatched four F-16 fighter jets to the island on Monday. Two frigates, one equipped with its anti-drone Centauros jamming system, were also sailing to Cyprus.

Macton is posturing to toady to the US (that he has previously derided on the fashionable ‘Anti-Trump’ woke agenda) because he v is toast next year and trying to play now with the big boys to get a role.
Blatant opportunism, but, hey, that’s him ..

He doesn't need to 'toady' to anyone -
he has nothing to gain as he won't be president after next year's elections!

I think it might be to make a point that we have other allies even without US.
obviously we might need American force at some point in the future, but right now I think it’s a strong message to send that we do have European allies willing to help in our defence.
this war is so much bigger than Iran.
it’s about Israel posturing that America has their back. Neither are states that, currently, we should look toward for any moral piety.

Which is precisely why he needs to toady in the hope of a Blairish sinecure.

Who do you think will offer him a 'Blairite sinecure'? He's more likely interested in the EU than America. I must ask my French DP what he thinks is the reason behind Macron's decision.

Who knows @HappyFace2025 maybe he's just trying to do a decent thing and help to protect RAF Akrotiri with no agenda.

When the chips are down, Europeans & their allies tend to stick together.

NATO, innit ?

Yes 😀

Hopefully this will trigger some serious spending on Defence.

Apparently the HMS Dragon isn’t even leaving until next week and will then take a fortnight to get to Cyprus 🤦‍♀️

Edited as thought it was HMS Duncan but just read it’s HMS Dragon.

Surely we are looking for calm slow response to deescalate not frantic scurrying towards war? We have quite enough aggression in the region.

But this is the defence of our own base?

I doubt it.

While I agree with you in principle Iran is bombing everywhere there are American interests, as well as the intercepted strikes on Cyprus (ours) and other ME countries, so they are already 'frantically scurrying'. Modern day warfare is in the skies and is faster than previously it seems.

I don’t think it’s a prevarication I think it’s a strategic position. We will not be pulled into this nonsense because Trump woke up one morning and thought he’d just have a little murder and destroy to create peace.

I think the French have shown they will protect Cyprus and their presence is far more calming than ours would be.

As far as I’m concerned the Spanish are the impressive ones.

Serious question ... why will the French being at our airbase in Cyprus (in a defensive capacity) be a far more calming presence?

Because the French piling in with Trump doesn’t have the same punch as the British clamming up. The French are part of the EU and have countries like Spain etc pulling on the brakes behind. It is easier for them to have their hands tied by circumstance.

'As far as I'm concerned the Spanish are the impressive ones'
Let's hope Spain doesn't need help from the EU or NATO in the future then as people have long memories.

I'm desperately trying not stir up too much controversy this AM,.honest, but I think the thread title is slightly misleading.

The French deployed to assist the Cypriot government, the fact that Akrotiri
might get a bit of cover as a result is a side effect.

Also worth bearing in mind there's still a lot of French influence and quite a few French expats in the region so it's no surprise they are moving ships to the eastern Med.

What do you mean by the British clamming up?

This is how I took it. Eurpoe taking care of business.

Where are the ships stationed?

Alternatively the press are just reporting what the MoD want reported. I take it that even somewhere as backward as Iran* can rustle up someone who can read English

*That's a "joke".

"Help from NATO"

wot, like the US in 2001 you mean ? The only country to have ever invoked article 5