Macron sends ships to defend British bases

[HappyFace2025]

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

Yes, we're the ones with the important base in the region. I don't think it's unreasonable that those who may wish to benefit from that help to defend it.

Isn't this the point of alliances? We run the base, some of our European allies help to defend it. They're doing it because it's in their interests to have the base there, not for fun or to be nice.

And if what they're offering is considered adequate our resources and be used elsewhere.

Hopefully your wot version will only ever be an mn post.

We need to stop the benefits culture and invest in defence

I guess it is partly the point of alliances, yes. Though we are sending the HMS Dragon there next week

Sorry it’s a typo claNNing.

Who are you worried about seeing the British clanning up to defend their case?

The IRGC?

Everyone else is against them on this.

I'm genuinely struggling to think of a time when the two Sovereign bases got used (certainly to any significant amount) by our European allies...

I may be missrembering Even when the Lebanon/Beirut unpleasantness was in full swing I don't recall it being used by the French, and they were heavily involved...

FWIW I'm more exposed to the French MSM than the UK and the French take on this has been very much about assisting Cyprus and having assets in position in case French expats need extracting from the region, not about assisting the Brits or specifically protecting an allied airbase.

I think the idea that the French are putting assets in place to protect UK assets is mainly being floated by those wishing to stir up debate.

I'm sure Akrotiri is happy to take any cover tjat can be provided, but President Macron hasn't deployed assets primarily to protect the base...

I’m not particularly worried about anything but in no way would I want the British to be supporting aggression, the bombing of school children or the murder or removal of other countries leaders. Trump and Netanyahu do NOT have my support and are both dangerous, immoral aggressors.

Anyone with access to a map can see that a French ship based in Toulon will reach Cyprus before a ship based in Portsmouth even if it were possible to leave immediately. In reality they know that this is likely to take some time to resolve so they are stocking the ship and preparing for a longer mission knowing that a Greek ship is already in the region and the French arriving soon. This will not be a quick operation, alas. Better to send a fully stocked and equipped ship. The helicopters are travelling separately and will be there sooner (I presume getting a lift in an air freighter as it a lot of hops to Cyprus by helicopter!)

What do you think the Iranian people should do?

You say that as if the bombing of civilians is deliberate.
It invariably never is, with one caveat.
The only people who do set out to murder civilians are the radical Islamists.

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

@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.

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 ?