What is Trump up to re Fairford?

[Verbena91]

Wondering if anyone has any thoughts on this?
things we know to be true:

-US moved their bombers en-route back to the US so quickly that the aircraft had to have mid-air refuelling rather than be refuelled on the ground. This suggests haste, panic or an intent to generate panic.

-on the surface would appear to be a win Iran (verifying people’s fear of their potential to strike US bases / US allies) and also Putin. Is it though?

-BBC Frank Gardener points out inconsistencies - Rubio saying nothing unusual here, Trump saying there was a threat.

-the midterms are coming and he will try anything to stop the Republicans (himself) from losing his majority.

-war would entitle him to postpone the midterms.

so many questions.

Good riddance . . .

Not pro Trump but I’m slightly reeling that men can be arrested on terrorism charges and bailed!

Wonder how that plays in the US.

It seems like.the Americans dont trust the security around the base now. Those planes cost a lot of money.

Don’t care overmuch, just glad they’re gone. Reduces the risk to us, I’d have thought (though I expect they’ll be back at some point).

Modern warfare with drones makes bases like Fairford very vulnerable.

All 12 B1s could be wiped out with a well aimed strike. .

Not sure it does though. I was wondering if Putin struck a deal with Trump...

It's definitely in Putin's interest to have less US presence on our soil.
And it's definitely an advantage to Trump to "big up" the threat level, both for his war in Iran and his midterms "big October event".

It appears that the RAF base relied on local farmers to spot potential attacks. Maybe Trump just doesn't think that is an adequate warming system.

I'm not sure I'd say it s a win for Iran. It is definitely a loss for the UK.

How is it a loss for the UK?
Having US bombers here for the orange buffoons power crazy grand plans paints a target on us.
If he wants to fuck around and find out, that's on him. No need to drag us into it.
Bloody good riddance.

I am glad they are gone.
We shouldn't have USA military bases here because it essentially puts us as a target over things that are nothing to do with us.
(I say this as someone who grew up surrounded by American airbases)

I’m glad they’re gone too. No supporter of this war. But I’m wondering what he’s up to as it’s clearly not what it appears to be, and scuttling off like that is highly unusual.

If the military can't even defend their own RAF bases how on earth are they going to defend anything else.

Is it not up to the civvie police/ counter terrorism to conduct operations outside the base, and the RAF personnel within the fences?
We don't have armed soldiers patrolling outside bases in the UK.
The event at Fairford is not quite the same as terrorists attempting to breach the perimeter.

Why do you hold such little faith in our armed forces abilities? Yes, we have greatly depleted forces now, numbers and equipment wise, but training is of the highest standards.

I gathered from the mentions I've heard in podcasts that the reason they have been bailed is because there's rather more evidence that they were buggering around with some sort of prank, or potentially trying to steal fuel or equipment from a farm, and not actually of fearsome intent at all and nothing to do with Iran?

As for him taking them back all of a sudden. Well, he's a showman and I think he's making a statement to us and NATO.
He thinks we're incompetent when it comes to defence and his nose was put out of joint when the terrorist suspects were bailed. I guess he thought he's doing us a favour by us allowing the US to fly out of Fairford.
He's an idiot. He cannot undermine the whole British legal system just because he thinks he can do whatever he wants on his home soil.
So now he's stamping his feet and having a little hissy, and tough shit.
Whatever our 'special relationship' was with the US, its clearly not working under the Trump administration. He can't just paint a target on us, expect us to be grateful, and always defer to "what would Trump do?" thinking.