this post was submitted on 02 Mar 2026
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79
UK will allow US to use bases to strike Iranian missile sites, says Starmer (www.bbc.co.uk)
submitted 3 weeks ago by bearboiblake@pawb.social to c/uk_politics@feddit.uk
29 comments fedilink hide all child comments
 

The UK has agreed to a US request to use British military bases for "defensive" strikes on Iranian missile sites, Sir Keir Starmer has said.

But the prime minister said the UK had learned lessons from the "mistakes of Iraq", and was not involved in the initial strikes on Iran and "will not join offensive action now".

Sir Keir said the basis of the decision to accept the US request was the "collective self-defence" of allies and protecting British lives, accusing Iran of pursuing a "scorched-earth strategy".

The BBC understands the US is likely to use RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire and Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean for strikes on Iranian missile sites.

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[–] bearboiblake@pawb.social 35 points 3 weeks ago (4 children)

Just to throw a bit of my opinion/analysis into the ring, I think this is only going to end in disaster. Allowing US/Israel to use UK military bases for their illegal war will make UK military bases, assets, and personnel, valid military targets for Iran and puts our people in danger, especially UK citizens in Gulf states.

There's also a high risk of escalation, considering that if our bases start being targeted for missile/drone strikes in the same way that military bases in GCC states have been targeted, the UK will be left with no choice but to actively defend those bases with military force.

We stand to gain no benefit whatsoever from taking this action. We should have stayed out of it, leave America & Israel to fight their pointless forever war on their lonesome.

[–] mrdown@lemmy.world 3 points 3 weeks ago

Those based was there for potentisl attack on Iran to begin with

[–] berg@lemmy.zip 3 points 3 weeks ago

the UK will be left with no choice

Doubt.

[–] gandhibobandhi@feddit.org -2 points 3 weeks ago

will make UK military bases, assets, and personnel, valid military targets for Iran

Iran is already treating them like valid military targets though.

[–] Eyekaytee@aussie.zone -2 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

There’s also a high risk of escalation

How much higher can it go right now?

Iran has the military might of a small micronation and appears to be spazzing out right now hitting bases all over the place pissing everyone in the region off

If they keep acting like this they're going to find the entire middle east + the west is against them

[–] bearboiblake@pawb.social 7 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago) (2 children)

How much higher can it go right now?

Well, the UK could go to war with Iran, for example.

Iran has the military might of a small micronation and appears to be spazzing out right now hitting bases all over the place pissing everyone in the region off

I can't say that I really agree with your assessment, IMO, Iran is actually a pretty capable military power (#13 in the world, according to GlobalMilitary.net), with two pretty powerful military forces (the IRGC and the Iranian military itself) and it has been penetrating the Iron Dome reliably. They've been pretty rationally targeting primarily US military bases across the GCC states, which historically have been at odds with Iran due to geopolitical and religious issues anyways - the attacks are very clearly deliberate and aimed to put pressure on the US to back down.

Honestly, I think it's a pretty decent strategy, better than I could have come up with, for sure. It's hard to say how successful it will be, obviously I don't know the full capabilities of any of the countries involved or how much pressure is on them logistically and economically speaking, but due to the nature of how Iran's military forces are structured, I honestly don't doubt they can go on lobbing bombs around the Gulf for at least a few weeks. There will be a lot of pressure on President Trump to cool the hostilities due to the conflict impacting trade in the region, particularly fossil fuel industries.

[–] Simon_M@feddit.uk 3 points 3 weeks ago

according to Global Military, the UK is only 1.5 above Iran whilst the USA is 24.8 above on their index. I find that concerning.

[–] Eyekaytee@aussie.zone -1 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

im absolutely certain they could keep lobbing bombs around, im just not sure how long they can keep doing it before they sufficiently get their heads kicked in after the EU decides enough is enough

https://aussie.zone/post/30190047

SA already unhappy

https://aussie.zone/post/30172766

and Qatar too

https://aussie.zone/post/30131384

Not sure Dubai is thrilled its airport has been hit nor how much money they’re losing with airports shut

but on top of this say UK goes to war with Iran? how does this impact you? obviously iran won’t be invading the UK any time soon

[–] bearboiblake@pawb.social 7 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago) (2 children)

Not sure Dubai is thrilled its airport has been hit nor how much money they’re losing with airports shut

Right - exactly. Iran is intentionally fucking up the bag for GCC states and hitting as many US-aligned military bases as possible, because that's how they exert maximum pressure on the imperial core to back down. Making continued profits is more important to everyone in the region than fucking up Iran, with only Israel as the sole exception. The question is, how far will it go before the pressure on Trump becomes too much for him to continue the war.

I think it's quite unlikely that we'll see anything like the Gulf War again - there's just no appetite for it. Nobody but Israel really has very much to gain from this conflict.

but on top of this say UK goes to war with Iran? how does this impact you?

Young people from my country will die. The more the war escalates, the greater the risk of ongoing terror attacks for decades, plus another refugee crisis in Europe. If Iran does get their head kicked in as you put it, that'll lead to the absolute worst outcome in that regard, basically this is how you get another ISIS, but even worse.

[–] mrdown@lemmy.world 4 points 3 weeks ago

Rhe guy you replying to is a zionist. He don't care about Iran at all

[–] Eyekaytee@aussie.zone -2 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago)

Making continued profits is more important to everyone in the region than fucking up Iran, with only Israel as the sole exception. The question is, how far will it go before the pressure on Trump becomes too much for him to continue the war.

Wha? Where are you seeing this?

This is what I'm seeing, nothing against the US, the gulf states are pissed at Iran for spazzing out

UAE Condemns in Strongest Terms Iran’s Blatant Missile Attacks Targeting the Country and Brotherly Nations

https://www.mofa.gov.ae/MediaHub/News/2026/2/28/UAE-Iran

UAE Announces Closure of Embassy in Tehran and Withdrawal of Ambassador and Diplomatic Mission, Condemns Iranian Missile Attacks

https://www.mofa.gov.ae/en/MediaHub/News/2026/3/1/UAE-iran

[–] ChaoticEntropy@feddit.uk 23 points 3 weeks ago

Cool... so whatever happens, the UK is once again complicit. We will engage in the defence of allies who are waging wars of aggression in the region.

[–] phutatorius@lemmy.zip 13 points 3 weeks ago

Can't be a real Blairite unless you spinelessly fall in line with a US war of aggression.

[–] echodot@feddit.uk 12 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Is he trying to get kicked out of office because it seems like he's trying to get kicked out of office.

What a pointless stupid decision.

[–] fox2263@lemmy.world 3 points 3 weeks ago

Seems like Labour have been speed running to get themselves sour of government.

[–] blackn1ght@feddit.uk 12 points 3 weeks ago

But the prime minister said the UK had learned lessons from the "mistakes of Iraq", and was not involved in the initial strikes on Iran and "will not join offensive action now".

Emphasis mine. Don't even think about it. Just stay the fuck out of it.

[–] brownsugga@lemmy.world 11 points 3 weeks ago (2 children)

To anyone a bit older than this OLD millennial (just hit 42) did it feel like this when Desert storm happened? I remember how fucked the post 9-11 wars were. Or is this actually as unprecedented as it feels?

[–] yeahiknow3@lemmy.dbzer0.com 5 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago) (2 children)

Unprecedented since support for the Iraq war was substantial, whereas literally nobody wants this war except the billionaire pedophiles.

[–] ChaoticEntropy@feddit.uk 6 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

I can think of one group that really really really wants this war... a certain ally in the region.

[–] phutatorius@lemmy.zip 3 points 3 weeks ago

"Ally."

[–] blackn1ght@feddit.uk 2 points 3 weeks ago

support for the Iraq war was substantial

Not how I remember it, there were over a million people marching in London protesting it.

[–] echodot@feddit.uk 5 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago) (1 children)

No this is different.

We'd already been attacked or at least the US had already been attacked, so Desert Storm was a response to that.

This is the UK prime minister serving the UK up on the silver platter. Just so he can continue to brown nose the most corrupt leader the US has ever had, one who has shown he would happily throw us under the bus if he thought it would benefit him. Or perhaps he would do it anyway, just because.

Potentially this could lead to an escalating war with Iran, with no upside. This decision should have been the easiest to make. Why are we getting involved in this war?

[–] wewbull@feddit.uk 4 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Desert Storm was the Iraq War under Clinton in the 90s.

The 2003 invasion of Iraq was "Operation Iraqi Freedom" 🤮.

[–] phutatorius@lemmy.zip 4 points 3 weeks ago

And Iraq never attacked the US or the UK.

[–] nialv7@lemmy.world 9 points 3 weeks ago

Sir Kid Starver is literally the dumbest people to ever lead a party.

[–] als@lemmy.blahaj.zone 9 points 3 weeks ago

Cool so we're happy to bomb schools again, after helping with it in Palestine? That tracks I guess 🫠

[–] moopet@sh.itjust.works 8 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Starmer hasn't learned any lessons from anything, ever.

[–] Bakkoda@lemmy.world 2 points 3 weeks ago

So teach him.

[–] Simon_M@feddit.uk 7 points 3 weeks ago

The UK should have kicked the USA out a long time ago.