The last player selected in the NFL draft is traditionally referred to as “Mr. Irrelevant,” although it isn’t always true. But the real Mr. Irrelevant is British Prime Minister Keir Starmer:
The United Kingdom will not be dragged into war in the Middle East, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said in a press conference on Wednesday.
“This is not our war. We will not be drawn into the conflict,” Starmer said.
Let me reassure you, Keir: no one has any interest in dragging you into this or any other conflict.
Instead, Starmer said the UK will be “exploring each and every diplomatic avenue” in order to push for de-escalation and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.
As President Trump said tonight, the conflict is going to de-escalate shortly. It will de-escalate because we will have achieved our goal of degrading Iran’s military capabilities beyond quick repair. It most assuredly will not de-escalate because of any amount of diplomatic “pushing” Starmer and others might do.
The UK has now brought together 35 nations “with intent to push, as one, for maritime security across the Gulf,” Starmer added.
Maritime security will be brought about by military force, which the U.K. has no apparent ability to bring to bear. The Strait of Hormuz will soon be open for all shipping, because the U.S. Air Force will destroy all of Iran’s power plants if it isn’t. (I am pretty sure that is the “deal” Trump referred to in his speech tonight.) The idea that 35 nations could successfully “push, as one” to reopen the Strait, without bringing to bear effective military force, is fatuous.
I think one aspect of the current Iran conflict is that it has shed light on what allies are, and are not, worth having. The Israelis are a valuable ally. If called upon, they can fight. The British, the French, the Germans, the rest of the Europeans? My impression is that they are not just unwilling to contribute, they are unable to do so.
