Britain rejects US request to use UK bases

[questionmark]

Britain has rebuffed US pleas to use military bases in the UK to support the build-up of forces in the Gulf, citing secret legal advice which states that any pre-emptive strike on Iran could be in breach of international law.

The Guardian has been told that US diplomats have also lobbied for the use of British bases in Cyprus, and for permission to fly from US bases on Ascension Island in the Atlantic and Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean, both of which are British territories.

The US approaches are part of contingency planning over the nuclear standoff with Tehran, but British ministers have so far reacted coolly. They have pointed US officials to legal advice drafted by the attorney general's office which has been circulated to Downing Street, the Foreign Office and the Ministry of Defence.

Read more

The poodle snarling?

[Space Commander Travis]

Mr. Cameroon anticipating the result of the Election? that the Aggressive Military Force gunslinger will hang his stetson up in the Oval office*?

* Mr. Romney might not actually wear a Stetson, but it's a metaphor or allegory

[questionmark]

Mr. Cameroon anticipating the result of the Election? that the Aggressive Military Force gunslinger will hang his stetson up in the Oval office*?

* Mr. Romney might not actually wear a Stetson, but it's a metaphor or allegory

The other possibility is that Mr. Cameron is more pan-European than admitted.

[None of the above]

The poodle snarling?

We don't want any more unnecessary wars.

It's really that simple.

No more phoney WMD, no more lies to drag us into illegal wars.

No more lies about 'liberation', no more 'shock and awe'.

No more, no way, no thanks.

At the moment we don't see Iran as the threat that some do. If that changes then we will revisit the decision, but I hope that we will only ever again go to war with a heavy heart and as a last resort.

[None of the above]

Mr. Cameroon anticipating the result of the Election? that the Aggressive Military Force gunslinger will hang his stetson up in the Oval office*?

* Mr. Romney might not actually wear a Stetson, but it's a metaphor or allegory

Cameron knows he can't win an election by dragging us into another ill advised foreign adventure.

He's not Thatcher, and Iran isn't the Falklands.

[Sir Wearer of Hats]

The poodle snarling?

More the bulldog rousing from it's stupor.

[JGirl]

glad to hear it - good for them!

[stevewinn]

People might have seen Israeli prime minister at the UN the other day with his diagram of a bomb and the drawing of a red line. now people are suspecting a strike on Iran sometime in the spring.

The UK stance is reasonable, we'll only act with UN backing. nothing more to it really, its that simple and i doubt the US will act without UN backing. - my thoughts are the Israelis will go it alone with a preemptive strike. like they did with Saddam and his nuclear program. we could see Israel attack Iran and Turkey move on Syria,

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=2295792449224502914

[bee]

.

in the OP link it says that no FORMAL request has been made....so I'm guessing this is just political maneuvering...

aimed at the British Audience.

?

also from the OP link...

The situation reflects the lack of appetite within Whitehall for the UK to be drawn into any conflict, though the Royal Navy has a large presence in the Gulf in case the ongoing diplomatic efforts fail.

The navy has up to 10 ships in the region, including a nuclear-powered submarine. Its counter-mine vessels are on permanent rotation to help ensure that the strategically important shipping lanes through the Strait of Hormuz remain open.

The Guardian has been told that a British military delegation with a strong navy contingent flew to US Central Command headquarters in Tampa, Florida, earlier this summer to run through a range of contingency plans with US planners.

Again...no formal request has been made..re the bases....so Britain hasn't actually rejected the request..?

.

[questionmark]

.

in the OP link it says that no FORMAL request has been made....so I'm guessing this is just political maneuvering...

aimed at the British Audience.

?

also from the OP link...

Again...no formal request has been made..re the bases....so Britain hasn't actually rejected the request..?

.

There are many request forms, formal is when there is an exchange of diplomatic notes, any thing below that level, including a phone call from the prezz is informal.

[Coffey]

We don't want any more unnecessary wars.

It's really that simple.

No more phoney WMD, no more lies to drag us into illegal wars.

No more lies about 'liberation', no more 'shock and awe'.

No more, no way, no thanks.

At the moment we don't see Iran as the threat that some do. If that changes then we will revisit the decision, but I hope that we will only ever again go to war with a heavy heart and as a last resort.

Well said, I am surprised at Cameron though, he liked to get his nose right up there when he can. Maybe he was actually hurt by Obama saying he liked the French Prime Minister more. LOL

[+and-then]

When the time is ripe Israel will do what they feel must be done. As her ally the US will help - at least I think Obama will. With him one cannot be sure of anything except that he'll spend more money. The other western countries may be punished by a "righteously" angry Islamic Iran. But then, they may get "punished " anyway just for being infidels so what difference does it make?

[zenfahr]

When the time is ripe Israel will do what they feel must be done. As her ally the US will help - at least I think Obama will. With him one cannot be sure of anything except that he'll spend more money. The other western countries may be punished by a "righteously" angry Islamic Iran. But then, they may get "punished " anyway just for being infidels so what difference does it make?

I think it better that we let Israel stand alone.

[skookum]

Didn't Cameroon state this before he became PM? I sure he said Britain was not going to be dragged into wars all around the globe.

[Oppono Astos]

Given Cameron's track record for U-turns, I wouldn't hold my breath that he doesn't ultimately follow Thatcher on this matter.

[questionmark]

Given Cameron's track record for U-turns, I wouldn't hold my breath that he doesn't ultimately follow Thatcher on this matter.

Bambi's popularity was going well until he decided to join Dubya in some adventures.

[Space Commander Travis]

Bambi's popularity was going well until he decided to join Dubya in some adventures.

Indeed, the Falklands Factor worked for Mrs. T because it was British territory that was invaded, not just because the British like a good military adventure in faraway lands. That's what the Idiot forgot.

[Guest]

It slowly dawned on the British people that placing your faith in a messianic religious fanatic might be a bit of a mistake. Guided by the voice of God tends to end in bad foreign policy decisions - especially in the Middle East.

Br Cornelius