Subject: Re: Starmer chooses his side: Iran
Again, no. Europe as a whole is a joke in terms of its ability to defend itself. This has zero to do with us asking them to be able to stand on their own and everything to do with Trump telling Starmer his deal for the Chagos Islands is a horrible idea. Which it is. Unquestionably.

You might have the timing backwards. Guardian reports that Trump reversed course on Chagos because the UK didn't let the US use the airbases, rather than the other way 'round. Trump had decided to support the Chagos deal as "the best the UK could get," more or less - but retracted that support in response to the UK not letting us launch against Iran from UK bases:

https://www.theguardian.com/wo...