Britain had to plead with US to take part in Iran flotilla

asianobserve

Tihar Jail
Banned
Joined
May 5, 2011
Messages
12,846
Likes
8,556
Country flag
By James Kirkup, Deputy Political Editor
The Telegraph
06 Feb 2012

Defence sources have revealed that the Americans only relented and allowed a Royal Navy frigate to join the mission following an intervention from Nicolas Sarkozy, the French president.

The revelation that US defence chiefs saw little military value in UK participation will raise new questions about Britain's international clout after Coalition defence cuts.

Amid rising tensions in the region, the Royal Navy last month deployed HMS Argyll, a Type 23 frigate, to the Gulf.
The ship accompanied a US carrier strike group made up of an aircraft carrier with a full complement of fighters, a heavy cruiser and several destroyers.

A French frigate, the La Motte-Picquet, was also part of the flotilla which sailed through the Straits of Hormuz. Iran has staged wargames in the area and threatened to block the straits, a vital supply route for oil exports.

The US also has another carrier strike group in the Gulf and a third heading for the region.

The disparity in vessel numbers means the British and French presence in the flotilla was of greater diplomatic than military significance.

The question of allied participation in the naval operation is understood to have triggered concern in Whitehall and led to a sudden shift in Britain's stance.

British ministers initially signalled they would accept the Washington's conclusion that did not need allies to take part.

But the British position changed after Mr Sazkozy insisted to the US that a French warship must be present in the flotilla.

Sources said that Philip Hammond, the defence secretary, concluded that if the French were sending a ship, Britain must do so too. His decision to was then endorsed by David Cameron, the Prime Minister.

Failing to take part when the French were doing so might have raised questions about the Special Relationship, which has come under doubt during Barack Obama's presidency. Mr Obama last year described France as America's closest ally.

A diplomatic source revealed that US commanders originally planned for an all-American naval operation, any only relented after protests from European leaders.

The source said: "The Americans originally planned to do it alone. They were clear that they saw no military advantage in having European ships taking part.

But after the President insisted that France had to be represented, ministers decided that "Britain must participate too, regardless of the military importance."

The source described the approach of France and Britain as "classic willy-waving", accusing the two countries of posturing to conceal their military irrelevance to the confrontation with Iran.

A Whitehall confirmed the sequence of events and described the international negotiations over the flotilla as "humiliating" for Britain.

After the French intervention, the UK Government "was basically forced to plead with Washington for the Navy to be allowed to tag along. " said the source.



Britain had to plead with US to take part in Iran flotilla - Telegraph
 

Godless-Kafir

DFI Buddha
Senior Member
Joined
Aug 21, 2010
Messages
5,842
Likes
1,837
Country flag
What a sick attitude the british have, everything is about being Jingo and chest thumping to show of to the world. I guess if you take off all the pride from Britian they will all commit mass suicide. This is the same attitude that shows of after giving Aid, this is childish way of looking at the world. There is no maturity or unconditional service to humanity.
 

Ray

The Chairman
Professional
Joined
Apr 17, 2009
Messages
43,132
Likes
23,834
The Britain - French are still adversaries.

The twain shall never meet!
 

asianobserve

Tihar Jail
Banned
Joined
May 5, 2011
Messages
12,846
Likes
8,556
Country flag
They want to punch above their weight... same with France. The latter got the lucky break in Lybia when Uncle allowed France to stage play the ops complete with unchallenged nuclear powered aircraft carrier... Sarko is just a better performer than Cameron.
 

Godless-Kafir

DFI Buddha
Senior Member
Joined
Aug 21, 2010
Messages
5,842
Likes
1,837
Country flag
They want to punch above their weight... same with France. The latter got the lucky break in Lybia when Uncle allowed France to stage play the ops complete with unchallenged nuclear powered aircraft carrier... Sarko is just a better performer than Cameron.
Its a matter of pride for them, when they are now struggling to stay relevant any longer.

The Sun never sets in the British empire, now it does not even raise for 8hours and its freezeing there. Soon the ice age will reappear in another 5,000years their History wont even be remembered and they may get pushed into the annals.
 

sob

Mod
Joined
May 4, 2009
Messages
6,425
Likes
3,805
Country flag
The Brits and the French will have to deploy more assets abroad, then only will they be taken seriously even by the Americans.

in the present context one Frigate each means that the Americans will have to baby sit the French and the British.
 

shuvo@y2k10

Senior Member
Joined
Apr 4, 2010
Messages
2,653
Likes
6,709
Country flag
with stunted economic growth both britain and france are becoming irrelevant players in global power equation but they refuse to come in terms with reality
mainly because of their pride in being colonial powers in previous centuries.
 

Latest Replies

Global Defence

New threads

Articles

Top