Posted on 07/22/2019 12:50:19 PM PDT by Mariner
ONDON (AP) — Britain announced plans Monday to develop and deploy a Europe-led “maritime protection mission” to safeguard shipping in the vital Strait of Hormuz in light of Iran’s seizure of a British-flagged tanker in the waterway last week.
Briefing Parliament on the budding crisis, Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt accused Iran of “an act of state piracy” that must be met with a coordinated international reaction.
Iranian officials have suggested the Stena Impero was seized and taken to an Iranian port in response to Britain’s role in seizing an Iranian oil tanker two weeks earlier off the coast of Gibraltar, a British overseas territory located on the southern tip of Spain.
Hunt announced precious few details of the proposed protection mission, but said Britain’s European allies will play a major role in keeping shipping lanes open. One-fifth of all global crude exports passes through the narrow strait between Iran and Oman.
The foreign secretary said Iran must understand that its actions will only lead to a bigger Western military footprint in the region.
“It is with a heavy heart that we are announcing this increased international presence in the Gulf, because the focus of our diplomacy has been on de-escalating tensions in the hope that such changes would not be necessary,” Hunt said.
(Excerpt) Read more at apnews.com ...
The EU does not have enough ships to provide a continuous presence in the Gulf.
ESPECIALLY when Iran knows none of them will fire in anger.
Read the first sentence of your posted article.
Did they get permission from their new Global Warming Leader Ursula von der Leyen ?
With a Heavy Heart, Jeremy?? YOU are a WUSS!
I thought Brexit was supposed to withdraw the UK from foreign entanglements with the EU...
I'm confused...
The Yurps? A credible threat of force?
Don’t make me laugh.
“With a Heavy Heart, Jeremy?? YOU are a WUSS!”
Thus ensuring Boris Johnson is the next PM.
By taking a “hands off” approach, Trump is now exposing the feckless EU population that their leadership is leading them to hell in a handbasket.
Since you make knee-jerk comments please read the latest about the HMS Montrose.
Read the first sentence.
Aw, c’mon, the French are whizards at this sort of thing.
State your point.
Apparently, PM May refused President Trump’s offer to help last week. Good! And I do hope President Trump tells them that they are on their own.
The United States has a longstanding commitment to freedom of navigation, to be sure, and has the assets in place to participate. But it isn't, and shouldn't be, our show.
GOOD!
This is as it should be. Let the UK handle it.
Awwww, Jeremy, whatsa matta, did those smelly diaper heads refuse to play nicely with you, you clueless, gutless wanker. Wellington's troopers at Waterloo are spinning like Dervishes in their graves.
Oh please, some one in Britain get that super sensitive
guy some Kleenex to cry on. It's terrible that his feelings
are hurt and his "heart is heavy."
He doesn’t have one.
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