Britain Must Resist Being Dragged Into Trump and Netanyahu's War on Iran
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/profile/simonjenkins. "This is a key moment in the war on Iran – and Starmer must resist the UK being dragged into it any further | Simon Jenkins | The Guardian." March 20, 2026. www.theguardian.com
The Gist
Jenkins argues that Britain should stay out of the US-Israeli war against Iran because it's not Britain's fight and will likely end badly. He says this war is really about Trump and Netanyahu's political problems, not genuine security threats, and Britain has a terrible track record when it gets involved in these kinds of military adventures.
Conclusion
Britain should refuse to participate in or support the US-Israeli military campaign against Iran
Premises
- This war was initiated by Trump and Netanyahu for their own political purposes, not legitimate security concerns
- Britain's security is not remotely threatened by Iran, making military involvement unjustified
- Britain has a deplorable recent record of judging and attempting to replace foreign regimes through military force
- Aerial bombardment offers no effective solution to containing modern terrorism
- Trump's claims about Iran being an imminent nuclear threat are false, similar to Bush's WMD claims about Iraq
- Britain's involvement follows the same pattern of 'strategic seduction' that led to disastrous outcomes in Afghanistan and Iraq
- Britain should have learned from the 1956 Suez fiasco that imperial interventions are counterproductive
Assumptions
- Military intervention is generally ineffective at achieving stated political goals
- Britain's 'special relationship' with the US often leads to harmful foreign policy decisions
- Leaders like Trump and Netanyahu act primarily from self-interest rather than genuine security concerns
- Britain should prioritize its own national interests over alliance obligations
- Historical precedents (Iraq, Afghanistan, Suez) are reliable predictors of future outcomes