Starmer Should Have Denied US Access to British Bases for Iran Bombing Campaign
Source: Steve Howell. "Keir Starmer Wasted His Chance to Stand Up to the US." March 13, 2026. jacobin.com
The Gist
The author argues that Britain's Prime Minister Starmer should have refused to let America use British military bases to bomb Iran. He claims Starmer is too weak to stand up to the US, even though most British people oppose the war and the bases have been used for questionable military actions in the past.
Conclusion
Keir Starmer wasted an opportunity to stand up to the US by allowing American forces to use British military bases for bombing Iran, demonstrating cowardice and subservience to American imperial power
Premises
- The US bombing campaign against Iran relies heavily on British military bases including RAF Lakenheath, RAF Fairford, and Diego Garcia
- Starmer's claim that British bases are only being used for 'defensive' purposes is a sham because the UK has no way to control where bombers actually drop their cargo
- British public opinion opposes US military action against Iran, with 59% opposition according to YouGov polling
- Diego Garcia's use is legally questionable since the International Court of Justice ruled in 2019 that the UK must end its administration of the Chagos Archipelago
- Diego Garcia has a tainted history of being used for regime-change wars and as a staging post for rendition operations to Guantanamo Bay
- There is growing antiwar sentiment in the UK, with even far-right Reform UK retreating from supporting Trump's war
- Alternative political figures like Jeremy Corbyn and the Green Party are calling for parliamentary approval of base usage and disentanglement from US military operations
Assumptions
- Standing up to the US on military matters is morally necessary and politically feasible for the UK
- The Iran bombing campaign constitutes an unjust imperial war rather than legitimate defense
- Public opinion should guide foreign policy decisions on military cooperation
- Historical precedent of base misuse predicts current misuse
- Parliamentary sovereignty should extend to approving foreign military operations from UK territory