I think it's safe to say that our European allies have shown themselves to be pretty feckless when it comes to responding to the threats from the Iranian regime.
After 47 years of the regime promoting terror and oppressing their own people, they moved to cut off free navigation in the Strait of Hormuz after being hit by the U.S. and Israel. Now that's not really an attack on us because we don't ship much through the area, although it does affect things like oil prices for us. But they're impeding ships from all over the world, attacking them and attacking their Gulf neighbors.
What has been the response of the world? Precious little action. The U.N. voted down a resolution from Bahrain to deal with it, even on a purely defensive basis. Our European allies spent a lot of time talking about it and pontificating. They spent more time speaking against us than they did against the regime.
This week, the European allies took some more performative action. As we reported, France sent their only aircraft carrier, the Charles de Gaulle, with a strike group to the region.
READ MORE: New: French Carrier Charles de Gaulle Now Headed for Hormuz for Possible Free Passage Role
Now, the British have sent a ship, the HMS Dragon, a destroyer, to the region.
HMS Dragon, a type 45 destroyer, will "pre-position" in the region ahead of its "potential role" in what the Ministry of Defence (MoD) described as a "strictly defensive and independent" mission.
Sir Keir Starmer, who together with French president Emmanuel Macron is championing the mission, has said the shipping mission would only take place once fighting in the region ends.
But since they don't intend to use those assets until the fighting is over, apart from being performative to look like they're doing something, what is the point? I suppose it's a minimal signal to Iran that their ambitions to take over control of the state, post the military action, could face some issues.
This is despite a British airbase being hit by a drone in Cyprus in March.
Back in the 1980s, during the Tanker Wars, Belgium, France, Italy, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom actually participated in escorts and minesweeping to safeguard transit against Iran. That's what they should be doing now. But now they don't seem to care about doing enough, even to fully defend their own interests being free through the Strait.
A strong world response at the outset would have nipped this new terrorism in the bud. But instead, the U.N couldn't even get its act together on a resolution put forth by Bahrain, in part, as we explained, because France was acting like a weak-kneed surrender monkey. That was voted down in April.
READ MORE: Our 'Ally' France Just Made Another Incredible Move Regarding the Strait
But if all that wasn't feckless enough, you wouldn't believe what happened on Sunday.
Kazem Gharibabadi, Iran’s deputy foreign minister, said earlier that any French or British naval deployment in or around the strait would face a “decisive and immediate response” from the Iranian armed forces.
So what was French President Emmanuel Macron's response to that Iranian threat? This is next-level, even for long-term surrender monkeys.
French President Emmanuel Macron on Sunday ruled out any unilateral French military deployment in the Strait of Hormuz without consultation with Iran, while reaffirming Paris’ readiness to support efforts aimed at restoring maritime traffic in the strategic waterway.
“A French deployment was never considered,” Macron told a press conference in Nairobi alongside Kenyan President William Ruto.
Macron reiterated, however, that France “stands ready” to help allow the resumption of maritime traffic in the Strait of Hormuz “in coordination with Iran.”
They're not going to do anything to stop Iran, except in coordination with Iran? So what is Macron even talking about? How does that even make sense? This is so French, just rolling over in the face of a threat from Iran.
This is just going to embolden Iran and make them see how weak the European response is.
At this point, I don't think I'd want any coordination with the French to deal with Iran, even if they offered it, since they can't even hold up for the feckless option they were proposing of ensuring free navigation after the fighting is over.
