Allies Balk as US Makes Case for Iran War

As the Trump Administration continues to repeat their claims of Iranian threats justifying a buildup in the Middle East, a number of US allies, particularly European allies, are balking at the narrative, noting the claims of threats are nothing new, and don’t seem any more real than they ever were.

All the US war rhetoric and war plans are making these nations uncomfortable. European militaries are looking to rapidly disentangle themselves from the US military before a shooting war starts.

Germany and the Netherlands were both quick to suspend military missions in Iraq, citing a generally heightened level of tensions, but no concrete threat posed by Iran. Spain was even more dramatic in extricating itself from US involvement, withdrawing a frigate from the US-led carrier strike group that officials deployed to the Persian Gulf.

A war with Iran would benefit no one, and while the Trump Administration insists they don’t want war, European officials are increasingly frank about the reality of the situation, that the moves escalating tensions between the US and Iran are coming out of Washington, not Tehran.