Posted on 02/20/2026 4:07:59 AM PST by Rummyfan
Two random-ish headlines from today's Times - London, that is, not New York. First:
UK blocking Trump from using RAF bases for strikes on Iran The disagreement over the use of British sites is behind the US president's withdrawal of support for the Chagos Islands deal
Second:
Andrew's arrest is the worst constitutional crisis in a century The King has to deal with a far bigger threat than have any of his recent forebears
In the scheme of things, these are the same story. Almost everything is these days.
Set aside for the moment whether the Pentagon bombing Iran will accomplish any meaningful strategic objectives of the United States. I am not myself persuaded - and, granted that Lindsey Graham has the ear of the President and I don't, the last three-quarters of a century of comprehensively bungled warmongering suggests how moving on from Pushtun goatherds to Putin's drones to nuclear mullahs is likely to work out. Be that as it may, if you account for forty per cent of the entire planet's military spending, it would be nice to be able to use some of "your" bases.
RAF Fairford, for example, despite its name, is the USAF's only airfield for heavy bombers in Britain and Europe. In essence, the Yanks run the joint - save for the Brits having a yea or nay on its use for combat operations and getting to hold the Royal International Air Tattoo there every July. Thus, in April 1986 the Ministry of Defence had to sign off on President Reagan's punitive bombing of Libya in retaliation for Colonel Gaddafi's attack on a West Berlin discothèque frequented by American soldiers. Four decades later, Keir Starmer is taking time out of his hectic schedule of undertipping his Ukrainian rent-boys in order to deny similar permission to Reagan's successor.
(Excerpt) Read more at steynonline.com ...
Dear FRiends,
We need your continuing support to keep FR funded. Your donations are our sole source of funding. No sugar daddies, no advertisers, no paid memberships, no commercial sales, no gimmicks, no tax subsidies. No spam, no pop-ups, no ad trackers.
If you enjoy using FR and agree it's a worthwhile endeavor, please consider making a contribution today:
Click here: to donate by Credit Card
Or here: to donate by PayPal
Or by mail to: Free Republic, LLC - PO Box 9771 - Fresno, CA 93794
Thank you very much and God bless you,
Jim
Demographics always wins
Demographics always wins
++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Those percentages of Muslims listed by Steyn in his article are proof that Britain is toast. The critical 20% means there is no turning back. What is going to happen when they get their hands on the nuclear arsenal?
The British strategic nuclear arsenal is all sitting on top of American maintained Trident SLBMs.
UK blocking Trump from using RAF bases for strikes on Iran
Then the United States should politely remove it’s strike aircraft and support wings from ALL RAF bases. That should be an immediate and permanent removal of those personnel. Aircraft involved in other activities and fueling aircraft can remain. Let the RAF and England know that they can protect themselves and employ their own.
If I were Trump, I would be having meetings now to make this happen, then Congratulate England on what a great decisions they have made.
The question that rises is, are the bases in the UK proper actually used in the campaign against Iran any way?
The plane in the photo appears to be some sort of a transport, not a fighter or large bomber
The B2’s are dispatched from Missouri I think. Do the tankers fly out of the UK?
This does not apply to Diaego Garcia.
-SB
The British strategic nuclear arsenal is all sitting on top of American maintained Trident SLBMs.
____________________________
If that were only true. They have a helluva lot more than bombs than they can fit on Tridents.
As an interesting thought, I watched an Australian TV production that included a plot theme involving radiation sickness. The radiation sickness exposure occurred at a UK nuclear test site somewhere out in the vast Australian Outback.
That raised the question, does the UK have homegrown nukes?
It’s a B-52, man! B-52s have been part of the inventory for 70+ years.
OK...... It looked like a large transport to me
I think its a fifty-two.
That’s a B-52H, tail number 60-0047. Never flown that particular bird in my Buff Crewdawg days, I was purely a G-model guy. . .
Bkmk
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.