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UK 'may send Typhoons to the Gulf'
02 November 2012
An article in The Independent cites "highly senior" military diplomatic sources who say that Typhoons may be stationed at the Al Dhafra airbase, south of Abu Dhabi.
The base is currently hosting French Mirage jets, as well as the US' 380th Air Expeditionary Wing.
Prime Minister David Cameron is said to be in talks with the rulers of Dubai and Abu Dhabi over moving the aircraft, and the report said that an announcement is due "in the near future".
The move is said to be being considered as a "confidence building measure" for allies in the region and one which could see the UK intervene if Iran attempted to block the Strait of Hormuz as a result of ongoing sanctions.
Israel is currently debating potential military strikes against Iran's uranium enrichment facilities, which are suspected of aiming to produce weapons grade uranium. Iran insists that its nuclear programme is for civilian purposes only, but has enriched uranium to around 20 per cent, well beyond the purity required for civilian reactors.
Israeli defence minister Ehud Barak is said to be "fully aware" of the discussions regarding British jets, and has held meetings with senior British military commanders and ministers in recent weeks.
One senior British officer quoted in the Independent said: "We do not think there is any need for military action at the moment. But we are considering all eventualities and where the UK should position itself. The decision on deployment will be made on mutual interest and growing interdependence between the UK and the UAE in the long-term."
A Ministry of Defence spokesman told the newspaper: "The UK regularly deploys Typhoon to UAE as part of our routine exercise programme and to demonstrate our military commitment to UAE and the security of the wider region.
"We have a mutual interest with our GCC [Gulf] partners in ensuring peace and stability in the region, and exercises such as this allow us to practice working together.
"These deployments are not due to our concerns over Iran's nuclear programme. As we continue to make clear, the government does not believe military action against Iran is the right course of action at this time, although no option is off the table."
HAVE YOUR SAY
02 November 2012
There you go, cuts yet just cannot help himself acting the major power....
Our P5 status, which I'm a strong believer in, demands it.
But choose your wars carefully Mr Cameron.
Daniele Mandelli - Guildford
02 November 2012
Daniele Mandelli - Guildford
It could actually quite a prudent move, if you have quick response air cover for Royal Navy surface assets in the Gulf Region.
If Israel launches a pre-emptive attack, we have no way of knowing how Iran will lash out, even if we have no involvement we could see Iran attacking Western military targets Indiscriminately.
However you are correct when you say that getting involved in another Middle easten war would be a major mistake.
Self defence and freedom of passage is fine by me within reason.
Rob - Telford
02 November 2012
It could also be a pretty shrewd marketing move to advertise Typhoons to the Gulf States such as Oman, Abu Dhabi, Kuwait etc.
As long as we don't go blundering across the Iranian border and sparking another international incident (like our sailors).... ;)
AW Employee - Yeovil
02 November 2012
Thanks Rob.
When you put it like that it makes sense, if that is how it stays. The voice of reason!
Whether Iran or other Middle Eastern states sees it that way is another matter.
If the roles were reversed, and Iran deployed fighters to Algeria to protect itself against western assets coming into the Med, there would be an outcry, and seen as a provocation.
Such is the west's hypocrisy.
Your point regarding defending our assets still stands though.
Daniele Mandelli - Guildford
02 November 2012
If Israel attacks Iran's nuclear facilities you should assume the following:
1. Iran will try and shut the straits of Hormuz
2. Iran will launch surface to surface missiles against a number of targets including Saudi oil fields as the Saudi's will have to have given overflight and so will be held accountable by the Iranians.
3 The global economy will go into a downward spiral as oil prices go ballistic.
4. Western nations including the UK will be drawn into the conflict.
5. The Russians and Chinese will side with Iran.
Considering a President Romney is much more likely to allow Israel to strike Iran than a second term President Obama it puts the US elections next Tuesday into perspective doesn't it!
Graham - High Wycombe
02 November 2012
While I agree to the move if it is to protect our forces already out there any build of of military hardware could possibly be seen as sabre rattling by the west so I hope our gov is very careful in regards this situation.
Also Israel could threaten Iran just to get a response from the west which from some perspective this could appear to be.
If we regularly deploy Typhoons out there as part of our mutual interests with the GCC why is it that DC is in discussions regarding sending Typhoons out there?
A very tricky situation, are our gov up to the challenge?
JC - UK
02 November 2012
JC - UK
We only ever deployed them before on pre-planned exercises which this is not so the comments were being economical with the truth!
The Independent has a good article on it:
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/exclusive-pm-on-standby-to-send-warplanes-to-gulf-as-iranian-tensions-rise-8274748.html
Graham - High Wycombe
02 November 2012
Daniele Mandelli - Guildford
Understand and agree with your comments, however I would have thought that the majotity of countries in the region would be fairly pleased to have additional fighters in the area, we do have pretty good realtions with the Gulf states and they are frightened by Iran. One resaon why a lot of them loaned money to Iraq during the Iran Iraq war.
Rob - Telford
02 November 2012
Why is everyone so worried we will at least be given two years notice before anything untoward happens so relax
andy - solihull
02 November 2012
Rob
Agreed. Most Gulf states are friendly with the UK and the west.
Let us hope it does not start to spiral out of control.
I also agree with every one of Grahams comments. It could get very nasty indeed.
And deploying Typhoons to the Gulf can only wind the tension up a notch!
Daniele Mandelli - Guildford
02 November 2012
Let's face it - this is token PR. Israel is more than capable of handling itself and the US has promised Iran it will not allow them to close the Strait. With not one but two US aircraft carrier battle groups sitting of their coast, I doubt they (Iran) are stupid enough to try. However, should they, then what difference will half a dozen Typhoons make?? The Americans are the only ones with enough hardware to do the job - i.e. deter Iran and keep the Strait open. Sorry Mr. Cameron - go ahead and send them but recent governments - including yours- have cut and cut our Armed Forces into irrelevancy on the world stage. No-one cares what we say because they know we don't have the wherewithal to back it up.
David McKevitt - USA
02 November 2012
Has someone in the media simply mixed up ATLC Advanced Tactical Leadership Course 11 Nov - 6 Dec 12 in United Arab Emirates for a deployment? ATLC in UAE has been taking place every year for some time.
TJ - Lincoln
03 November 2012
If the Typhoons are deployed to Al Dhafra, They will require other support, ISTAR, Tanking etc. Who will provide these
Beegee - West Midlands
04 November 2012
Daniele Mandelli - Guildford / Rob - Telford
The schism between Shia and Sunni Islam is also a big factor. Iran is Shia the gulf states are all ruled by Sunni's so they are terrified of Iran getting nuclear weapons. Saudi Arabia could quickly get hold of nuclear technology from Pakistan and get its own Sunni bomb but they would rather Iran didn't get the bomb in the first place. The Saudi's are believed to have an agreement with Israel to open air corridors which demonstrates how worried they are.
andy - solihull
Israel won't wait, their red line is less than that which is why we are worried. We think we have two years warning the Israeli's don't!
Graham - High Wycombe
05 November 2012
andy - solihull
"Why is everyone so worried we will at least be given two years notice before anything untoward happens so relax"
I think Israel has already given us notice that they intend to 'do' something if Iran proceeds with their nuclear program and that was nearly 12 months ago. So the clock has been ticking for some considerable time.....
AW Employee - Yeovil
05 November 2012
I think Andy was being sarcastic re the SDSR!
Ian Skinner - Enfield
05 November 2012
Ian Skinner - Enfield
Think your right :)
Still the SDSR was obsolete in March 2011 when we went to war in Libya. It had said we would not be in another war for the next 10 years as if you could predict it!
Graham - High Wycombe
05 November 2012
Graham - High Wycombe
The SDSR was never right for defence, the only people it suited were the bean counters in the treasury.
I've seen at first hand the differences between the Shia (in the Basra area) and the Sunni's, ther is certainly no love lost at tribal level. Interestingly one comment often mentioned to me by the Arab's, is they did not consider Iranians as Arabs but Persian and totally different to them . . .
Rob - Telford
06 November 2012
Rob - Telford
Iranians are not Arabs they descend from the central Asia and speak Farsi so their identity is very different. What's more they are almost all Shia whereas 80% of Arabs are Sunni. There is no love lost between Arab and Persian just look at the Iran-Iraq war all the Arab states supported and funded Iraq!
Hence they are terrified of an Iranian Shia bomb to the extend that they would turn a blind eye to Israeli overflights and allow western nations basing rights to deal with the aftermath of an Israeli attack.
Graham - High Wycombe
06 November 2012
Graham - High Wycombe
Isn't that what I said . .
Rob - Telford
07 November 2012
Rob - Telford
Yeah is really :)
Graham - High Wycombe
22 December 2012
If Israel is hell bent on going to war then fine, but they shouldn't be expecting other countries to come to rescue. They're like a little dog yapping knowing they have a big dog behind them
Pete - Preston