Tuesday, March 3, 2026

This Is Why You Don’t Depend On Allies

ComNavOps has repeatedly criticized our cross training efforts with allies as being pointless and because allies cannot be counted on when need arises.  Why train with someone you can’t count on?  Here’s the latest examples from the US strikes against Iran.
 
First up is Spain.  You’ll recall that it was Spain that abandoned the US by pulling an escort ship from the USS Lincoln carrier task force in 2019 during a threat from Iran (see, “This Is Why You Don’t Train WithAllies”).  This followed several months of training so that the Spanish ship would be qualified to join the task force for a deployment.
 
Spanish authorities have confirmed that they are not allowing U.S. forces to use bases in the country to support continuing strikes on Iran.[1]
 
Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares said Spain would not allow its military bases, which are jointly operated by the U.S. and Spain but under Spanish sovereignty, to be used for attacks on Iran, which Spain has condemned.[1]
 
What started as possible move of around half a dozen [Air Force] tankers from Spain to Ramstein Airbase in Germany, now appears to be a full-on withdrawal of the entire tanker fleet from Moron Airbase (LEMO) and Naval Air Station Rota (LERT) … [1]

Hey, Spain, I assume the refund for the US’ portion of the joint operating costs is in the mail?
 
 
Even America’s stalwart ally, the UK, got in on the ‘abandon your allies’ act by denying the US operating rights from bases.
 
The United Kingdom has reportedly refused U.S. requests to utilize key military facilities—RAF Fairford in England and the joint U.S.-U.K. base on Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean—for any potential strikes against Iran.[2]
 
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has withheld permission for American forces to operate from these bases in support of preemptive or offensive actions against Iran.[2]

I wonder what other countries denied us assistance?
 
Don’t get me wrong.  I fully acknowledge that every country has their own agendas and the right to independently pursue those agendas but this emphatically emphasizes why you don’t waste time cross training with supposed allies and you damn sure don’t contribute money to their bases or assets.  If some country wants to cross train with us or wants us to base forces in their country then they can pay the entire cost.
 
To paraphrase … With Allies like these, who needs enemies?
 
 
 
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[1]The War Zone website, “War With Iran Now In Its Third Day”, Joseph Trevithick, Thomas Newdick, Howard Altman, 2-Mar-2026,
https://www.twz.com/news-features/war-with-iran-now-in-its-third-day
 
[2]Armed Forces Press website, “UK Denies American Use Of Diego Garcia And RAF Fairford For Iran Attacks”, L Todd Wood, 20-Feb-2026,
https://armedforces.press/foreign-policy/2026/02/20/uk-denies-american-use-of-diego-garcia-and-raf-fairford-for-iran-attacks/ 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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7 comments:

  1. AnonymousMarch 3, 2026 at 12:31 PM

    Maybe it's because the allies don't agree with attacking Iran when you have no idea what the outcome will be! The whole idea of training with NATO allies is for joint defence as per charter. Training with non NATO allies such as Australia is because of mutual interest in countering Chinese aggression.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. ComNavOpsMarch 3, 2026 at 12:54 PM

      "no idea what the outcome will be!"

      Surely you can't be serious to suggest that there was even the slightest doubt about the immediate tactical outcome? No one would be foolish enough to suggest that, would they? Certainly you wouldn't.

      "NATO"

      There is no purpose for NATO, any longer, therefore there is no point to training with NATO partners other than "mutual interest" and, since even that can't be counted on, there is simply no point to cross training.

      Delete
    2. ComNavOpsMarch 3, 2026 at 1:03 PM

      "Maybe it's because the allies don't agree with attacking Iran"

      And that might explain why a supposed ally would refrain from actively contributing offensive assets but denying us the ability to simply operate from a base is extreme. You bend over backward to help an ally and allowing an ally to take off from a base is hardly bending over backward.

      Spain seems to be particularly unreliable. We should terminate any involvement with them.

      Delete
    3. AnonymousMarch 3, 2026 at 1:57 PM

      "There is no purpose for NATO, any longer,"

      Wait a second.....are you implying that 450 million Europeans shouldn't need 330 million Americans to protect them from 150 million Russians?

      Lutefisk

      Delete
    4. Chinese GordonMarch 3, 2026 at 3:28 PM

      The Purposes of NATO
      1:Keep the Germans down
      2:Keep the Soviets out
      3:Annoy the French

      2 out of three accomplished, ain't bad.

      Delete
  2. ComNavOpsMarch 3, 2026 at 3:09 PM

    "While you rush"

    Comment deleted. As I said - and you ignored - we're not going to discuss the politics of the Iran attacks, only the military aspects.

    ReplyDelete
  3. AnonymousMarch 3, 2026 at 3:20 PM

    Free and Democratic allies find it hard to justify aiding and abetting actions which, lacking UN Resolutions, have no legal basis.

    We do not wish to promote the abduction and assassination of foreign leaders.

    We do not want to normalise annexing long-established lands (Greenland/Taiwan).

    We don't want to lose all our cities to nukes from smited countries some decades in the future just to please a President who'll be long gone by then.

    We support the USA's ideals and people, not Mr Trump's latest whim.

    "With Allies like these, who needs enemies?" indeed - we've merely declined to facilitate something we disagree with. While being continually punished financially / regularly threatened / actively acted against on a monthly basis for a year.

    ReplyDelete

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