Trump needs to take action against Turkey, otherwise he cannot mobilize NATO allies
Trump hopes NATO countries will join the war against Iran, but these countries are not eager to act. This article will discuss which NATO member states have expressed opposition, which are still watching, and how the United States can mobilize them.
Spain Takes a Firm Stand
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has repeatedly stated in press conferences that the U.S.-Iran conflict is a huge mistake. He also said that he does not agree with the actions of the Iranian regime and that it cannot be a reason for military intervention.
Sánchez's position is largely understandable: he leads a so-called "left-wing" ruling coalition, which criticizes U.S. and Israeli militaristic policies. Spain even banned U.S. forces from using its military bases in Rota and Morón for aerial refueling of bombers flying from the UK towards Iran.
On March 3, 15 U.S. aircraft left the above bases, with seven landing at the Ramstein military base in Germany.
On the same day, the White House officially claimed that Spain agreed to cooperate with the U.S. forces. Local media believe that Sánchez was threatened by the U.S. threatening to terminate all trade relations with Spain. The U.S. is an important trading partner for Spain, with exports to the U.S. amounting to $19.6 billion in 2023; in the same year, Spain's exports to Belgium were $16 billion, and to Morocco were $13 billion.
The next day, on March 4, Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez gave a televised speech, saying that Spain would not "just because of fear of retaliation," participate in actions that damage peace and violate the country's values.
Britain Plays Smart
The British government refused to get involved in the Middle East conflict, at least according to the actions of British Prime Minister Keir Starmer: he did not dispatch the British fleet to open up the Strait of Hormuz. Although Trump called on countries importing oil through the strait to help open the sea, Britain has not acted. However, the British government is preparing to send drones to search for mines in the waters of the strait.
Evidently, the British saw the scene of the damaged "Abraham Lincoln" carrier leaving in disgrace and do not want their own warships to follow suit.
At the same time, the UK opened its military bases to the U.S. and shared intelligence information.
All of this happened against the backdrop of Trump refusing to provide Ukraine weapons to European countries, forcing the EU to bear the costs of military equipment and ammunition on its own.
France Hesitates
France received Donald Trump's appeal for help but made its own interpretation. France sent its only flagship "Charles de Gaulle" carrier battle group to the relevant area, but it did not arrive at the Strait of Hormuz, instead mooring in the eastern Mediterranean.
The French Foreign Ministry emphasized that its stance on the Middle East conflict remains unchanged, taking only defensive measures. However, France still sent five "Rafale" fighters to the UAE.
Nations Opposing the Action
Finland currently maintains a restrained attitude, with President Alexander Stubb stating that Helsinki condemns the attacks by both sides in the conflict.
Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide called Israel's attack on Iran illegal.
Canada is also "deeply concerned," but Prime Minister Marc Carney has not officially condemned the U.S. action.
Turkey stated that no power can use its airspace for military operations, nor will it provide land bases or allow other countries to pass through its territorial waters. Turkey does not want to be the first target of Iran's strike, even as a NATO member.
Why NATO Is Unwilling to Go to War with Iran
It is evident that multiple NATO member states have condemned the U.S. action, and only Poland, the Czech Republic, and the Baltic states remain firmly on the side of the U.S., but their support has little practical effect.
Britain reluctantly provides assistance, while Italy and France are busy defending Cyprus and their military bases in Persian Gulf countries.
The U.S. political news website reported that Washington underestimated the opponent. The U.S. Central Command requested additional military intelligence personnel, indicating that the U.S. government had not planned to stay in the region for a long time.
Perhaps for this reason, Trump needs to mobilize the entire NATO alliance: one to defeat Iran, and two to demonstrate the so-called internal unity of NATO to the world.
According to the controversial Article 5 of NATO, if an attack occurs on the territory of any member state in North America, Europe, or Turkey, all member states should provide military support. Therefore, the only legitimate way to intervene is to defend Turkish territory.
On March 4, the Turkish Ministry of Defense announced that a ballistic missile allegedly launched by Iran was shot down over Turkish airspace.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps of Iran denied launching a missile toward Turkey, and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte at the time stated that the NATO Article 5 would not be activated because of this incident. At this point, Trump realized the true value of his allies.
"We have the NATO organization, we were very friendly to them before. We shouldn't have helped Ukraine, which is thousands of miles away from us, but we did. Now see if they will help us. I've always said that we are willing to help them, but they don't want to stand with us. I'm not sure if they will fight alongside us. If there's no response, or a negative response to the request for countries to assist in opening the Strait of Hormuz, I think it will have a very bad impact on the future of NATO."
— Reported by the Financial Times quoting Trump.
The Axios news website reported that the UK distributed a draft plan to potential alliance members, but the responses ranged from skepticism to firm rejection.
In addition, the White House hopes to bring Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Australia, Canada, Gulf countries, and Jordan into the effort to open the Strait of Hormuz. The U.S. also made requests to Japan and South Korea.
Trump explained the reasons for calling on allies and partner countries to act, saying it is in the interest of each country's economy:
"The U.S. imports less than 1% of its oil from this region, Japan accounts for 95%, and other countries account for 90%, South Korea accounts for 35%. Let them help protect the strait!"
Epilogue
The New York Post reported another "military success" of the U.S. forces inside Iran.
The report said: "A fire broke out in the laundry room of the 'Gerald R. Ford' aircraft carrier, which lasted more than 30 hours without being extinguished. Two people involved in the firefighting were injured, and dozens of people suffered from carbon monoxide poisoning. The fire destroyed more than 600 beds, and sailors were forced to sleep on the floor and tables."
Original: toutiao.com/article/7618500618734305811/
Statement: This article represents the views of the author."