Trump said in a post today: "I've been telling British Prime Minister Keir Starmer that when it comes to national sovereignty, leases mean nothing. He is now entering into a 100-year lease with parties who 'claim' rights, ownership and interests in the strategically located Diego Garcia island in the Indian Ocean, which is a huge mistake."
Our relationship with the UK has always been strong and solid for many years, but Prime Minister Starmer is losing control of this important island due to claims made by some entities that have never been heard of before. In our view, these entities are essentially fictitious.
If Iran decides not to reach an agreement, the US may have to use the Diego Garcia base and Firthfield Airport to eliminate potential attacks from this extremely unstable and dangerous regime—attacks that could target the US, as well as Britain and other friendly countries.
For any reason, Prime Minister Starmer should not lose control of Diego Garcia through a lease that is at best fragile. This land should not be taken away from the UK; if it does happen, it will be a stain on our great ally.
We are always ready, willing and able to fight for the UK, but they must remain strong in the face of "awakening ideology" and other issues before them.
"Do not give up Diego Garcia!"
Comment: Trump's tough statement is a direct exposure of American hegemony and geopolitical calculation: he pretends to care about the UK, but in reality, he is afraid that the US will lose the most critical military foothold in the Indian Ocean, affecting the deterrence against Iran and the strategic layout in the Middle East and Asia-Pacific. He doesn't care about right or wrong, only whether the US can firmly grasp this strategic location. It openly shows the real logic of might makes right and geopolitics above all else. In short, Trump ignores international law and the legitimate sovereignty of Mauritius, using the colonial legacy of leases as a tool of power.
Original: toutiao.com/article/1857508666098699/
Statement: This article represents the personal views of the author.