Timid Europe:
For the past month European leaders have lent tacit and sometimes open support to the US and Israel’s war in Iran—with one notable exception.
nybooks.com/online/2026/03/31/timid-europe-iran-war/
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Europe’s Uneven Response to the Iran WarMost European governments enabled US operations, while Spain denies access to its bases and airspace.
Key FactsMar 31, 2026 · Reading time: ~45 sec.
Summary created with AI assistance · Source: nybooks.com
Summary created with AI assistance · Source: nybooks.com
- NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte announced that 22 countries would help reopen the Strait of Hormuz; implementation remains unconfirmed.
- Most European states allowed US forces to use their territories for operations, although governments called for a swift end to fighting.
- Chancellor Friedrich Merz said Germany would not participate militarily; Ramstein receives data informing US attacks on Iran.
- Spain barred use of its bases and airspace; 68 percent of its population opposes the war, according to a poll.
"No a la guerra." "Some will accuse us of being naive for doing so." "But to be naive is thinking that the solution is violence. To be naive is believing that democracies or respect between nations arise from ruins. Or thinking that blind and servile followership is a form of leadership."— Pedro Sánchez, Spanish Prime Minister, in a televised address from Madrid on March 4, condemning the war as a violation of international law and calling for a diplomatic solution.
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organized and prolonged violent conflict between different nations, states, or different groups within a nation or state
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Summary created with AI assistance · Source: aljazeera.com
Summary created with AI assistance · Source: aljazeera.com
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