British Prime Minister Keir Starmer at 10 Downing Street, London, on February 28, 2026. JONATHAN BRADY/VIA REUTERS
Is the United Kingdom poised to repeat the mistakes of 2003? The country joined the disastrous Iraq war alongside the United States, resulting in the fall of dictator Saddam Hussein, but also years of chaos and tens of thousands of civilian deaths. This question has been openly raised by British media and political leaders after Prime Minister Keir Starmer authorized the US on Sunday, March 1, to use British military bases (notably Diego Garcia, on the Chagos Archipelago in the Indian Ocean). Later that evening, the Royal Air Force base at Akrotiri, Cyprus, was attacked by drones, possibly of Iranian origin, with no casualties reported.
Addressing citizens on Monday morning, Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides sought to reassure the public. “We are located in a particularly unstable region geopolitically, facing numerous challenges and currently experiencing an unprecedented crisis (…). We are doing everything necessary to ensure the security of our country and our citizens, which is our top priority.” As Cyprus currently holds the presidency of the European Union (EU), he postponed the meeting of European affairs ministers scheduled that day in Nicosia.
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