The Middle East conflict is scary, depressing and bodes very badly for global security. This is not the time to predict how it will end but a few thoughts. The Iranian regime is truly awful. It kills its own people en masse and causes mischief throughout the region, but does that justify Trump and Netanyahu’s actions? No.

War is a bloody business with devastating and often unintended consequences…

What an earth are these two leaders doing? If Trump, however frustrated, lies during negotiations with Iran who will ever believe America’s word again? That comes after his actions in Venezuela which has emboldened him, and his erratic policy making in general, whether it be pirouetting on tariffs, Ukraine or even the UK’s Chagos Islands deal. Most of Trump’s actions are destabilising, at times probably illegal and sowing chaos.

And what are Netanyahu’s motivations? Israel’s elections later this year? Let’s make this personal. It is these two leaders who own the consequences of their actions. It is far less about America and Israel as a whole. They are both out of control and one really hopes their wings are finally clipped by US mid-terms and the Israeli General Election.

There seems to be no plan for how the war with Iran ends. Hegseth talks about this not being a forever war, whilst attacking the UK for noticing international law when not allowing its air bases to be initially used in the attack. Trump yesterday said about Starmer that ‘it is not Churchill we are dealing with’. Well, the same Churchill said, ‘Victory is never final’. The ‘Secretary of State for War’ (how ridiculous is that?) should check in with his boss who has just extended the possible length of the conflict beyond a few weeks, saying wars can be fought ‘forever’.

Trump talks about the threat from Iran but there is no equivalency with Russia’s threat to Ukraine and the wider security implications for European allies and global peace. Two million people have died or been injured due to Russia’s transgressions, but Trump wants to reward Putin by giving him victory over Donetsk, taking sovereign land through aggression. Everything Trump does internationally seems to provide cover for Russia and, of course, China should they decide to seize Taiwan.

Global superpowers seem to be going rogue. It has never been more important for Europe to get its security act together and become at least regionally a collective superpower. The case for the UK being part of this alliance and indeed being closer to the EU has never been stronger.

And that takes us briefly to UK politics. The Greens soar to 21% and second place in the polls with Reform UK on 23% and Labour and the Tories languishing on 16%. The LibDems, missing an historic opportunity to finish off the Tories (that is for another blog) limp in at 14%. Meanwhile, Reform and the Tories slavishly support Trump on Iran when only 28% of the public do according to a latest opinion poll.

You may not like or rate him, but as politics polarises, the need for Starmer leading a moderate UK government is more overwhelming than ever.