UK’s Middle East Policy Criticized as ‘Haphazard’ by MP

A Conservative MP has labelled Britain’s foreign policy in the Middle East as “haphazard” and called for the UK to show “unswerving” support to Israel and Saudi Arabia after the Defence Secretary said global trade was “at risk” from the Iran-backed Houthi rebels.

Tory MP Daniel Kawczynski told The Epoch Times, “Britain’s approach to the Middle East has long been haphazard and piecemeal, and we need to formulate and enact a long-term strategy that demonstrates our total, unswerving support for both Israel and Saudi Arabia, as both nations, in their own different ways, attempt to control and mitigate the growing, malign influence of Iran across the Middle East.”

Defence Secretary Grant Shapps told the commons on Wednesday: “Some 12 percent of international trade passes through the Red Sea every single year … amounting to more than 1 trillion dollars worth of goods. In addition 8 percent of global grain trade, 12 percent of seaborne-traded oil, and 8 percent of the world’s liquefied natural gas all passes through this ancient seaway.

“Perhaps even more astonishing is that 40 percent of the goods that are traded between Europe and Asia go through the Red Sea as well. Sadly, the Houthis unlawful and callous attacks are putting all of that trade at risk.”

BBC Bashed for Aiming to ‘Denigrate’ Politicians

Mr. Kawczynski, who served on the Foreign Affairs Select Committee in 2016, defended the Saudi-led coalition’s actions in Yemen against the Houthi rebels, criticising BBC coverage for what he perceived as a lack of nuanced understanding of Middle Eastern politics.

He said, “A problem with the BBC is that, in the name of scrutiny of politicians, they allow such interviewers to denigrate politicians who have the temerity of supporting our Gulf Allies, without explaining to viewers any of the complexity of the situation.”

Mr. Kawczynski was interviewed by the BBC in 2016, when he called for support of the original Saudi-led coalition of Gulf States in their bombing campaign against the Houthis.

He described the tone of the BBC interview then as “aggressive and confrontational.”

He added: “It is interesting, eight years on, to see how the Houthis have ramped up their terrorist activities by regularly attacking international vessels in the Red Sea. This action pressurised Britain, together with the USA, into engaging Houthi positions to try to prevent a major international shipping lane route from being closed off.

“What the BBC does not appreciate, nor attempt to explain to its viewers, is that, whether it is the Houthis in Yemen or Hamas in Gaza, most of the problems in the Middle East currently stem from the actions of the mullahs in Tehran.

“It is my opinion that, whilst the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen is not perfect, it remains the best option to restore peace and stability in the region and protect Britain’s national interests and allies.”

Iran Blamed for Escalation

Mr. Kawczynski also expressed his belief that the issues in the Middle East, including those involving the Houthis in Yemen and Hamas in Gaza, predominantly stem from Tehran’s actions.

A group of geopolitical analysts, including Mr. Kawczynski, believe that Iran’s activities in these countries appear as part of a strategic plan to encircle and eventually attack Saudi Arabia, furthering Iran’s stated intention to destroy Israel.

However Robert Oulds, director of The Bruges Group, a centre-right think tank focused on British sovereignty, told The Epoch Times that he thought the world had “changed.”

Mr. Oulds told The Epoch Times via text, “Saudi and Iran have an understanding. They are with the BRICS. And the world is divided into BRICS versus Build Back Better.”

BRICS is an acronym that originally referred to a group of five major emerging economies: Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa. The group has now expanded to include various new members, including Iran and the United Arab Emirates. Saudi Arabia has been invited to join but is not an official member.

Abraham Accords Under Threat

Under the negotiation of former US President Donald Trump, the Abraham Accords, signed in August 2020, marked the establishment of formal diplomatic relations between Israel and the UAE, the first such agreement between Israel and a Gulf Arab country. Subsequently, other Middle Eastern nations also joined or agreed to normalise relations with Israel.

Many analysts, including in British military intelligence, have pointed out that Iran’s projected aim of destroying Israel will be best effected by undermining the Abraham Accords.

Iran’s aim of turning the international community against Israel is partly carried out through weaponizing militant groups like Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon.

Iran also supports the Assad government in Syria, deploying a substantial number of troops and military resources to bolster the regime and to secure access to Lebanon.

Houthi Operation to be ‘Long, Ongoing’

In the Commons on Wednesday, Mr. Shapps pointed out: “What these Iran-backed Houthi pirate thugs forget is that it is the least well-off nations and people who suffer the most from their illegal actions, starting with Yemen itself, where almost all of their food comes to it by sea.

“So at times like this, these nations need to be stood up to, and nations must stand up to them. Attacks on Red Sea shipping automatically make this a global problem.”

Retired admiral and Labour peer Lord West of Spithead, told Parliament on Wednesday that strike operations against the Houthis would be a “long, ongoing operation.”

Calling for a more agile UK response, he said: “The large-scale attack that we put in first of all was never going to stop the Houthis doing their attacks, it was going to degrade only.

“And indeed post-then, the Americans have done a number of strikes in retaliation for when weapons have been fired at them; and the attack we are talking about now will hopefully degrade the capabilities of the Houthis to attack innocent shipping even more.

“I fear that the shipping companies seem to be showing a huge reluctance to think about going back in the Red Sea, even though the Houthis have been degraded and I can understand that. Therefore this is likely to be quite a long, ongoing operation.”

Mr. Kawczynski told The Epoch Times, “The time has come for Britain to work with Israel, Saudi Arabia, the USA and other friendly Gulf States to take on Iran, to defeat its belligerent, expansionist agenda through financial sanctions and increased military expenditure and commitment, and, by such action, to make the Middle East a more stable, harmonious region.”