{"id":2578096,"date":"2026-03-10T09:08:57","date_gmt":"2026-03-10T13:08:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/europes-willful-irrelevance-in-iran-war-proves-jd-vance-right\/"},"modified":"2026-03-10T09:11:30","modified_gmt":"2026-03-10T13:11:30","slug":"europes-willful-irrelevance-in-iran-war-proves-jd-vance-right","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/europes-willful-irrelevance-in-iran-war-proves-jd-vance-right\/","title":{"rendered":"Europe&#8217;s Willful Irrelevance In Iran War Proves JD Vance Right"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">20<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Feuropes-willful-irrelevance-in-iran-war-proves-jd-vance-right%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2578096&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>The article argues that Vice President J.D. Vance\u2019s warning at the Munich Security Conference-that Europe has grown weak and divided, prioritizing welfare and climate goals over defense, and thus failing to robustly defend the West-has been borne out by recent events surrounding Iran. It notes long-standing EU grievances with Tehran, including terrorism on European soil and hostage-taking, exemplified by Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, and argues that Europe failed to unite against a common foe, delivering slow, divided, or obstructive responses.<\/p>\n<p>Key examples include: the EU\u2019s slow reaction to joint US-Israel strikes on Iran, with Ursula von der Leyen delaying a security meeting and avoiding a strong endorsement of the offensive; Britain\u2019s reluctant stance under Prime Minister Keir Starmer, which <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/poll-republicans-face-uphill-battle-to-unseat-michigan-democrat-gov-gretchen-whitmer\/\" title=\"Poll: Republicans Face Uphill Battle to Unseat Michigan Democrat Gov. Gretchen Whitmer\">drew heavy criticism<\/a> and was seen as weakening Western unity; and France and Germany taking somewhat more assertive but still cautious steps, such as Macron increasing France\u2019s nuclear deterrent. Spain\u2019s Pedro S\u00e1nchez differed markedly by condemning the strikes and blocking US use of bases, while signaling closer ties with China.<\/p>\n<p>The piece frames these responses as part of a broader pattern of Europe standing on the sideline, reflecting a weakness to defend the West. It attributes this to post-World War II priorities that favored welfare over defense, underfunded militaries, and energy dependence that complicates decisive action-exacerbated by the EU\u2019s reliance on Russian gas and fluctuating LNG supplies in a tense energy landscape.<\/p>\n<p>Ultimately, the article contends that Europe\u2019s slow, divided, and risk-averse stance risks eroding Western cohesion at a time of serious global threats. If Europe continues to favor welfare, climate policy, and domestic politics over a robust defense and energy security, it risks becoming irrelevant in a perilous world. the piece closes with a biographical note about Helen Raleigh, the author.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<div>\n<p>When Vice President J.D. Vance <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=NjXwGtPnXUw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">addressed<\/a> the Munich Security Conference in February 2025, he delivered a blunt critique: Europe had retreated from fundamental values like free speech, pursued decades of progressive policies that eroded strength, and left the continent too weak to robustly defend the West. European leaders <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bbc.com\/news\/articles\/ceve3wl21x1o\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">dismissed<\/a> his criticism as &ldquo;absurd&rdquo; and &ldquo;not acceptable.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Yet the war against Iran has underscored Vance&rsquo;s point.<\/p>\n<p>The European Union has <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/bidens-dhs-brands-free-speech-terrorism-threat-to-u-s-welcome-to-your-communist-future\/\" title=\"Biden\u2019s DHS Brands Free Speech \u2018Terrorism Threat\u2019 to U.S. \u2014 \u2018Welcome to Your Communist Future\u2019\">long-standing grievances<\/a> against Tehran: decades of <a href=\"https:\/\/2017-2021.state.gov\/select-iran-sponsored-operational-activity-in-europe-1979-2018\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">terrorism<\/a> on European soil. Tehran has also taken numerous European visitors as hostages over the years, using them as leverage to extract concessions such as prisoner swaps, debt repayments, and asset releases. A striking example is the case of British-Iranian Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, who was detained in 2016 and was only freed in 2022 after the UK government <a href=\"https:\/\/www.the-independent.com\/news\/uk\/nazanin-zaghariratcliffe-liz-truss-tehran-iran-british-b2037404.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">repaid<\/a> a long-standing debt of nearly &pound;400 million.<\/p>\n<p>Facing this persistent threat, Europe had a clear opportunity to unite with allies against a common foe. Instead, major nations delivered lackluster, divided responses &mdash; slow, sidelined, or obstructive.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>Slow Reactions <\/strong><strong><\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Hours after the joint U.S.-Israel strikes on Iran began on Saturday, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/vonderleyen\/status\/2027756878575362119\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">posted on X.com<\/a> that she would wait 48 hours to convene a special security meeting on Monday, prompting widespread <a href=\"https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/iran-israel-us-strikes-conflict-europe-resoponse-memes-11603134\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">mockery<\/a> about crises addressed only during &ldquo;business hours.&rdquo; Such jests laid bare the EU&rsquo;s bureaucratic inefficiency and its hesitance to respond decisively when stakes are high.<\/p>\n<p>Furthermore, the EU largely avoided endorsing the U.S.-Israeli offensive, prioritizing de-escalation instead. This pattern of hesitance highlights self-imposed strategic limits and the EU&rsquo;s questionable global credibility and strategic relevance.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>Standing on the Sideline<\/strong><strong><\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>The U.K.&rsquo;s response was the most disappointing. Prime Minister Keir Starmer&rsquo;s <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/Keir_Starmer\/status\/2027756559304966356\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">initial statement<\/a> was to distance Britain from the U.S.-Israeli offensive, stressing no role and no offensive actions. His statement sparked widespread criticism, with many <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/LeeHarris\/status\/2027761750288830790\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">labeling<\/a> him as &ldquo;weak and pathetic.&rdquo; Leaders from the Middle East <a href=\"https:\/\/spectator.com\/article\/whose-side-are-you-on-how-keir-starmer-alienated-britains-allies-over-iran\/?edition=us\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">expressed<\/a> intense frustration over Britain&rsquo;s inaction, particularly regarding its failure to assist in defending them and British citizens residing in their countries.<\/p>\n<p>Then <a href=\"https:\/\/spectator.com\/article\/whose-side-are-you-on-how-keir-starmer-alienated-britains-allies-over-iran\/?edition=us\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">reports<\/a> revealed that the UK government denied early U.S. requests (as far back as February 11) to use UK bases such as RAF Fairford and Diego Garcia. Only after Iranian attacks hit a UK base in Cyprus did Starmer <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/politics\/2026\/mar\/01\/uk-to-allow-us-to-use-british-bases-for-defensive-strikes-against-iran\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">relent<\/a>, allowing U.S. use of bases for targeting Iranian missile sites and deploying UK military assets &mdash; nearly three weeks after initial outreach. President Donald Trump <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/trussliz\/status\/2030405039445995849\/photo\/1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">deemed<\/a> it &ldquo;too little, too late,&rdquo; while former UK leaders such as <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dailymail.co.uk\/debate\/article-15621837\/BORIS-JOHNSON-Starmer-Britain-worse-laughing-stock-piffling-irrelevance.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Boris Johnson<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/trussliz\/status\/2030405039445995849\/photo\/1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Liz Truss<\/a> decried the UK&rsquo;s diminished stature. Even Tony Blair argued Britain should have backed America immediately.<\/p>\n<p>UK analysts such as Joseph C. Sternberg of The Wall Street Journal <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wsj.com\/opinion\/why-britain-is-a-bad-ally-to-the-u-s-12a2c453\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">highlight<\/a> a significant domestic factor behind the UK&rsquo;s inaction. Years of mass migration have resulted in Muslim populations <a href=\"https:\/\/www.telegraph.co.uk\/politics\/2026\/03\/04\/labour-party-muslim-voters-data-analysis\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">dominating<\/a> some key Labour districts such as in London and Birmingham. With <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bloomberg.com\/news\/articles\/2026-03-07\/reform-and-greens-are-replacing-labour-and-tories-in-the-uk-s-cities\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">low polling numbers<\/a>, Starmer and other Labour leaders probably feared that any active involvement in the Iran war would alienate their Muslim voter bloc.<\/p>\n<p>France&rsquo;s and Germany&rsquo;s responses fared slightly better than Britain&rsquo;s. After issuing a joint <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bundesregierung.de\/breg-de\/aktuelles\/e3-statement-on-indiscriminate-iranian-attacks-on-countries-in-the-region-2409178\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">statement<\/a> condemning Iran&rsquo;s reprisals and pledging defensive support, French President Emmanuel Macron <a href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/france-nuclear-weapons-macron-deterrence-ccbcfb03ef4a1e3efe287fb744adb148\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">announced<\/a> an increase in France&rsquo;s nuclear arsenal and the deployment of nuclear-armed aircraft to European allies.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>Active Obstruction<\/strong><strong><\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Spain&rsquo;s socialist Prime Minister Pedro S&aacute;nchez stood out in opposition, <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/sanchezcastejon\/status\/2027707726738923754\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">condemning<\/a> the strikes as &ldquo;unjustified,&rdquo; &ldquo;dangerous,&rdquo; and a violation of international law while prohibiting U.S. use of bases such as Rota and Mor&oacute;n. Trump&rsquo;s trade-cut threats drew swift <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mundoamerica.com\/news\/2026\/03\/04\/69a80850fdddff55028b45ae.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Chinese backing<\/a> for S&aacute;nchez.<\/p>\n<p>Among EU leaders, S&aacute;nchez is particularly eager to strengthen ties with China. He is <a href=\"https:\/\/thediplomatinspain.com\/en\/2026\/02\/06\/pedro-sanchez-plans-his-fourth-official-trip-to-china-in-four-years\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">reportedly<\/a> preparing an official trip to Beijing in April, his fourth official visit since 2023. Despite democratic rhetoric, S&aacute;nchez has conspicuously refrained from criticizing China&rsquo;s <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >dismal human rights record &#038;mdash<\/a>; undermining claims of principled leadership.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>Too Weak to Defend the West<\/strong><strong><\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>These stances reflect Vance&rsquo;s deeper critique: the EU is becoming too weak to help defend the West.<\/p>\n<p>Post-World War II priorities on welfare over defense left many European militaries underfunded, short-staffed, and reliant on U.S. protection. The Russia-Ukraine War exposed European countries&rsquo; <a href=\"https:\/\/vsquare.org\/eu-fails-arms-pledges-ukraine-absent-ammo\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">struggles<\/a> in providing Ukraine with meaningful, timely, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/former-ukrainian-foreign-minister-casts-doubt-on-trump-ending-war-washington-examiner\/\" title=\"Former Ukrainian foreign minister casts doubt on Trump ending ... - Washington Examiner\">sufficient military support<\/a>. Under pressure from the Trump administration, some European countries that are NATO members have <a href=\"https:\/\/www.heritage.org\/defense\/commentary\/nato-allies-now-spend-50-billion-more-defense-2016\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">increased<\/a> their defense budgets but remain unprepared for high-intensity conflicts. German Foreign Minister Johan Wadephul has <a href=\"https:\/\/www.timesofisrael.com\/liveblog_entry\/german-fm-says-berlin-not-planning-to-enter-iran-conflict-beyond-defensive-measures\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">admitted<\/a> that limited military resources are a key reason why Germany is not directly involved in the Iran War.<\/p>\n<p>The EU&rsquo;s <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/A_K_Mandhan\/status\/2029733571485954181\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">energy dependency<\/a> compounded the continent&rsquo;s hesitation: years of aggressive <a href=\"https:\/\/climateanalytics.org\/projects\/coal-phase-out\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">decarbonization<\/a> increased dependence on Russian gas. After Russia invaded Ukraine, EU member states have tried to replace natural gas imports from Russia with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/white-house-releases-list-of-president-trumps-accomplishments-and-it-is-historic\/\" title=\"White House Releases List of President Trump\u2019s Accomplishments \u2013  And It Is Historic!\">liquefied natural gas<\/a> (LNG) from the U.S. and Qatar. However, Qatar has <a href=\"https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/business\/energy\/qatarenergy-declares-force-majeure-lng-shipments-2026-03-04\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">halted<\/a> its LNG exports amid the escalating U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran, and Russia <a href=\"https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/business\/energy\/putin-suggests-russia-could-stop-supplying-gas-european-markets-now-2026-03-04\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">threatened<\/a> to cut off gas supplies to Europe, raising the EU member states&rsquo; fear of energy shortages and economic pain.<\/p>\n<p>Europe&rsquo;s reluctance to join offensive operations squandered an opportunity to confront a shared adversary decisively. While defensive steps and condemnations of Iran&rsquo;s attacks show some alignment, the overall posture &mdash; slow, divided, and risk-averse &mdash; validates Vance&rsquo;s warning. If leaders persist in favoring welfare over defense, climate ideology over energy security, and domestic politics over transatlantic resolve, Europe courts true irrelevance in a dangerous world. The Iran crisis isn&rsquo;t just a Middle Eastern war; it&rsquo;s a stark test of Western cohesion &mdash; and Europe is failing it.<\/p>\n<hr>\n<div>\n<p>      Helen Raleigh, CFA, is an American entrepreneur, writer, and speaker. She&#8217;s a senior contributor at The Federalist. Her writings appear in other national media, including The Wall Street Journal and Fox News.  Helen is the author of several books, including &#8220;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Confucius-Never-Said-Helen-Raleigh\/dp\/1499185278\/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&amp;keywords=Helen+Raleigh+Confucius+Never+Said&amp;qid=1606079469&amp;sr=8-1\">Confucius Never Said<\/a>&#8221; and &ldquo;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Backlash-How-Chinas-Aggression-Backfired\/dp\/1736008501\/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&amp;qid=1606006113&amp;sr=8-1\">Backlash: How Communist China&#8217;s Aggression Has Backfired<\/a>.&#8221; Her latest book is &#8220;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Not-Outsiders-Americans-political-activism\/dp\/1736008552\">Not Outsiders: Asian Americans&rsquo; political activism from the 19th century to today<\/a>.&rdquo; Follow her on Twitter: @HRaleighspeaks.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Vance: Europe weakened by decades of leftist policy<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":536,"featured_media":2578097,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Vice_President_JD_Vance_Prime_Minister_Giorgia_Meloni_and_President_Ursula_von_der_Leyen-e1773083697542.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[8447,32404,3823,50434],"class_list":["post-2578096","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-europe","tag-geopolitics","tag-iran","tag-war-2"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Vice_President_JD_Vance_Prime_Minister_Giorgia_Meloni_and_President_Ursula_von_der_Leyen-e1773083697542.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2578096","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/536"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2578096"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2578096\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2578100,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2578096\/revisions\/2578100"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2578097"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2578096"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2578096"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2578096"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}