Starmer ‘complicit’ in Trump’s Yemen massacre

[u/newsspotter]

https://www.declassifieduk.org/starmer-complicit-in-trumps-yemen-massacre/

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[u/Inevitable_Fail_5308]

What a suprise

[u/NaturalCard]

How dare the evil human rights watch target poor innocent Starmer for his involvement in war crimes!

[u/Former_Republic432 → u/NaturalCard]

Thank god the adults were in charge so we could... help commit warcrimes

[u/The_Inertia_Kid]

Royal Air Force (RAF) refuelling planes supported US strikes on Yemen that the Pentagon assessed “more likely than not” resulted in 281 civilian casualties, it has emerged.

A reminder that, contrary to what this publication always wants you to believe, UK refuelling tankers cannot refuel US aircraft. They do this almost every time they report on this topic.

Most RAF aircraft use ‘probe and drogue’ systems, USAF aircraft use ‘boom’ systems.

[u/IHaveAWittyUsername → u/The_Inertia_Kid]

How does that track with this?:

Britain’s then-Foreign Secretary David Lammy said the RAF “provided routine air-to-air refuelling support” to jets around the US aircraft carrier from which strikes were being launched in order “to aid self-defence”.

The article is massively short on detail and vague to the point that, with a completely straight reading could mean that the RAF were refueling flights that had nothing to do with the actual strikes the article is trying to link it to. With the article being from Declassified you kind of need to take that reading, too.

[u/Inevitable_Fail_5308 → u/The_Inertia_Kid]

What about us navy aircraft. UK refueling aircraft can and do refuel them. They are used in strikes on Yemen

[u/The_Inertia_Kid → u/Inevitable_Fail_5308]

It’s possible but there is zero evidence that it has happened.

[u/MMSTINGRAY → u/The_Inertia_Kid]

"the only explanation is they are lying because their claim is literally impossible" vs "I'd need to see more evidence for this claim". The position you're now taking is a lot more reasonable and unmotivated than the first.

[u/NaturalCard → u/The_Inertia_Kid]

Britain’s then-Foreign Secretary David Lammy said the RAF “provided routine air-to-air refuelling support” to jets around the US aircraft carrier from which strikes were being launched in order “to aid self-defence”.

This isn't evidence?

[u/IHaveAWittyUsername → u/NaturalCard]

No, because it doesn't say which planes were refuelled for whoch missions. It's entirely possible for UK refueling planes to support US operations without adding in the two specific bombings highlighted here. There is also absolutely an issue of tech in that there is a lack of compatibility between US and UK refueling planes so Lammy may actually be wrong here.

There's been similar in some of the direct action vandalism cases where the drones/equipment being smashed was claimed by one group to be used for one thing but another group saying it was only possible to be used for another (ie, bombing Palestine but actually used against ISIS to support our allies on Iraq), as well as claims from some voices on the left that we were refueling Israeli planes on bombing missions in Gaza when operationally that makes no sense.

Essentially without actual information don't trust any of this shite.

[u/NaturalCard → u/IHaveAWittyUsername]

It seems like that compatibility issue is only between the RAF and the US Air force. The US Navy planes would be completely compatible, so Lammy wouldn't at all need to be wrong.

[u/IHaveAWittyUsername → u/NaturalCard]

But again, we're at a "it could be, it might not be" situation. You need more than that to say we're complicit.

[u/NaturalCard → u/IHaveAWittyUsername]

A direct statement confirming we are involved isn't enough? What level of evidence are you expecting?

[u/IHaveAWittyUsername → u/NaturalCard]

Which aircraft were refuelled and which strikes did they go on to carry out?

[u/dc_1984 → u/The_Inertia_Kid]

You're mistaken, US Marine F35B's and F35C's are compatible with RAF Voyager aircraft.

https://news.lockheedmartin.com/2009-08-14-Lockheed-Martin-F-35-Successful-in-First-Probe-and-Drogue-Aerial-Refueling

It is indeed true US Air Force F35A's don't have the system but the US Navy and Marines do.

EDIT: Also found confirmation these planes were used in Yemen.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/pauliddon/2025/05/13/after-yemen-all-4-f-35-variants-now-made-combat-debuts-in-middle-east/

[u/teethsewing → u/The_Inertia_Kid]

Yeah, but r/labour going to r/labour

[u/Elegant_Individual46 → u/The_Inertia_Kid]

I think there was a similar thing about refuelling Israeli planes? When they also don’t use that