Why pick on us? Cyprus perplexed by Hezbollah threats (www.reuters.com)

submitted 2 months ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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[-] [email protected] 6 points 2 months ago

Cyprus was caught off guard by comments from Hezbollah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah on Wednesday that the island could be a target if it permitted Israel to use its military facilities in the event of an attack on Lebanon.

So Cyprus was caught off guard because they were told "if we get attacked from your soil, you could be a target". This doesn't sound very complicated, why are they perplexed?

[-] [email protected] 50 points 2 months ago

They're caught off guard because all they've done up to this point was humanitarian aid. And there's been no hints for participating any further. Imagine yelling at someone who's only ever done positive things for your people.

It's not complicated. It's moronic on their end.

[-] [email protected] 6 points 2 months ago

Honest questions, because I don't know much about Cyprus. Do they normally allow Israel to do military exercises from Cyprus? Are Cypriots known to be aligned with Israel?

If they don't normally do stuff that would make a country think they would help out Israel militarily, then yeah, this is surprising. If they do have regular interactions with the IDF or are politically close to Israel, then I can see why someone would want to warn Cyprus to stay out of it.

[-] [email protected] 17 points 2 months ago

From what I've read (I've done a few hours of reading on this specific topic at this point[damn you curiosity]). No. They've done all of 2 things with Israel in basically a decade. 2 exercises in a decade isn't really enough to say that there's any meaningful relationship other than "we're not enemies".

I could be wrong... But I do not get that intent at all from Cyprus, which aligns with their "surprise" at being yelled at from some other country about a country they barely interact with from a military perspective.

I'm ex-military and have personally participated in more exercises with countries the USA was less friendly with politically.

[-] [email protected] 9 points 2 months ago

Adding to the other comment, Cyprus has also welcomed tens of thousands of Lebanese refugees over the years since the 80s, and lobbied the EU to financially assist Lebanon.

[-] [email protected] 0 points 2 months ago

Clearly you've never met a crazy person before.

[-] [email protected] -4 points 2 months ago

And there’s been no hints for participating any further

They have US military bases there and that's why Lebanon made that threat, and more specifically Nasrallah said:

"The Cypriot government must be warned that opening Cypriot airports and bases for the Israeli enemy to target Lebanon means that the Cypriot government has become part of the war and the resistance (Hezbollah) will deal with it as part of the war" [source]

Also you said:

Imagine yelling at someone who’s only ever done positive things for your people.

I'm sorry but this example is irrelevant. The threat does not come from Palestine, it comes from Lebanon.

[-] [email protected] 17 points 2 months ago

They have US military bases there

There are no US military bases in Cyprus. There are british ones(since Cyprus used to be part of the British Empire).

And there is 0% chance that Cyprus would let israeli military launch attacks from Cyprus.

Nor is there much strategic reason to do so, unless Hezbollah has some s-300/400 and Israel needs to go around them and attack from a different direction. But they dont. And even if they had, Cyprus has basically no reason to allow Israel to do that and there is 0 precedent for that either.

I think it is just Hezbollah being an attention whore.

[-] [email protected] -2 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago)

There are no US military bases in Cyprus.

They have, at least according to the

List of American military installations - wiki

Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia (Cyprus)

RAF Akrotiri

I suppose the above could also be a reply for [email protected].

[-] [email protected] 14 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago)

Akrotiri and Dhekelia are British, not American, although American units are based there. More pertinently though, they're not part of the country of Cyprus. They're British overseas territories on the same island.

[-] [email protected] 8 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago)

I mean.. It's even in the name there. RAF is Royal Air Force.

[-] [email protected] -2 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago)

Sure, that's the name. Still, this doesn't explain why RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus is on the List of American military installations in wiki

[-] [email protected] 11 points 2 months ago

Because it's a list of "bases owned or used by the United States Armed Forces". But that doesn't change the fact that, as I said in my other comment, those bases are not in the country of Cyprus

[-] [email protected] 1 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago)

I have to admit I thought RAF Akrotiri was an American base within the British one. By checking it out, you were correct to mention the term "used". And I was wrong.

Also, I think what you mentioned earlier is the key element:

American units are based there

[-] [email protected] 7 points 2 months ago

Right, but... still not in Cyprus. And this entire thread started off as a question about why Hezbollah would view Cyprus as a target

[-] [email protected] -2 points 2 months ago

why Hezbollah would view Cyprus as a target

Actually, according to Reuters "Nasrallah also threatened Cyprus - the EU member state in closest proximity to Lebanon, with which it has cordial relations - accusing it of allowing Israel to use its airports and bases for military exercises."
In the threat local airports were mentioned, not only military bases
If you take a look at the wiki page of RAF Akrotiri they talk about several incidents in support of Israel, starting in the 1970's. For incidents that specifically involved Lebanon, the answer would be in the sections: 2000s–2010s and Controversies.
It could also be hint for other military bases in area, willing to have similar approach

[-] [email protected] 7 points 2 months ago

RAF Akrotiri is not in the country of Cyprus, it does not explain why Cyprus the country would be a target

[+] [email protected] -7 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago)

Oops I forgot this one

Cyprus is not a colony. Not anymore. It's a country that chooses to have these bases there, and they have to take responsibility for their choices.

[-] [email protected] 10 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago)

jesus fucking christ the land that RAF Akrotiri is on is not and has never been part of the political entity that Hezbollah is issuing threats to here. It is not leased from the Cypriot government. There is no arrangement allowing Britain to run a base on Cypriot land. It is just not Cypriot land. You are doing the equivalent of blaming Morocco for something Spain does in Melilla, or blaming Spain for something Britain does in Gibraltar.

[+] [email protected] -8 points 2 months ago

It is not leased from the Cypriot government.

Who said anything about a lease?

[-] [email protected] 8 points 2 months ago

How about you actually explain your thought process here rather than just continuing to leave sarcastic implications everywhere. Why, exactly, do you think that the country Cyprus is responsible for RAF Akrotiri?

[-] [email protected] -4 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago)

Why, exactly, do you think that the country Cyprus is responsible for RAF Akrotiri?

Decolonization processes are difficult. For Cyprus this process started in 1959, if I remember correctly. Within these processes having governments that are in favor of western imperialism does not help towards the ousting western military bases. I'm not saying no genuine effort too place during all these decades. Also, many people have been out on the streets for this, but among Cypriots in reality there is no consensus on the matter since many want to keep all ties with the UK.

[Edit: I have not mentioned how much UK does not want to leave those military bases since it was not part of the question]

[-] [email protected] 4 points 2 months ago

So you're blaming Cypriots for getting colonised?

[-] [email protected] -3 points 2 months ago

Of course not. Read again what I wrote. If that's still what you get from my reply, we got nothing to talk about.

[-] [email protected] 4 points 2 months ago

The only way that what you're saying makes sense is if you hold Cypriots liable for not pushing the UK off of the island completely. This is a ridiculous standard to place upon a colonised people, holding them responsible for the actions of their colonisers

[-] [email protected] 5 points 2 months ago

You said something about "choosing". Cyprus never chose to have the base there, the British chose to keep some land for themselves when they gave Cyprus independence.

[-] [email protected] 8 points 2 months ago

The sovereign base areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia is a British Overseas Territory. Cyprus has no sovereignty over that area.
If that's Hezbollah's issue, they should've threatened the UK.

this post was submitted on 21 Jun 2024

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