Why, if it weren't for the British keeping the U.S. cowboys under control, who knows how many people would die needlessly?

Attack Iran, US chief ordered British

This reminds me of the fantasy in the movie "Love, Actually" where Hugh Grant's Prime Minister character stands up to the obnoxious, lecherous U.S. president (who was a smarmy mix of Clinton sleaziness with Bush Texan-ness).

First of all, I don't think coalition leaders can "order" British troops to do anything. Secondly, the article only claims that plans were ordered, which doesn't necessarily translate into a go ahead to attack. Thirdly, a pessimist would say that the recent incident with the sailors was due to Britain's appeasement of the Iranian government.