Gabilane
Even if it's dark, you can be VFR. However, duty of care is that you just don't do that to somebody, especially in our environment (It's dark, it's scary as you say. Didn't know about ther lights situation with yourselves though - I know the UAV's are unlit).
The problem is that the US Military, since the inception of Iraqi Freedom, have not operated the airspace in accordance with the respective ICAO classifications, and that has caused a big problem with regards the transition from USF-I to ICAA control. You now have a group of ex-pat controllers, who are faced with an airspace that says one thing, but historically things have been done as if it's all Class 'B'. This is changing, but the change is not going to be without some 'growing pains'. Some Controllers think it should be done the ICAO way straight away, others (myself included) know that the change is going to have to be gradual - especially with everything else that goes on from a tactical perspective.
It's not been helped by the airspace users wanting the best of both worlds - IFR separation, but the ability to operate VFR with the freedom that entails. That may have worked over the past 8 years but in the words of Bob Dylan; "The times, they are a changing".
If it happens again - pull the trump card - declare yourself IFR and request an IFR recovery (even with the comms being as bad as they are).