Parliament recalled to debate air strikes on IS
How do we all feel about David Cameron’s latest bid to have a Middle Eastern crusade?
He has always wanted one, and no doubt he wants to bury the spectre of last year’s aborted attempt to attack Syria – when Labour leader Ed Miliband did the impossible and, from opposition, stopped the government from having its way.
But exorcising that demon would require Miliband to oppose an attack on IS and this seems unlikely because the cause appears to be just.
Not only has Iraq appealed to the UK for help to contain the threat of Islamic State, but we have proof – from IS itself – that it is killing British citizens.
The Guardian has reported a cautious response from Miliband in line with the wishes of the Labour Party conference, which called for a UN security council resolution before the UK commits to any conflict. But the BBC is reporting that Miliband has confirmed his support for an alliance of nations – including Arab states – against IS, saying that the UK should not “opt out”.
Back in the Victorian era, when a British citizen was threatened in Greece, Lord Palmerston famously sent a gunboat and blockaded Athens. Cameron – who has been working hard to resurrect the 19th century – would be showing weakness if he did not seek similar retribution.
And the last thing he needs to show IS is weakness.
It would be seen as an invitation to launch further attacks against the UK – possibly even on our own soil.
Parliament will be recalled to discuss the matter at 10.30am tomorrow, with a vote at around 5.30pm. The result, it seems, is a foregone conclusion.
At the top of this article, readers are asked how they feel about David Cameron’s latest bid to have a crusade in the Middle East. Some readers might find that a churlish way of describing the matter, as the cause does seem just.
But Cameron’s motives are always questionable. He wants a war that will win an election for him, just as the Falklands War won a second term for Margaret Thatcher.
His problem is, he’s not as intelligent as Mrs T. She, it has been claimed, led Argentina to believe that the UK was weaker than was actually the case, in order to provoke that country into a fight it could not win. This narrative claims that she planned the whole thing.
Cameron has planned nothing. He is in the hands of circumstance and could just as easily become the victim as the victor.
And the British public is tired of endless foreign adventures that cost a fortune and bring no benefit back here.
Those are the facts of the matter – as far as it is possible to interpret them at this time.
What do you think?
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We shouldn’t get involved..he should tell US/Israel..they funded and trained IS…so they should deal with the flack..besides..we’re in austerity remember? Jesus..hate these bloody warmongers!
Over 100,000 civilians died in the Iraq wars.See graph here.
http://www.statista.com/statistics/269729/documented-civilian-deaths-in-iraq-war-since-2003/
And while I am completely repulsed at the killing of innocents,especially by public executions,will killing more people stop more innocent deaths,or provoke more.
Davy Boy will do whatever he can to get a pre-election war – same as Thatcher’s Falklands War!
If the bad guys aren’t attacking us why are we attacking them?
This has the US stamp of disaster all over it and once again the idiot UK government has bought into it..
I’ve got a feeling that you should lace up your boots guys and girls you’ll be going in soon enough. It won’t “exactly” be mission creep and I can’t wait for them to come out with a reason why they need to put our best at risk AGAIN (probably more mythical WMD’s) but rest assured our political leaders will be leading our armed forces from behind as usual. Probably by Christmas.
Iraq, Libya, Afghanistan, Syria (Stalled but now back on track), and back to Iraq again as the Middle East tour resumes.
Think about it though.
We’ve still got serious problems at home (despite the UK apparently rolling on newly minted pavements of gold and leading the world in economic glory) so another little war will do nothing to boost our debt ridden coffers.
The bad guys are attacking us – or at least, they’re attacking our guys. They’ve killed at least one UK citizens, and are threatening to kill another. The details are in the article.
True Yet that’s over there, not over here.
Humanitarians walk into hot zones by their own choice just like our own home grown jihadists and news reporters. Then when one dies (apart from the jihadists) the world gets all up tight.
It’s their choice to go there. Live with it.
What concerns me more is eventually ground troops will have to follow this particular US lapdog’s whim and maybe some more Brit service personnel will die.
Iraq 179, Afghanistan 453 plus loads of injured in these two actions.
Has it improved anything? I think not.
The US want to play hardball, let them.
It’s not our war.
will us getting involved in airstrikes etc not bring it to our country anyway? we are in a bit of a dilemma, in a mess if we do n same if we dont. as far as i can see. IS will i have no doubt take retribution if we get involved but then again have told australia they are going to do random killings over there and that we are next. hot air?? maybe but they dont strike me as blusterers.dangerous evil people
In which case, we should probably take preventative action. Unapalatable, I know, but we must defend ourselves against our aggressor.
preferably get them before they get here.
Playing devils advocate eh Mike? Well, ok then: Over the last fifteen months or so the GCC/Israel/US axis has been watched building Isil in Jordan. The funding: Primarily by the Saudi Kingdom. and secondarily through US/Israel, has been massive and continuous. Does anyone seriously believe that fifty thousand or so mercenaries appeared overnight with fleets of brand new pickup trucks armed with 50cal machine guns etc? Neither is it coincidence that the mercenary US/Israeli proxy army is seemingly achieving several US/Israel foreign policy goals including resource theft and making way for the greater Israel paradigm.
Too, what about Syrian sovereignty? Which country by the way is the only one actually fighting the ISIL proxies. Is the US using ISIL as a means of preparing the way to full on war on Syria? Or has a sane faction in the US actually decided upon killing the monster created out of places like Guantanamo?
Cameron is doing what he does best: The servile dance of the seven veils for Israel and the dynastic financiers. A puppet: No more, and no less. Time will shine light on the real agenda. If we had a functional mainstream media we might actually hear from President Assad as to what he thinks of the US bully boy attitude of bombing missions in his country without formal permissions or memoranda.
Never ever ignore the money: Or Z’bigs “Grand Chessboard”. The US wants, very badly to prevent the rise of Russia, to which end we see the destruction of Ukraine, as well as the vicious proxy war against Syria managed by the mad Gladio NATO crowd; Turkey, Saudi, GCC (Qatar, Bahrain, etc), you know the score. Well Qatar very badly wants to build a gas pipeline across Syria to capture the European market from Russia, primarily. President Assad, who has a strong relationship with Russia including mutual defence agreements refused to act against Russias economic interest and said no. Hence….War! You don’t say no to Western big oil/gas/bankers and not go to war with their slave armies (NATO). Now the US has acted directly by blocking Russias’ South Stream pipeline to Europe, thus forcing Russia to route their gas for Europe through Ukraine whose Oligarch Gov Corp won’t pay their bills. Of course the CIA’s EU fronts for the US in this, but the truth is self evident. War, Sanctions, Disease, Death, Destruction. Millions of ordinary people killed, maimed, destroyed, is a price the Big oil and Bankers are prepared for us to pay to protect their black futures. Cameron agreees: Do you?