Gutless. The stench of appeasement

[DodgyAgent]

And would sending missiles from sea or bombing a few empty buildings (the Syrians have peobably already moved their important stuff) fix this?

I'm pretty damn sure it wouldn't.

If that soundbite alleviates your own guilt then that is fine.

[doodab]

A decision to go to war could also have turned out be one of the worst. This is the direct result of the lies of Bush and Blair.

One wonders what would have been the consequences of allowing Saddam to spend another decade jerking the UN weapons inspectors around. Perhaps he'd still be in power, or perhaps we'd have seen a violent revolution as we have in Syria and the same (or greater, as people are dying in Syria considerably faster than they did in Iraq) level of bloodshed as we currently have. Perhaps the British people would have greater faith in their politicians or perhaps expenses scandals, cash for peerages and so forth would have seen to that anyway.

The only thing that seems certain is that every tinpot regime on the planet would laugh in the face of UN weapons inspections. I doubt they would have been allowed in to Syria at all were it not for the invasion of Iraq.

[Mich the Tester]

Will there be another vote though? Seems like UK getting involved in Syria over this issue is off the table.

I hope there is another vote when the evidence is in however if the yanks have already intervened by then it would seem a bit pointless.

I find myself agreeing with you on this one.

[DodgyAgent]

Arguably it's actually learning lessons from Iraq, but if it is 'sidetracking' then it's the result of what happened in Iraq, and it'll take a long time before any trust is restored. Personally I think that prosecutions of Blair and Bush, but that might not be realistic, so at least investigations that leave no stone unturned about what they did and said would be a start. Don't underestimate that damage that those men did to the public's belief in government in the UK and US. Of course, B Liar will try to protect himself under parliamentary privilege, so it would be a long drawn out affair, but I think it needs to start.

That's better! - an argument

[cojak]

If that soundbite alleviates your own guilt then that is fine.

No guilt here.

[proggy]

I find myself agreeing with you on this one.

This is going in my signature!

[Mich the Tester]

One wonders what would have been the consequences of allowing Saddam to spend another decade jerking the UN weapons inspectors around. Perhaps he'd still be in power, or perhaps we'd have seen a violent revolution as we have in Syria and the same (or greater, as people are dying in Syria considerably faster than they did in Iraq) level of bloodshed as we currently have. Perhaps the British people would have greater faith in their politicians.

The only thing that seems certain is that every tinpot regime on the planet would laugh in the face of UN weapons inspections. I doubt they would have been allowed in to Syria at all were it not for the invasion of Iraq.

First bit, agreed. Second bit, every tinpot regime laughs in the face of the UN anyway; it's what they do. Dictators love the UN because it gives them a chance to show how 'tough' they are by twisting the facts to say they're standing up to bullies. I don't think the UN can do much about that; it's the way dictators think.

[amcdonald]

What is interesting is the broad spectrum of reactions to an event like this. These reactions represent far more about the individuals making their opinions known than any objective contribution to the problem.

One fact emerges from this.

Children are being killed in droves indiscriminatly


Most of us dont really care because they are a world away, yet things would be very different if it was our own kids or kids in our country.
Most of us feel guilty and through a range of arguments we seek to justify this guilt by giving reasons not to intervene. These range from toadying to the Americans, its the Turks responsibility, look the other way incase we bite off more than we can chew,. So intent are you to make these excuses that you even resort to sneering and laughing in order to try and trivialise what is happening in Syria and pour ridicule on those who want to do something to stop the carnage.

Funnily enough amongst these emotional reactions all points have some level of legitimacy but what I find is disgusting is the way that you sneer at the people who have to make the hard decisions as to what to do. David Cameron and The American government are putting their heads above the parapet and trying to do something here and now.

If doing the right thing was the only reason to take action we should have invaded north korea decades ago, why do we only want to intervene in the places the media care about should be the question ?

[amcdonald]

The guy is gassing his own people FFS and folk are standing about in a hands up watching a pub fight "best not to get involved mate" kind of way.

Shocking.

So no chance one of the terrorists groups involved was responsible, or even the US, China or Russia ?

Where is the proof Assad was responsible ???

[DimPrawn]

A rare outbreak of democracy in Britain. More of this please.

WHS++