LibDem leadership backing military action against Syria (Open Letter to Nick Clegg)
It seems there is some kind of contagion affecting leadership when in government, which makes them feel personally responsible to take military action in sovereign states which are no business of ours.
I cannot vote again for the LibDems under Nick Clegg's leadership, as he would involve the country in a military attack on Syria, for an internal matter, and without a UN mandate. It's a red line for me.
The LibDems are the party who I associated with a sound policy of non-military intervention without a very clear British national interest, and that association has now been smashed.
I am no apologiser for the Syrian regime: what they have done is grotesque. But we accomplish nothing from military involvement here. If Nick Clegg hasn't seen it for himself: we cannot win another country's civil war.
If a country engages in international aggression, we may have to intervene, but this is not remotely the case. (In fact we would be the international aggressor!) And who would we support? The "Opposition"? Who are they, exactly? Islamic fundamentalists who would be even worse, in power, than the current regime? Do you think we'd be supporting the innocent civilians? They never have representation!
For the case of Syria in particular, we've seen the evidence ourselves, from "open source news sources": the opposition are cruel and callous, and have little to do with the innocent civilians who are dying in Syria.
I don't say we shouldn't take action - of course we should: with sanctions against the regime and any country supplying them with weapons; with diplomacy; providing humanitarian assistance including refuge for people escaping the conflict; isolating the regime and their supporters.
It is insanity to become embroiled in this civil war. There is no reasoned assessment of who are "the goodies" (if "goodies" exist). As with all conflicts in which the UK has been involved, there are no substantive war aims and post-war aims: we just cross that bridge when we come to it.
Anyway, Nick Clegg: you have squandered my support for a cause the vast majority of people in this country believe is wholly wrong; and since the House of Commons vote went against you, you seem to have squandered it for nothing. Well done.
I cannot vote again for the LibDems under Nick Clegg's leadership, as he would involve the country in a military attack on Syria, for an internal matter, and without a UN mandate. It's a red line for me.
The LibDems are the party who I associated with a sound policy of non-military intervention without a very clear British national interest, and that association has now been smashed.
I am no apologiser for the Syrian regime: what they have done is grotesque. But we accomplish nothing from military involvement here. If Nick Clegg hasn't seen it for himself: we cannot win another country's civil war.
If a country engages in international aggression, we may have to intervene, but this is not remotely the case. (In fact we would be the international aggressor!) And who would we support? The "Opposition"? Who are they, exactly? Islamic fundamentalists who would be even worse, in power, than the current regime? Do you think we'd be supporting the innocent civilians? They never have representation!
For the case of Syria in particular, we've seen the evidence ourselves, from "open source news sources": the opposition are cruel and callous, and have little to do with the innocent civilians who are dying in Syria.
I don't say we shouldn't take action - of course we should: with sanctions against the regime and any country supplying them with weapons; with diplomacy; providing humanitarian assistance including refuge for people escaping the conflict; isolating the regime and their supporters.
It is insanity to become embroiled in this civil war. There is no reasoned assessment of who are "the goodies" (if "goodies" exist). As with all conflicts in which the UK has been involved, there are no substantive war aims and post-war aims: we just cross that bridge when we come to it.
Anyway, Nick Clegg: you have squandered my support for a cause the vast majority of people in this country believe is wholly wrong; and since the House of Commons vote went against you, you seem to have squandered it for nothing. Well done.
posted by Tsuchan at 7:32 pm
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