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| The Syrian regime cannot use chemical weapons without being punished | The Syrian regime cannot use chemical weapons without being punished |
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| The House of Commons will be at its most serious on Thursday when it debates the proper international response to the use of chemical weapons in Syria. MPs will speak with passion and conviction. The whips, in all parties, will struggle to maintain party discipline on what is a matter of conscience not just policy. It will be one of those relatively rare occasions when the house and the country do not already know which side of the argument will win the vote. | The House of Commons will be at its most serious on Thursday when it debates the proper international response to the use of chemical weapons in Syria. MPs will speak with passion and conviction. The whips, in all parties, will struggle to maintain party discipline on what is a matter of conscience not just policy. It will be one of those relatively rare occasions when the house and the country do not already know which side of the argument will win the vote. |
| Inevitably, comparisons will be made with the debate that led to Britain joining the US in the invasion of Iraq. Such comparisons will be misplaced. I was against the Iraq war. It was about invading a country and overthrowing a government that was, at that time, at peace with its neighbours and whose own people were not in open revolt. | Inevitably, comparisons will be made with the debate that led to Britain joining the US in the invasion of Iraq. Such comparisons will be misplaced. I was against the Iraq war. It was about invading a country and overthrowing a government that was, at that time, at peace with its neighbours and whose own people were not in open revolt. |
| Today's vote is quite different. It is, quite simply, whether the international community will protest but, otherwise, do nothing in response to a major use of chemical weapons against non-combatant civilians which, according to Médecins Sans Frontières, has already led to the deaths of over 300 men, women and children and injury to a further 3,000. | Today's vote is quite different. It is, quite simply, whether the international community will protest but, otherwise, do nothing in response to a major use of chemical weapons against non-combatant civilians which, according to Médecins Sans Frontières, has already led to the deaths of over 300 men, women and children and injury to a further 3,000. |
| That chemical weapons, which are banned by UN treaty and are classed as weapons of mass destruction, have been used is not in dispute. The Syrian government accepts this but claims they were used by the Syrian opposition against their own supporters. | That chemical weapons, which are banned by UN treaty and are classed as weapons of mass destruction, have been used is not in dispute. The Syrian government accepts this but claims they were used by the Syrian opposition against their own supporters. |
| However implausible such a claim may be it needs to be tested. The Syrian government does not deny that it is the only country in the region that has massive stocks of chemical weapons. It is not in dispute that their use, last week, in a Damascus suburb was during a military onslaught by Syrian government forces in that same suburb. | However implausible such a claim may be it needs to be tested. The Syrian government does not deny that it is the only country in the region that has massive stocks of chemical weapons. It is not in dispute that their use, last week, in a Damascus suburb was during a military onslaught by Syrian government forces in that same suburb. |
| Nor does anyone seriously believe that the Assad regime would have any ethical objection to using these weapons. The regime has already been responsible for the deaths of tens of thousands of innocent Syrian civilians. They will do anything that they think they can get away with to stay in power. | Nor does anyone seriously believe that the Assad regime would have any ethical objection to using these weapons. The regime has already been responsible for the deaths of tens of thousands of innocent Syrian civilians. They will do anything that they think they can get away with to stay in power. |
| The UN inspectors are in Syria. They have accepted that they are not going to be able to reach a conclusion as to who was responsible for the attack. But their report will, nevertheless be important. | The UN inspectors are in Syria. They have accepted that they are not going to be able to reach a conclusion as to who was responsible for the attack. But their report will, nevertheless be important. |
| First, they should be able to decide how substantial a chemical weapons attack took place. If only a handful of people were killed or injured that might help Assad claim that a crude chemical device could have been manufactured by the rebels and used to try to discredit his government. | First, they should be able to decide how substantial a chemical weapons attack took place. If only a handful of people were killed or injured that might help Assad claim that a crude chemical device could have been manufactured by the rebels and used to try to discredit his government. |
| If, as seems certain, however, the inspectors confirm that hundreds were killed and thousands were injured; that would be damning evidence against Assad because only his regime have that chemical weapons capability and the missiles that are needed to deliver the warheads. | If, as seems certain, however, the inspectors confirm that hundreds were killed and thousands were injured; that would be damning evidence against Assad because only his regime have that chemical weapons capability and the missiles that are needed to deliver the warheads. |
| The best response to these atrocities would be for the UN security council to approve action to punish the Assad regime, but we know that the Russians will veto any such proposal regardless of the evidence. | The best response to these atrocities would be for the UN security council to approve action to punish the Assad regime, but we know that the Russians will veto any such proposal regardless of the evidence. |
| The international community cannot be paralysed by such a failure to act. We have all accepted the UN doctrine of the "responsibility to protect". The Assad regime is in flagrant breach of the UN chemical weapons convention. If there is a consensus among most of the international community, including the countries of the Arab League, that action is necessary, then it should go ahead. | The international community cannot be paralysed by such a failure to act. We have all accepted the UN doctrine of the "responsibility to protect". The Assad regime is in flagrant breach of the UN chemical weapons convention. If there is a consensus among most of the international community, including the countries of the Arab League, that action is necessary, then it should go ahead. |
| It will need to be limited, proportionate and targeted on Syrian government military sites. Its overwhelming purpose must be to deter the Assad regime from using chemical weapons again and to demonstrate that if it did, it would be seriously punished. | It will need to be limited, proportionate and targeted on Syrian government military sites. Its overwhelming purpose must be to deter the Assad regime from using chemical weapons again and to demonstrate that if it did, it would be seriously punished. |
| The Syrian government will be watching carefully to see whether the international community is determined to act or is impotent. Months ago President Obama warned that a red line would be crossed if chemical weapons were used. If these warnings are now seen to be hollow the Assad regime will draw the conclusion that it can commit whatever atrocities it wishes against its own people without paying any price. Chemical weapons attacks would be used again and again. Tens of thousands would perish. We would all have cause to be ashamed. | The Syrian government will be watching carefully to see whether the international community is determined to act or is impotent. Months ago President Obama warned that a red line would be crossed if chemical weapons were used. If these warnings are now seen to be hollow the Assad regime will draw the conclusion that it can commit whatever atrocities it wishes against its own people without paying any price. Chemical weapons attacks would be used again and again. Tens of thousands would perish. We would all have cause to be ashamed. |
| Such an outcome would not only be disastrous for the Syrian people. It would also condemn the United Nations to the same fate as the League of Nations when it was seen to be impotent in the 1930s. | Such an outcome would not only be disastrous for the Syrian people. It would also condemn the United Nations to the same fate as the League of Nations when it was seen to be impotent in the 1930s. |
| The stakes are high. Not to respond at all would be far more dangerous than the limited and proportionate military action being contemplated. Wringing our hands and expressing our concern is simply not enough. | The stakes are high. Not to respond at all would be far more dangerous than the limited and proportionate military action being contemplated. Wringing our hands and expressing our concern is simply not enough. |
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