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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
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| Iraq and Afghanistan are with me every day, but UK made wrong call on Syria | Iraq and Afghanistan are with me every day, but UK made wrong call on Syria |
| (17 days later) | |
| As someone who had enough friends killed in Iraq and Afghanistan during my time in the British army, I didn't expect to find myself pining for more of Tony Blair's pluck these days. I'm not his greatest fan. | As someone who had enough friends killed in Iraq and Afghanistan during my time in the British army, I didn't expect to find myself pining for more of Tony Blair's pluck these days. I'm not his greatest fan. |
| But after Ed Miliband's – and other politicians' – political gaming-based or genuine opposition to consideration of British military action in Syria, Blair's leadership and moral courage during the Kosovo conflict stands out in glowing contrast. | But after Ed Miliband's – and other politicians' – political gaming-based or genuine opposition to consideration of British military action in Syria, Blair's leadership and moral courage during the Kosovo conflict stands out in glowing contrast. |
| My first operational tour was in Kosovo, where today Blair is viewed as a hero for championing the military intervention which eventually occurred. Just before I left the army, sapped and depressed by what I'd been part of in Iraq and Afghanistan, I met a Kosovar in London who insisted on shaking my hand once I told him I'd served in Kosovo. | My first operational tour was in Kosovo, where today Blair is viewed as a hero for championing the military intervention which eventually occurred. Just before I left the army, sapped and depressed by what I'd been part of in Iraq and Afghanistan, I met a Kosovar in London who insisted on shaking my hand once I told him I'd served in Kosovo. |
| I don't expect to ever have my hand shook by an Iraqi or an Afghan. But in trying to make amends for the reasons behind that, the wrong call was made by parliament in rejecting a motion which supported the principle of military intervention in Syria. A country whose afflicted population are increasingly likely to be left as traumatised by our actions – or inactions – as those Iraqis and Afghans. | I don't expect to ever have my hand shook by an Iraqi or an Afghan. But in trying to make amends for the reasons behind that, the wrong call was made by parliament in rejecting a motion which supported the principle of military intervention in Syria. A country whose afflicted population are increasingly likely to be left as traumatised by our actions – or inactions – as those Iraqis and Afghans. |
| Like any British soldier who served alongside the might of the US military, I am more than aware of how it doesn't depend on British military assistance to conduct strikes against Syrian military installations. But that doesn't negate the symbolic value of UK participation, which would also strengthen its leverage in the ethical and tactical reasoning being undertaken by President Barack Obama's administration. Even superpowers need moral support. | Like any British soldier who served alongside the might of the US military, I am more than aware of how it doesn't depend on British military assistance to conduct strikes against Syrian military installations. But that doesn't negate the symbolic value of UK participation, which would also strengthen its leverage in the ethical and tactical reasoning being undertaken by President Barack Obama's administration. Even superpowers need moral support. |
| Lieutenant General Sir Graeme Lamb, former British Commander of the Field Army, summed up the problem with parliament's decision by paraphrasing the political philosopher Edmund Burke: | Lieutenant General Sir Graeme Lamb, former British Commander of the Field Army, summed up the problem with parliament's decision by paraphrasing the political philosopher Edmund Burke: |
| Evil exists in the world, not just because of evil people but also because the good do nothing. | Evil exists in the world, not just because of evil people but also because the good do nothing. |
| Part of what haunts me and other veterans is how too often we didn't speak out and act when we sensed something wasn't right or more could be done in Iraq and Afghanistan. And now UK leaders risk similar folly – on a far greater scale – by not being willing to countenance any military action, no matter how limited. | Part of what haunts me and other veterans is how too often we didn't speak out and act when we sensed something wasn't right or more could be done in Iraq and Afghanistan. And now UK leaders risk similar folly – on a far greater scale – by not being willing to countenance any military action, no matter how limited. |
| Fine, the British government made a mistake and unnerved many by appearing to rush in, but it checked itself and agreed to criteria which needed to be met before any type of military action occurred, including the requirement for another parliamentary vote before direct military action. | Fine, the British government made a mistake and unnerved many by appearing to rush in, but it checked itself and agreed to criteria which needed to be met before any type of military action occurred, including the requirement for another parliamentary vote before direct military action. |
| Poignantly, as MPs voted on the government's proposal, the BBC released a damning report about a jet fighter releasing napalm-like munitions on a school in northern Syria. Much has been made about the lack of proof that the chemical attack in Damascus was carried out by the Syrian government. I wouldn't put it past elements in the armed opposition to conduct such an attack to frame the government, but concerning that attack on the school – the opposition don't have jets. | Poignantly, as MPs voted on the government's proposal, the BBC released a damning report about a jet fighter releasing napalm-like munitions on a school in northern Syria. Much has been made about the lack of proof that the chemical attack in Damascus was carried out by the Syrian government. I wouldn't put it past elements in the armed opposition to conduct such an attack to frame the government, but concerning that attack on the school – the opposition don't have jets. |
| On the other hand, fixation with the chemical attack in Damascus that triggered the US and UK governments' calls to action (and resistance from dissenting voices) has a touch of closing the gate after the horse has bolted. We have largely remained idle while 100,000 Syrians have died during more than two years of conflict. There's something very Orwellian about Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad; the monster that hides behind the bank manager look, the sober suits, the neat moustache. We used to get riled by monsters in power and be willing to strike back when they committed atrocities. | On the other hand, fixation with the chemical attack in Damascus that triggered the US and UK governments' calls to action (and resistance from dissenting voices) has a touch of closing the gate after the horse has bolted. We have largely remained idle while 100,000 Syrians have died during more than two years of conflict. There's something very Orwellian about Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad; the monster that hides behind the bank manager look, the sober suits, the neat moustache. We used to get riled by monsters in power and be willing to strike back when they committed atrocities. |
| Admittedly, you could put a gun against my head and I couldn't offer a strategy guaranteed to succeed in Syria and not backfire catastrophically, but I will stick my neck out and say I'm confident that doing nothing isn't the answer, nor a morally defensible position. Didn't something unpleasant happen in Rwanda while we did nothing? | Admittedly, you could put a gun against my head and I couldn't offer a strategy guaranteed to succeed in Syria and not backfire catastrophically, but I will stick my neck out and say I'm confident that doing nothing isn't the answer, nor a morally defensible position. Didn't something unpleasant happen in Rwanda while we did nothing? |
| Iraq and Afghanistan were disasters. Don't worry, I get that. Politicians, official intelligence, military leaders, journalists and pundits got so much wrong. As did I, and I've done my fair share of navel gazing since, I can assure you, resulting in my dithering about interventions in Libya and Syria and previously concluding, best play it safe, best not get involved. | Iraq and Afghanistan were disasters. Don't worry, I get that. Politicians, official intelligence, military leaders, journalists and pundits got so much wrong. As did I, and I've done my fair share of navel gazing since, I can assure you, resulting in my dithering about interventions in Libya and Syria and previously concluding, best play it safe, best not get involved. |
| But I've started to realise the need to guard against letting Iraq and Afghanistan forever blight my ability to take that moral compass out and make a difficult call to risk action. I can't help feeling that the UK's politicians and populace collectively needs to buck up, move on from past mistakes – not forgetting, there's a difference – and face the humanitarian dilemma of Syria and what it demands of us as part of the international community, head on. | But I've started to realise the need to guard against letting Iraq and Afghanistan forever blight my ability to take that moral compass out and make a difficult call to risk action. I can't help feeling that the UK's politicians and populace collectively needs to buck up, move on from past mistakes – not forgetting, there's a difference – and face the humanitarian dilemma of Syria and what it demands of us as part of the international community, head on. |
| Funnily enough, I was at Camp Bastion when Tony Blair visited Afghanistan during 2009, and I found myself sat next to him at dinner in the cook house. I have to admit that I was struck dumb. These politicians can exude a disconcertingly bewitching aura, and for a long time afterwards, I chided myself for not having the guts to call him out over Iraq and Afghanistan. But my lack of engagement doesn't chafe so much now – he didn't get everything wrong; he deserves some credit. | Funnily enough, I was at Camp Bastion when Tony Blair visited Afghanistan during 2009, and I found myself sat next to him at dinner in the cook house. I have to admit that I was struck dumb. These politicians can exude a disconcertingly bewitching aura, and for a long time afterwards, I chided myself for not having the guts to call him out over Iraq and Afghanistan. But my lack of engagement doesn't chafe so much now – he didn't get everything wrong; he deserves some credit. |
| Politicians and their advisers can get it right – Kosovo – and they can get it wrong – Iraq and Afghanistan. For the sake of the Syrian people, I'm willing to at least trust our government to consider the options and be in a position to follow through on them if necessary and in league with an international coalition, including being able to act militarily. | Politicians and their advisers can get it right – Kosovo – and they can get it wrong – Iraq and Afghanistan. For the sake of the Syrian people, I'm willing to at least trust our government to consider the options and be in a position to follow through on them if necessary and in league with an international coalition, including being able to act militarily. |
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