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| Focus on diplomacy as Syria vote reverberates | Focus on diplomacy as Syria vote reverberates |
| (17 days later) | |
| Jon Harris rightly expresses concern about the demeanour and approach of far too many of our "leaders" to the vote on intervention in Syria last week (Westminster's posturing elite can't engage the public, 2 September). Disturbing "messianic-style" leadership (à la Tony Blair) and schoolboy humour (à la David Cameron) have no place in these circumstances – or in any circumstances of serious government decision-making. | Jon Harris rightly expresses concern about the demeanour and approach of far too many of our "leaders" to the vote on intervention in Syria last week (Westminster's posturing elite can't engage the public, 2 September). Disturbing "messianic-style" leadership (à la Tony Blair) and schoolboy humour (à la David Cameron) have no place in these circumstances – or in any circumstances of serious government decision-making. |
| What is needed is careful attention to appropriate process (as with Green MP Caroline Lucas calling for MPs to be able to read the full version of the attorney general's legal opinion on launching an attack) and an honest, sober assessment of the legal, UN-based way forward – as Caroline was also suggesting in focusing on the role of diplomacy and the international criminal court. | What is needed is careful attention to appropriate process (as with Green MP Caroline Lucas calling for MPs to be able to read the full version of the attorney general's legal opinion on launching an attack) and an honest, sober assessment of the legal, UN-based way forward – as Caroline was also suggesting in focusing on the role of diplomacy and the international criminal court. |
| The demeanour of the media debate after the vote reflects the inappropriate tenor of too much of the Commons debate, with Lord Ashdown being notable for his inaccurate shrillness. | The demeanour of the media debate after the vote reflects the inappropriate tenor of too much of the Commons debate, with Lord Ashdown being notable for his inaccurate shrillness. |
| It is clear that the majority who voted against the government's motion emphatically do not believe that Britain should do nothing or stand idly by. On the contrary, the Green party, and many others, believe there is now an urgent need to increase aid to Syria's neighbours to help them support the refugees forced to flee their homes. And we must be straining every sinew to try to find non-military solutions through regional, international and UN diplomatic routes. Natalie Bennett Leader, Green party | It is clear that the majority who voted against the government's motion emphatically do not believe that Britain should do nothing or stand idly by. On the contrary, the Green party, and many others, believe there is now an urgent need to increase aid to Syria's neighbours to help them support the refugees forced to flee their homes. And we must be straining every sinew to try to find non-military solutions through regional, international and UN diplomatic routes. Natalie Bennett Leader, Green party |
| • You are quite right that the mood is "not never again" but "not now, not again, not like this" (Editorial, 31 August). The proposed limited strike would harm people and make no difference to the regime. It is likely that Assad instigated the gas attack; it is certain that the regime dropped an incendiary bomb on a school. | • You are quite right that the mood is "not never again" but "not now, not again, not like this" (Editorial, 31 August). The proposed limited strike would harm people and make no difference to the regime. It is likely that Assad instigated the gas attack; it is certain that the regime dropped an incendiary bomb on a school. |
| Our response should be to arrest Assad and his top colleagues, imprison them in The Hague to await trial, get the UN to make the Arab League form an interim government in Syria and charge them to write a constitution acceptable to all factions. Any faction that would not co-operate should leave. Negotiations would be hard and take many months; they should include a decision about the place of religion in politics. | Our response should be to arrest Assad and his top colleagues, imprison them in The Hague to await trial, get the UN to make the Arab League form an interim government in Syria and charge them to write a constitution acceptable to all factions. Any faction that would not co-operate should leave. Negotiations would be hard and take many months; they should include a decision about the place of religion in politics. |
| The interim government should also be charged with keeping order and assisting rebuilding, it should report to the UN every six months and be pressured to get on with it. The actual arrests would probably require the SAS, and if it became necessary the Assads could be shot. Evelyn Adey Athelington, Suffolk | The interim government should also be charged with keeping order and assisting rebuilding, it should report to the UN every six months and be pressured to get on with it. The actual arrests would probably require the SAS, and if it became necessary the Assads could be shot. Evelyn Adey Athelington, Suffolk |
| • It is a grim irony that news of the Chilcot inquiry's delay has been drowned out by the drumbeats of a new war in the Middle East. An attack on Syria would – as with Iraq – have no UN mandate and no legal justification. Our politicians must learn the lessons of our recent bloody history in the region. Now more than ever, the delay of the Chilcot inquiry is a gross abdication of responsibility. | • It is a grim irony that news of the Chilcot inquiry's delay has been drowned out by the drumbeats of a new war in the Middle East. An attack on Syria would – as with Iraq – have no UN mandate and no legal justification. Our politicians must learn the lessons of our recent bloody history in the region. Now more than ever, the delay of the Chilcot inquiry is a gross abdication of responsibility. |
| If it had not been kicked into the long grass, the inquiry could have played a constructive part in informing the debate around Syria. It was supposed to shed light on how the UK was dragged into an illegal war in Iraq, on spurious grounds, resulting in hundreds of thousands of deaths. But without scrutiny of these issues – of war crimes and dodgy dossiers – we are doomed to make the same mistakes. Dr Kate Hudson General secretary, Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament | If it had not been kicked into the long grass, the inquiry could have played a constructive part in informing the debate around Syria. It was supposed to shed light on how the UK was dragged into an illegal war in Iraq, on spurious grounds, resulting in hundreds of thousands of deaths. But without scrutiny of these issues – of war crimes and dodgy dossiers – we are doomed to make the same mistakes. Dr Kate Hudson General secretary, Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament |
| • Just as the madness of war is contagious, so too is the sanity of peace. The courageous decision of the House of Commons to support the will of the people despite the loud beating of the drums of war is already having major consequences. Within days the US government paused in its rush to commit an act of war against Syria. | • Just as the madness of war is contagious, so too is the sanity of peace. The courageous decision of the House of Commons to support the will of the people despite the loud beating of the drums of war is already having major consequences. Within days the US government paused in its rush to commit an act of war against Syria. |
| Now the French are rethinking their belligerent stance. The historic decision of 8/29 is the antidote to 9/11. This points the way to putting the "Great" back into Great Britain. Let the House of Commons carry on as it has now started and express the will of the people in the matters of nuclear weapons, nuclear power and the arms trade. Jim McCluskey Twickenham, Middlesex | Now the French are rethinking their belligerent stance. The historic decision of 8/29 is the antidote to 9/11. This points the way to putting the "Great" back into Great Britain. Let the House of Commons carry on as it has now started and express the will of the people in the matters of nuclear weapons, nuclear power and the arms trade. Jim McCluskey Twickenham, Middlesex |
| • "You have to realise that after Iraq nobody trusts any of us," Ed Miliband reportedly told David Cameron and Nick Clegg in their recent discussion on Syria (Labour forces Cameron to make tactical retreat, 29 August). As it was the anti-Iraq war movement that played such a crucial role in highlighting the Blair government's deceit over Iraq, those who marched through London on 15 February 2003 – often derided for wasting their time – now know that they played a central role in stopping Britain's involvement in another war 10 years later. Ian Sinclair Author, The March That Shook Blair: An Oral History of 15 February 2003 | • "You have to realise that after Iraq nobody trusts any of us," Ed Miliband reportedly told David Cameron and Nick Clegg in their recent discussion on Syria (Labour forces Cameron to make tactical retreat, 29 August). As it was the anti-Iraq war movement that played such a crucial role in highlighting the Blair government's deceit over Iraq, those who marched through London on 15 February 2003 – often derided for wasting their time – now know that they played a central role in stopping Britain's involvement in another war 10 years later. Ian Sinclair Author, The March That Shook Blair: An Oral History of 15 February 2003 |
| • A point ignored in all media coverage: the Labour amendment, opposed by all Conservatives (and I think all Lib Dems), while expressed in different words, effectively meant the same as the government's motion. It said that there should be no military attack until the report of the inspectors had been given to the UN security council and discussed there, and a vote held, that anything done should be legal, and that there would have to be a further vote in the Commons before any British forces could be involved. Kevin McGrath Harlow, Essex | • A point ignored in all media coverage: the Labour amendment, opposed by all Conservatives (and I think all Lib Dems), while expressed in different words, effectively meant the same as the government's motion. It said that there should be no military attack until the report of the inspectors had been given to the UN security council and discussed there, and a vote held, that anything done should be legal, and that there would have to be a further vote in the Commons before any British forces could be involved. Kevin McGrath Harlow, Essex |
| • The heroes of this vote are still unsung; they are neither Cameron nor Miliband but the Conservative and Lib Dem MPs who defied the whip. Most of the people I know outside politics have no idea how difficult it is to defy the whip. But what I would like to know is why this particular vote was whipped at all; this has not yet been justified to us. Cllr Juliet Solomon Lib Dem, Haringey council | • The heroes of this vote are still unsung; they are neither Cameron nor Miliband but the Conservative and Lib Dem MPs who defied the whip. Most of the people I know outside politics have no idea how difficult it is to defy the whip. But what I would like to know is why this particular vote was whipped at all; this has not yet been justified to us. Cllr Juliet Solomon Lib Dem, Haringey council |
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