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Syrians face 'Armageddon' without military action, says David Cameron Syrians face 'Armageddon' without military action, says David Cameron
(14 days later)
David Cameron has warned that the Syrian people will face "Armageddon", in which the Assad regime will launch further chemical weapons attacks, if no military action is taken following the attack on 21 August.David Cameron has warned that the Syrian people will face "Armageddon", in which the Assad regime will launch further chemical weapons attacks, if no military action is taken following the attack on 21 August.
In his strongest remarks in favour of military strikes, the prime minister warned of a very perilous future if the red line drawn up by Barack Obama was not enforced. Obama warned the Assad regime last year that the use of chemical weapons would amount to the breach of a red line that would invite a response.In his strongest remarks in favour of military strikes, the prime minister warned of a very perilous future if the red line drawn up by Barack Obama was not enforced. Obama warned the Assad regime last year that the use of chemical weapons would amount to the breach of a red line that would invite a response.
The prime minister, who insisted Britain would not take part in any military action after his defeat in the Commons last week, made clear that he personally supports such a move after he was warned by the veteran Tory MP Sir Peter Tapsell that strikes could create "Armageddon".The prime minister, who insisted Britain would not take part in any military action after his defeat in the Commons last week, made clear that he personally supports such a move after he was warned by the veteran Tory MP Sir Peter Tapsell that strikes could create "Armageddon".
Cameron replied to Tapsell: "In a way you have put the Armageddon question round the other way which is that if no action is taken following President Obama's red line and if no action is taken following this appalling use of chemical weapons you have to ask yourself what sort of Armageddon are the Syrian people going to be facing?"Cameron replied to Tapsell: "In a way you have put the Armageddon question round the other way which is that if no action is taken following President Obama's red line and if no action is taken following this appalling use of chemical weapons you have to ask yourself what sort of Armageddon are the Syrian people going to be facing?"
The prime minister had earlier told MPs that he personally supported military action while making clear that Britain would not join any action. He told the Labour MP Dame Joan Ruddock, the former chair of the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament who had called for a ceasefire rather than bombings: "I respect the decision the house came to after the debate last week and Britain won't play any part in military action. I would just ask her to put herself in the shoes of the president of the United States and others. He set a very clear red line that if there was large-scale chemical weapons use something had to happen.The prime minister had earlier told MPs that he personally supported military action while making clear that Britain would not join any action. He told the Labour MP Dame Joan Ruddock, the former chair of the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament who had called for a ceasefire rather than bombings: "I respect the decision the house came to after the debate last week and Britain won't play any part in military action. I would just ask her to put herself in the shoes of the president of the United States and others. He set a very clear red line that if there was large-scale chemical weapons use something had to happen.
"Now we know the regime used chemical weapons on at least 14 previous occasions. I think to ask the president of the United States – having set that red line, having made that warning – to step away from it, I think that would be a very perilous suggestion to make. In response I think you would see more chemical weapons attacks from the regime.""Now we know the regime used chemical weapons on at least 14 previous occasions. I think to ask the president of the United States – having set that red line, having made that warning – to step away from it, I think that would be a very perilous suggestion to make. In response I think you would see more chemical weapons attacks from the regime."
The prime minister, who was furious with Ed Miliband after Labour joined with Tory rebels to defeat the government last Thursday, pulled his punches with the Labour leader. Cameron, who may have to rely on Miliband in future parliamentary votes, saved one barbed remark until the end of their exchanges after the Labour leader said the vote was not about shirking Britain's global responsibility but about "preventing a rush to war".The prime minister, who was furious with Ed Miliband after Labour joined with Tory rebels to defeat the government last Thursday, pulled his punches with the Labour leader. Cameron, who may have to rely on Miliband in future parliamentary votes, saved one barbed remark until the end of their exchanges after the Labour leader said the vote was not about shirking Britain's global responsibility but about "preventing a rush to war".
The prime minister said: "My only regret of last week is I don't think it was necessary to divide the house on a vote that could have led to a [second] vote [authorising military action]. But he took the decision that it was."The prime minister said: "My only regret of last week is I don't think it was necessary to divide the house on a vote that could have led to a [second] vote [authorising military action]. But he took the decision that it was."
Miliband had earlier called on Britain to redouble its humanitarian help for Syrian refugees. He also called on the prime minister to do more to ensure that Iran takes part in any peace negotiations.Miliband had earlier called on Britain to redouble its humanitarian help for Syrian refugees. He also called on the prime minister to do more to ensure that Iran takes part in any peace negotiations.
The prime minister indicated that he was wary of a role for Iran after the ransacking of the British embassy in Tehran last year. But he said he had written to Hassan Rouhani, the newly elected president, who is a moderate compared with his predecessor, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.The prime minister indicated that he was wary of a role for Iran after the ransacking of the British embassy in Tehran last year. But he said he had written to Hassan Rouhani, the newly elected president, who is a moderate compared with his predecessor, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
The house fell silent when Tapsell, 83, the father of the house who was an adviser to the late prime minister Sir Anthony Eden in the 1950s, stood up to ask the prime minister about Syria. Tapsell, a prominent opponent of military intervention, said: "As the Syrian tragedy has unfolded I have always had the Armageddon question in the back of my mind which I shall now, in an understated form if I may, put to the prime minister. If the Americans illegally bombard the Assad forces and Assad legally invites the Russians in to degrade the rebels what will Nato do?"The house fell silent when Tapsell, 83, the father of the house who was an adviser to the late prime minister Sir Anthony Eden in the 1950s, stood up to ask the prime minister about Syria. Tapsell, a prominent opponent of military intervention, said: "As the Syrian tragedy has unfolded I have always had the Armageddon question in the back of my mind which I shall now, in an understated form if I may, put to the prime minister. If the Americans illegally bombard the Assad forces and Assad legally invites the Russians in to degrade the rebels what will Nato do?"
The prime minister said Britain would never support illegal action, though he said that it could be lawful to act without the authority of the UN. Cameron said: "We would never support illegal action. We debated and discussed this at some length last week. It isn't the case that the only way action can be legal is a UN resolution. So we would only support action that was legal, we would only support action that was proportionate. As I've said, Britain wouldn't be taking part in any of this action."The prime minister said Britain would never support illegal action, though he said that it could be lawful to act without the authority of the UN. Cameron said: "We would never support illegal action. We debated and discussed this at some length last week. It isn't the case that the only way action can be legal is a UN resolution. So we would only support action that was legal, we would only support action that was proportionate. As I've said, Britain wouldn't be taking part in any of this action."
The "Armageddon" envisaged by Tapsell appears to raise the prospect of Britain having to intervene under its Nato commitment. Russian attacks on rebels would probably alarm Turkey, a Nato member. If Turkey were attacked Britain would be obliged to join a Nato operation to come to its aid.The "Armageddon" envisaged by Tapsell appears to raise the prospect of Britain having to intervene under its Nato commitment. Russian attacks on rebels would probably alarm Turkey, a Nato member. If Turkey were attacked Britain would be obliged to join a Nato operation to come to its aid.
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