I can well appreciate Kris Hopkins’ sentiments about PM David Cameron losing the House of Commons vote about Britain taking military action against Syria, alongside the USA, both as the Keighley & Ilkley constituency MP and as an ex-soldier himself.
He, of course, has voted in favour of taking military action.
However, he should not feel ‘deeply uncomfortable’, as there is plenty left for Britain still to do.
The announcement by US President Barack Obama that he, too, is taking this question about a military strike against Syria to Congress for approval is a further opportunity for this highly risky, violent and immediate action to be averted.
The fleeing refugees leaving Syria for safety in Jordan and Turkey ought to be a priority, with the winter cold approaching.
Tangible help should be given to them out of the massive £12 billion overseas aid and development budget.
Secondly, I am much in favour of Britain returning to the UN Security Council. Many see this as being ‘not fit for purpose’, but how else do you get the key global players together to resolve this conflict within Syria and halt any wider war-like action?
Thirdly, 20 million innocent people live in Syria. If a military strike were to take place against an alleged chemical weapons store, a release of toxic gas may affect many more of the population than the 1,400-plus who so tragically lost their lives in the Sarin gas incident.
In conclusion, surely we have learned enough from recent conflicts to know we have to solve these disputes without military strikes?
Nigel Farage, the UKIP Leader, has spoken in an interview he gave in the past few days about this important issue. I fully support his position.
Other people, such as Lord Ashdown, say they are ashamed at the outcome of the vote in the House of Commons, and that this has let our nation down. I disagree. How can averting the risk of a much bigger war in the Middle East region and loss of life be seen as being wrong?
How many of the 20 million, mostly innocent Syrians, are at risk of being slaughtered in a war of this scale?
High-level diplomacy must be allowed to rule.
Paul Latham Prospective Parliamentary Candidate Keighley and Ilkley constituency UK Independence Party
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