Syria air strikes: The 236 words that will decide whether (UK) goes to war against Isis in Syria

[Turborama]

Source: The Independent

David Cameron has published the Government's motion on bombing Isis in Syria that MPs will debate for 10 and a half hours on Wednesday.

It declares that Isis poses an "unprecedented" and "direct threat" to the UK and asks MPs to support the Government and Armed Forces in "taking military action, specifically airstrikes, exclusively against Isil in Syria".

The motion pledges not to deploy UK troops on the ground in Syria and commits the Government to giving MPs progress updates every three months.

Ministers have stepped up their efforts to convince MPs of the need to take military action in Syria, with the Defence Secretary Michael Fallon claiming that the number of Isis-inspired terror attacks have increased tenfold over the last year.

He told the Defence Committee that last year there were 15 attacks around the world that were inspired or directed by Isis but in 2015 there had already been 150.

Here is the Government motion in full:

That this House notes that Isil poses a direct threat to the United Kingdom; welcomes United Nations Security Council Resolution 2249 which determines that Isil constitutes an ‘unprecedented threat to international peace and security’ and calls on states to take ‘all necessary measures’ to prevent terrorist acts by Isil and to ‘eradicate the safe haven they have established over significant parts of Iraq and Syria’; further notes the clear legal basis to defend the UK and our allies in accordance with the UN Charter; notes that military action against Isil is only one component of a broader strategy to bring peace and stability to Syria; welcomes the renewed impetus behind the Vienna talks on a ceasefire and political settlement; welcomes the Government’s continuing commitment to providing humanitarian support to Syrian refugees; underlines the importance of planning for post-conflict stabilisation and reconstruction in Syria; welcomes the Government’s continued determination to cut Isil’s sources of finance, fighters and weapons; notes the requests from France, the US and regional allies for UK military assistance; acknowledges the importance of seeking to avoid civilian casualties, using the UK’s particular capabilities; notes the Government will not deploy UK troops in ground combat operations; welcomes the Government’s commitment to provide quarterly progress reports to the House; and accordingly supports Her Majesty’s Government in taking military action, specifically airstrikes, exclusively against Isil in Syria; and offers its wholehearted support to Her Majesty’s Armed Forces.

Read more: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/syria-air-strikes-the-236-words-that-will-decide-whether-we-go-to-war-against-isis-in-syria-a6755761.html

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Cameron's channeling Blair, and there's a heavy déjà vu of 2003 in the UK right now.

[leveymg]

1. Mission creep, step-by-step, into Damascus. If the goal were "cut Isil’s sources of finance" this

brief would involve cutting off the funding from Saudi Arabia and the Gulf States. Unfortunately, the oil kings own almost as much London real estate at this point as the Queen of England.

Cameron just wants in on the expected dismemberment of Syria.