House of Commons vote to Bomb Syria 2nd December, 2015

Hilary Benn's Speech at the House of Commons in favour to Bomb Syria 2nd December 2015

An excellent speech though it was, solving that issue of the Middle East needs more strategy than passion.  It is such a hard decision to make in favour the bombing Syria but what alternatives are there for those living in Europe.  Europe if not the entire western hemisphere and more are in the cross hairs of the Daish fascist regime and as Hillary Benn emphasised they have time and again proved it by their murderous actions.  With the support of Air strikes the local military, so far their number under dispute can ever achieve enough the territorial gains to safeguard the return of the refugees.  I very much doubt it.  In Iraq at least, whatever have been the gains, have been negligible.  These very limited victories have made at enormous costs: financial and to human lives.

Military action by Britain and her coalition partners now engaged in bombing Raqa, Syria, The ISIS capital, primary purpose to defend Europe from the terrorist action but by itself ‘would it work’ is the inevitable question. Europe’s bombing of ISIS territory has indeed checked its sudden and profuse offensive that not long ago made the invasion of Baghdad a likely proposition.  This show of strength was and is still aimed to help to advance united armed forces principally formed by the Iraqi Army to push ISIS back under air cover provided by the European super jets’ strategic bombing. This push-back has not happened; instead, we have seen an immediate escalation of further slavery, beheadings and killing of local citizens.  To say nothing of further terrorism and murder Europe has experienced since. Moreover, we are today always reminded of this continued terror presence seeing human misery and the exodus of refugees to Europe escaping the horrifying scenes we daily see on our televisions.

The refugee problem is not only an enormous humanitarian issue, but it is also putting Europe in danger of diluting the chemistry of its anthropological and demographical ethnic constitution at lightning speed.  At this rate, the refugee problem is an ever-present external force that can effectively change the make-up of Europe and corrupt the common thread of European culture. The enemy is now within.  Its radicalization efforts are on the increase those who support it financially and logistically remain anonymous.  The self-declared Caliphate has declared war many fronts including territorial and psychological using ideology and terror as it means throughout Europe.  The common cause is ISIS, which now must be defeated.

A ‘yes-to-bomb-war’ campaign has now ratified the go ahead to declare war.  Albeit a defensive war, in effect to protect its people, but however much is a bombing war it is, it cannot be done solely by air strikes.  Yes, go ahead and bomb but with efficient use of soldiers on the ground which inevitably means putting more lives, more European lives, at risk for an adequate power.  Such methods, of course, bear great resemblance to tried and tested ‘shock n’ awe’ invasion of Iraq.  You cannot physically fight a war from a distance. History and logic vouch for that.

The Speech, on the other hand, will do no harm, indeed, it provides the forward thrust to Hillary Benn’s career and might put him in line to Labour leadership.  Faced with the revolt by 60 or so Labour MP’s voting in line with the government motion that could be sooner than he envisaged.

Conversely, of course, as History tells us we can learn from the prime minister, with the most military experience, Arthur Wellesley, Duke of Wellington, once said: “Next to a battle lost, the greatest misery is a battle gained.”