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Every vote I cast in Parliament weighs heavily on my mind, especially as, unlike most other MPs, I have no whip telling me what to do — I consider the evidence, reflect on the principles I was elected to stand up for, listen to my constituents in Brighton Pavilion.
Never more so than on a day like today, when MPs are deciding whether to carry out air strikes in Iraq against the so called Islamic State (ISIL).
Whatever we decide people will die. Be it directly at the hands of ISIL, whose barbarity seems to know no limits. Or when they are hit by bombs dropped by the US, France or the UK.
And, of course, people are dying as a result of the humanitarian crisis engulfing the region — the Refugee Council tell me it’s the first time since the Second World War that the number of people worldwide who are fleeing their homes is more than 50 million, and the conflicts in the Middle East are a key driver of this exodus. The death toll from the crisis in Syria is heading towards 200,000. Getting aid to all Syrians and Iraqis in need must remain one of the UK’s top priorities.
Amongst the questions I have asked myself ahead of today’s vote is how best to help close down the cycles of violence, which are taking so many lives.
There are no easy answers. But there is this certainty: killing people rarely kills their ideas.
The hateful ideology of ISIL must be stopped but the risk is that air strikes will be counterproductive: every Western bomb dropped will fuel it anew, providing fertile recruitment, fundraising and propaganda opportunities.
I don’t think this is like the last Iraq war. I don’t think that the Prime Minster is manipulating intelligence or lying to the House.
There is much in the Government’s motion with which I agree. It is written in a measured and very reasonable-sounding tone. But the considered, thoughtful tone cannot get away from the bottom line, which is to give permission for the UK to bomb Iraq. Nor can it mask that what is often called ‘precision bombing’ is rarely precise. We should be under no illusion that we are debating whether to go to war.
With virtually everyone on the Government and opposition benches looking set to vote for air strikes, there is a real danger too that diplomatic and political solutions are side lined yet further — and possibly even made more difficult.
The real question should not be whether to bomb but how we can intensify work politically and diplomatically to address the fundamental hostility between Sunnis and Shias — with regional powers such as Iran, Turkey and Saudi Arabia centre stage and support for a fledgling new Iraqi government to deal with seemingly intractable problems like the failures of the Iraqi armed forces, sharing of oil revenues, decentralisation demands and territorial disputes a top priority.
Also uppermost in my mind, in a week where it’s been revealed that a young man from Brighton has been killed whilst fighting for ISIL in Syria, is that there is nothing Islamic about what this extremist group are doing. That as well as embarking upon a concerted effort to find a political solution to the current crisis, we must also redouble our efforts to tackle the radicalisation of some members of our communities, and redouble our efforts to address deeply worrying levels of anti-Muslim sentiment and incidents.
Our best hope of reducing the numbers radicalised would be to champion a new foreign policy doctrine based on clear principles, consistently applied. This should not include selling arms to brutal regimes like Saudi Arabia and Qatar. It should not include tolerating war crimes in Gaza. We must stand up for international law.
Being the only Green MP can be lonely at times, especially on days like today. But my inbox this morning is full of messages from constituents urging me to vote against air strikes and I know that when I stand up and oppose the Government’s motion, I am representing the views of many
The hair and the beard have gone I am now conforming to society, tis a sad day
The b*stards are coming back though
yes of course Galloway is right. He is on everything.
MAYBE we should sit back and allow women to be taken from their home,tortured for 5 days then beheaded because of alleged apostasy. YEP,TURNING THEIR BACKS ON iSLAM.
So what the lefties and apologists have to work out is how to deal with them..
so go on GEORGE what do we do..what does the world do... I d put GG on the front line
On that politcal programme last night, this week? GG said he wants all of them killed but it has to be dealt with in the right way, as in the middle east, Saudi, Jordan etc needs to sort it's shIt out and deal with these nutters.
Bombing these c*unts from the air will only cause 1000's of more innocent casualties, IS are 20,000 speard over an area the size of the UK, they have no bases.
Mission creep will soon come in and Camoron will have his full blown out war he wants
Why should GG go on the front line he opposes this he isn't a warmongerer
[Post edited 26 Sep 2014 18:49]
The hair and the beard have gone I am now conforming to society, tis a sad day
The b*stards are coming back though
Any chance of chucking Galloway out of a plane over IS controlled territory first to see if he can talk them down?
Pain or damage don't end the world. Or despair, or f*cking beatings. The world ends when you're dead. Until then, you got more punishment in store. Stand it like a man... and give some back.
Any chance of chucking Galloway out of a plane over IS controlled territory first to see if he can talk them down?
I would love the IS to change their aim of a creating an Islamic caliphate and murdering innocent civilians, and instead make their sole target the hunting down and slaughter of (Angry Big Mouth) Galloway. We wouldn't have any need to send troops or aircraft to stop them then!
Good idea Dr!
And we're Swaaaaanseeeea Ciiiityyyy! Swaaaansseeeaaa Ciiiityyy F C!
We're not necessarily the greatest team in football, the world has ever seen (but we're possibly the most honest and resilient).
- On behalf of The Campaign For Realistic Crowd Chanting
I've listened to Galloway on c4 and he s really correct IMO. Surprised. He spoke sense about destroying is although he couldn't say how. Why would Cameron want a war. Just because he s a Tory can't then. Pathetic.
Both labour Tory liberal have gone to war as did ussr ,many times
Is this where everyone (with a few honourable exceptions) thinks it's a great idea to go to war because, y'know, you gotta sort these people out once and for all, and then in a few years time when it's gone tits up again the same people pretend that they were against it all along? Because that's what usually happens.
We opened a Pandora's Box as soon as we started f*cking about in those backwards countries. Things will never settle down over there now, once one lot go quiet, another mob will start up.
I want a mate like Flashberryjacks, who wears a Barnsley jersey with "Swans are my second team" on the back.
We opened a Pandora's Box as soon as we started f*cking about in those backwards countries. Things will never settle down over there now, once one lot go quiet, another mob will start up.
And if they don't, we'll make damn sure that they do.
Good God there are sheep on here and there are shepherds there are even some macho men who's gung ho attitude is just amazing, if people think that fighting this bunch of murderous basturds in the usual British way of hiding under the skirts of the world's greatest democracy is going to solve anything then they are greatly disillusioned . I do not know the answer to this problem like many on here do but for every ones sake ,politicians get it right this time or we are fuuuuucked for a very long time.
We buggered up Iraq along with the Yanks and now Britain has to go and sort it's short comings out. As for abuse hurled at individual MP's for voting in a way not to their liking, be grateful that we discuss serious issues like this in the manner that we do in a free society and are able to speak openly without come back , abuse if you want but be constructive in your criticism .
True though innit. We ve got scribes who rubbish leaders who try to sort these cretins out but none can come up with a solution. That is because they isn't any.
Still, I think Israel is not being blamed for a change..
I do believe people like Diane abbot want to sit down and discuss with is. Fact is they d behead her on sight
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