Should the UK bomb Syria? Yes or no thread.

[AnotherEffingOrangeRevel]

Shall we have a little vote, here and now?

It's a big "no" from me.

He needs to be far more considered, and step carefully. Otherwise, we risk getting dragged into hell

^ this x 100000000

No.

Absolutely NO, NO, NO.

No.

Under no circumstances.

No

"The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, but expecting different results."

Ergo, no.

No

According to the Daily Mail 60% of the population supports bombing. Not according to this thread! Which rather supports my view that mn is a more reliable source than the Mail

No

No

No. Utter madness. Anybody else who feels strongly - please consider contacting your MP ahead of any vote in the Commons next week.

Patapouf
I can't believe people are forgetting their outrage over the Iraq war already.

It's odd that the Chilcot enquiry on Iraq has still not materialised - no doubt its publication would have a negative impact on getting (more) involved in Syria. This website keeps a log of civilian deaths following the Iraq invasion:

www.iraqbodycount.org/

Short answer: No.

Slightly longer answer: Air strikes will not end this. We need to have an actual proper plan before we go in. Which will probably involve troops. Or the US needs to decide whether it's willing to go to war with Russia or not.

Disclaimer: I have no idea what a 'proper plan' would involve. Only that air strikes alone are not a proper plan.

No

"Patapouf"
"I can't believe people are forgetting their outrage over the Iraq war already."

while there are so many lessons to learn after Iraq, this is a new situation
You cant apply same logic.

Yes, LittleLion, the Mail one is interesting (and horrible). Other surveys have been much more in line with what we're seeing in our mini-survey here, I believe.

No

No

I'm not a pacifist - I'm open to good arguments for military action. Haven't heard any yet and there are already enough macho guys bombing the shit out of Syrians, many of whom are either civilians, or not pro ISIS.

Meanwhile, out of the 12 million people that used to live in Syria, who wants to have a bet on how many will be left in the country by this time next year? You'd think the refugee crisis was bad enough already ..

I'd have said no until recently, but now think yes to strategically striking ISIS sites.

ISIS do not hold back. They want to peddle their version of radical Islam worldwide. They need to be dealt with, and all the diplomacy and talking in the world will make no difference to them.

Yep. Until the fuel and bullets run out.

Interesting idea for a thread btw, rather surprised by the answers ... I wonder if there is a gender split on this question.

Yes

yes

Fbcu I'm half Syrian and have loads of family still there. A lot of them decamped to Latakia (coastal, regime-held) and a few have remained in Aleppo (rebel-held) because that's where they are all originally from.

I am in two minds about the proposed airstrikes. The majority of my family are not particularly pro-regime but they argue that life was a hell of a lot better than this before the uprising. They will be very pro-airstrikes because a) they're safe as houses and b) they will see it as a means to restoring Syria to its previous (Bashar-incumbent) glory. Obviously they don't relish seeing their country bombed but will view it as a necessary evil to rid them of both Daesh and rebels.

However, my family are wealthy by Syrian standards and could always afford a great standard of living, so they were fine under the regime. Obviously the views of people who got screwed over by it again and again will be significantly different - they would literally rather die than let the Assad bastards rule again. The sad thing is that they WILL die, and the regime will continue.

I don't know what is for the best. I feel that to bomb another country as a knee-jerk response to being attacked is not a sensible move, but the current situation cannot stand. The West is trying to decide whether it wants a turbulent Middle East (Regime vs rebels vs Daesh) or a relatively stable totalitarian one (Regime). I have a feeling that it will go for option b.

So many people are going to die. It makes me sick.

No