The UK Parliament debates bombing Syria.
The debate in the House of Commons is raging as we speak. Up to 20 % of Tory MPs may rebel against UK Prime Minister Cameron and vote against bombing Syria, whilst Labour has been given a free vote (no need to obey a whip but your own conscience) and the numbers are a bit fuzzy. The Scots are voting against. They have questioned Cameron’s assertion that there are 70,000 “moderate” troops in the Free Syrian Army, a number that has been discredited in many reports (and compared to the Weapons of Mass Destruction claim used to justify the Iraqi war/debacle).
The UK Foreign Affairs Select Committee of the Commons, the group of people to study the situation in depth, have cautioned the PM as the Government’s strategy is ‘incoherent’ and air strikes could be illegal if not approved by the UN. However its Chair will vote in support of Cameron’s proposals.
Jeremy Corbyn, leader of the opposition has proven once again he does not get “personal” and reacted to being called a “terrorist sympathiser” in a manner that differs completely to the one the character in Back to the Future, Marty McFly, reacts to being called “chicken”. Instead of the immature, mechanical, impulsive and stupid way Hollywood teaches us we should react if somebody suggests we are cowardly,(see Youtube clip) or any other insult thrown at us by a bully, Jeremy Corbyn gives us all a master class in coherence: “In my view only a negotiated political and diplomatic endeavour to bring about an end to the civil war in Syria will bring some hope to the millions who’ve lost their homes, who are refugees camped out in various points across Europe dreaming of a day that they can go home. I think our over-riding goal should be to end that civil war in Syria. And obviously also to protect the people of this country.”
He reminds us in his Facebook Page, in the anniversary of Rosa Parks’ refusal to give a seat to a white bus passenger, that “This simple act of civil disobedience to defend human dignity was one of the most important events in the civil rights movement history.”
However the Media (and the Blairites of the Labour Party) continue their onslaught on Corbyn, unable to deal with a politician who remains principled and coherent in the face of such coordinated attack.
The vote, planned for 10pm, may go Cameron’s way but we should not lose sight of the fact that these issues are contributing to the formation of a movement that responds to “politics as usual” in a different way, paying attention to human beings and their real needs rather than the interests of arms dealers, the international financial sector and the politicians supported by them and their Media.
Update on the Commons Vote
The British Parliament has voted to bomb Syria with a majority of 397 to 223 as 67 Labour MPs vote with the Government (and 13 Torys do not).
