LONDON (AP) — British lawmakers have voted to join the international campaign of airstrikes against the Islamic State militant group in Syria.
The 397-223 vote in the House of Commons means Royal Air Force fighter jets — already operating against IS in neighboring Iraq — could be flying over Syria within days or even hours.
Prime Minister David Cameron said that after the deadly Nov. 13 Paris attacks, claimed by IS, Britain should strike the militants in their heartland and not “sit back and wait for them to attack us.”
Opposition Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn opposed what he called a “reckless and half-baked intervention,” but dozens of his lawmakers voted with the government to back airstrikes.
AP photo: British Prime Minister David Cameron talks to lawmakers inside the House of Commons during the debate Wednesday.
Well Mr. Corbyn, what’s your “fully baked” alternative to going after Daesh strongholds with airstrikes?
Wow, you mean the British Parliament brought up a proposal, debated it, then actually voted on utilizing force against ISIS/ISIL?! What an incredible idea! Perhaps the GOP can get off their lazy asses and actually take a vote on the authorization to use force for the US too… granted, it’s so much easier to just bitch about the President not having a detailed plan for the US to pursue, because the Pentagon never has plans.
Or the GOP could debate the issue of gun violence in America.
Sometimes I even crack myself up.
It’s half-baked because air campaigns are useless in asymmetrical warfare. Close coordinated air support for ground troops is a different matter and even then this is better done with helicopters and A10s. However, bombing from heights and launching missiles from stand-off distances mostly assures that we don’t lose planes and pilots. Looks tough but otherwise no one believes that this does any good in parts of Syria and Iraq that are already largely wrecked. It’s not like ISIL has factories, airfields or barracks. Further, they are in among what populace is left and so targeting ISIL often means you are targeting non-combatants.
This will not be “won” without combat troops as well as the Russians fucking off.
It’s not Corbyn’s plan of course, but the UN should authorize an intervention force of whatever size necessary (100,000?) to clear and hold territory, provide safe zones for refugees, and this should be coupled with a no-fly zone (except UN authorized missions) and a political process leading to Assad’s departure and new, UN-supervised elections within a year or so.