Syria and a sobering lesson for Cameron

By Daily Mail Comment

PUBLISHED: 17:51 EST, 16 June 2013 | UPDATED: 01:56 EST, 17 June 2013

Lord Dannatt told Mr Cameron that intervening in Syria would be like putting the country's 'arm into a mangle'

Lord Dannatt told Mr Cameron that intervening in Syria would be like putting the country's 'arm into a mangle'

It was a sobering day for David Cameron. First came the disturbing news that up to 3,000 surface-to-air missiles have gone missing in Libya since British military action helped to topple Colonel Gaddafi.

Intelligence agencies say the weapons could easily fall into the hands of Al Qaeda fanatics who wish to blow Western planes from the sky.

The warning that Libya has become the ‘Tesco’ of the arms world was followed by the intervention of Lord Dannatt into the debate over whether Britain should supply arms to a Syrian opposition which itself includes elements of Al Qaeda.

The ex-head of the British army, who told Mr Cameron that intervening in Syria would be like putting the country’s ‘arm into a mangle’, asked: ‘Surely we’ve not forgotten Iraq and Afghanistan?’ 

Meanwhile, Nick Clegg announced that he did not want to get embroiled in a conflict which ‘would not be acceptable to the British people’.

Tory MPs agreed with this stance in huge numbers – prompting party whips to inform Mr Cameron that he would lose any vote on channelling weapons to the anti-Assad rebels.

Indeed, such was the scale of the opposition that, by last night, the Prime Minister appeared resigned to abandoning the idea.

This may be an embarrassment for the Foreign Office, which was desperate to offer support to the pro-intervention President Obama.

 

More...

But make no mistake: it is the right decision for Britain.

Ramping up the violence in Syria – and potentially arming our enemies in the process – risked becoming a mistake of truly catastrophic proportions.

Bring Google to heel

Mr Cameron says he will ‘put the heat on’ his friends at Google and force them to do more to block internet porn and hideous images of child abuse at a summit tomorrow.

Good. This time he must match his rhetoric with action. While ministers have dithered, lives have been destroyed by internet filth and, in at least two recent cases, it has helped to drive perverts to commit child murder.

Union school bullies

 
   

More from Daily Mail Comment...

Poor white British children have become the least likely of any ethnic group to succeed, according to a devastating report by school inspectors.

In a sign that Labour recognises its one-size-fits-all education policies have failed a generation of youngsters, the party will today make a significant U-turn by promising all schools some freedom from the dead hand of State control.

What head teachers will not get, however, is the right to hire whoever they choose – an idea which is fiercely opposed by the militant teaching unions.

It’s another reminder of how – if Ed Miliband ever ran the country – it would be his union paymasters calling the shots.

Junkets and secrets

Meals at Michelin starred restaurants ... golf lessons... trips to the Caribbean... chauffeur-driven Bentleys... pedicures.

Yesterday, we learned some of the many perks and junkets enjoyed by council staff who have spent £440million on taxpayer-funded credit cards.

But, with Town Halls spending a further £262million on severance deals which prevent sacked staff from talking to the Press, the most disturbing question is: Just what else do they have to hide? 

First they gratuitously waste our money. Then, to avoid accountability, they hurl more of our money at keeping their activities secret. So much for the public’s right to know.

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Cameron is not intellectual enough to understand the crisis in Syria. Mr Everyman is an over educated fool who relies on any one and everyone to tell him what to do. The man is a light weight of the highest order and had he had any fibre would admit to it. Stand aside Sir and listen to the people who know, this is not a Tim but Dim moment

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Putin for PM

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More weapons = more deaths, cammo, don't do it, or the blood will be on your hands.

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Cameron will only look at what is best for Cameron in the long term and act accordingly . Any other consideration-including the electorate-is, and always has been, superfluous.

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Cameron learns no lessons, and will be out in 2015. Support UKIP.

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Looking at last Saturday's DM, it seems that having wars did a power of good for Tony Bliar's money making ventures. Perhaps DC wants some of that as well after he gets booted out in 2015.

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Cameron, not being a statesman, he has done enough damage, to this country, now he wants involvement in Syria a, blunderbuss, politition, who can't see further than the end of his nose.

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He wants his own war, heir to blair is'nt he.

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'Good, he must now match his rhetoric with action.' Well, that'll be a first, then!

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NO entry into Syria..... No involvement in Syria .. Is that plain enough for you to understand Cameron??? Once you understand this from your employers, also pull us out of all other war zones. We dont belong there.

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