WOKINGHAM’S MP, John Redwood, has yet to reveal how he would vote regarding the UK taking action on Syria.
It is currently expected that Parliament will hold a debate and vote tomorrow.
Yesterday, Bracknell MP Dr Phillip Lee, opened a debate on the Middle East, where he expressed caution and concern over bombing IS.
He said: “The difficult question is how we use military force to constructive ends. On this critical point, I don’t believe we’ve yet got a sufficient answer.
“Air strikes may be our only hope of getting, and keeping, parties in Syrian civil war around the table. But we must be clear about who we are fighting for – and how military action ends.”
In a blog post Mr Redwood shared five questions relating to the proposed bombing campaign that he would like answer before deciding how he would vote.
He said: “I accept that Daesh [IS] is a serious threat to us as it is a movement that has people and sympathisers in western countries as well as in Iraq, Syria and elsewhere in the Middle East. I have urged the government to take stronger measures to police our borders, to improve intelligence as they are now doing, and to reinforce our defences against home grown terrorism and against would be terrorists seeking entry to the UK.”
Mr Redwood also said he had received messages from “a number of constituents have contacted me opposing UK bombing in Syria” and that he opposed bombing the Assad regime in Syria two years ago.
“[I] was pleased Parliament got the government to withdraw the planned motion for military action,” he noted.
Mr Redwood’s questions are summarised as:
- Who would provide the army for any ground troop engagement?
- Does the government wish to attack Daesh or still remove the Assad regime?
- How would responsible government be restored in Syria, especially in the areas currently run by Daesh?
- Will the UK work alongside Russia or independently?
- The Free Syrian army is said to offer ground troops to win this war. Who commands them?
He added: “I await considered answers to these questions. I have no wish to impede assisting our allies or preventing further terrorist abuses, but I do wish to see a thought through strategy with emphasis on a future political settlement.”
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