Welcome suspension to sending supplies to the Syrian opposition

As one who has urged Ministers to be careful about sending supplies to the very diverse opposition forces in Syria, in case they should get into hostile hands, I welcome the government’s decision to suspend shipments.

11 Comments

  1. Kenneth R Moore
    December 12, 2013

    Suspension of supplies is the solution to a problem that should never have existed in the first place. The lazy ‘rebels’ versus government forces line was always idiotically simplistic.

  2. Brian Tomkinson
    December 12, 2013

    It’s taken them long enough to wake up. It was only a few months since Hague, Cameron and Obama wanted direct military involvement on the side of the disparate group of rebels.

  3. zorro
    December 12, 2013

    Good news….#TeamCameron makes a correct decision and the wonky compass moves two degrees in the right direction…..

    zorro

  4. margaret brandreth-j
    December 12, 2013

    I am just wondering whether enough people have removed themselves from Syria to avoid pro government attacks on the civilians. Would the government dare to repeat the attacks whilst the worlds eyes are on them?

  5. Bert Young
    December 12, 2013

    Wholeheartedly agree . Trying to get aid to those who are really in need and not to islamist horror groups , was always near impossible .

  6. Max Dunbar
    December 12, 2013

    Non-lethal supplies as distinct from humanitarian aid?
    Glad to hear that these shipments have stopped for the time being. Don’t let Cameron and Haig re-start them. What a stupid and misguided thing to have done in the first place.

  7. lifelogic
    December 12, 2013

    Indeed in warfare it is generally better to stay well away or if you really must go in to defend your position (and you can win) then go in with all the forces at your command. Tinkering at the edge rarely is very dangerous and usually a disaster. Clearly this is certainly a stay very well away situation. This was also clear for Iran and Afganistan but youngster Blair thought he new better.

  8. Cheshire Girl
    December 13, 2013

    Yes, millions of taxpayers money was sent to Syria without even consulting those of us who have to pay the bill. The results were entirely predictable! In my opinion it’s a bit late to see the light now. When will Governments ever learn not to be so generous with taxpayers money, especially when they don’t even know what kind of people the money is going to! I recall that some worries were raised at the time, but ignored.

  9. Roger Farmer
    December 13, 2013

    Suspended!, how stupid to allow shipments in the first place. Do you learn nothing from history in that Westminster bubble of yours. You and your American friends supported Islamic extremists in Afghanistan against the Russians and look what that lead to. You then proceeded to Iraq and succeeded in putting the country in a state of perpetual civil war. After that it was Libya for more civil war. No doubt ,covertly, you have dabbled in Egypt. It strikes me that Cameron and Obama strut the World looking for opportunities to enhance their status as World statesmen with little idea of how to.. The only credit to Westminster is that it stopped direct involvement in Syria. Will you ever learn.

  10. stred
    December 13, 2013

    My local shop is run by a Syrian Christian who got out just in time. His family live in a mainly Christian town and the opposing sides keep fighting around them. Much damage has been done. Each side tries to make them join in and they reply “It is not our war.” Mr Cameron should take a similar line. These people are genuine refugees, not economic.They are well educated and hard working. It seems ironic that because the wealthier EU countries have too many economic migrants they have to clamp down on real refugees. Now that the war has been encouraged and Islamist extremists have taken over, they will not be able to return to towns where they have lived for two thousand years.

  11. Neil Craig
    December 13, 2013

    “First, do no harm”

    I don’t know if the Saudis will take up the slack or, no longer having western support, will cut their losses. Probably depends on how genuine this is – is it western PR and they will still support the Saudis in arming our al Quaeda friends or not.

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