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We must plan for military action in Syria

Each time the Assad regime gets away with these despicable acts, the world becomes less stable.

Members of the Free Syrian Army
Members of the Free Syrian Army's Commandos Brigade near Qusayr, nine miles from Homs. Photograph: Getty Images.

Editor's note: The New Statesman's leader on Syria can be read here.

Following the appalling savagery at Houla, Kofi Annan declared: “we are at a tipping point”. We are not, we are already peering into the abyss, watching those suffering within it, and ignoring their calls for help as we pontificate on the niceties of international law and power-politics. Given his experience of the Rwanda genocide, Annan knows that there is no “tipping point” above which the number slaughtered either shocks the perpetrators into relending, or shames the international community into acting. The UN and international community have previously stood by as hundreds of thousands of innocents perished, and will do so again unless the moral case for the responsibility to protect is articulated more forcefully. To do this, we must listen to and then act on behalf of the victims, or else their human rights enshrined in ‘international law’ shall once again be shown to be worth little more than the paper on which they're written. Given the futility of diplomacy, robust military intervention must now be planned.  

In domestic politics, the rights of victims of crime are often forgotten amid our clamour to uphold those of defendants. This pattern, when transferred to the international stage, helps perpetuate an ‘aggressor’s charter’ prioritising the rights of criminal governments over those of civilian populations. It is time for a reversal so that in future the rights of ordinary human beings to life and liberty trump an illegitimate government’s right to protection from outside interference in its affairs, or the broader strategic interests of their allies. Only the superb reporting of journalists such as the late Marie Colvin, Tom CoghlanMartin Fletcher (£), and Alex Thomson (to name but a few) has given voice to these voiceless thousands, from which we should conclude that each time the Assad regime gets away with these despicable acts, the world becomes less stable and less safe for us all.

It is of course important to ponder whether an alternative naval base might be found for Russia in the Mediterranean or how they might keep their base in a post-Assad Syria; whether a Yemen-style top-level political solution can be found through which Assad goes but the regime clings on; whether the nature of Syria’s air defences render attack impossible; or whether Syria’s multi-ethnic composition and lack of unified opposition mean any intervention would merely provoke far greater human suffering in future. However, the geopolitical strategic calculations and debates about the practical implications all too often ignore the voices and interests of the civilians, the victims, who matter most.

At this stage of the crisis, three fundamental conclusions can be drawn. First, in its desperation to cling to power, this regime will countenance depravity up to and beyond the level of his father’s massacre of 20,000 civilians at Hama in 1982. Second, diplomatic pressure alone is no deterrent. The Annan Plan has failed because in seeking to end violence on both sides, it delegitimised the right of civilians to resist a dictator who is oppressing them, whilst simultaneously failing to afford them either the physical security or the democratic reforms they desire and deserve. Equally, like Milošević and Saddam Hussein, Assad is well-versed in Stalin's doctrine: 'how many divisions does the Pope have?' and will only desist when confronted by overwhelming military force. Third, Russia and China's diplomatic and military support for Assad, confirmed again on Wednesday, is likely to remain sufficiently robust as to prevent the Security Council sanctioning of any form of military intervention, thereby bolstering Assad's confidence that he acts with impunity.

What can be done to break this impasse? The most credible military option, the creation of militarily-protected safe zones in North West Syria, is now being mooted by, amongst others, serious and experienced people such as Anne-Marie Slaughter, former Director of Planning at the US State Department, and Ann Clwyd MP, Tony Blair’s former special envoy to Iraq and now a member of the Foreign Affairs Committee. Even this would probably fall foul of the Chinese and Russian veto. Therefore, the international community, and indeed each of us, must ask whether for the sake of not offending the sentiments and interests of these Security Council members, we are willing to allow the death-toll to rise from 18,000 towards the levels of Bosnia or Sudan?

International law should not be conflated with doing the right thing, and the victims of Houla and countless other places in Syria, require that for once, we protect them, rather than protecting a discredited, immoral international political system. The Arab Spring has shown that ordinary citizens rising up in pursuit of freedom and democracy can topple nefarious regimes. The ferocity of Assad's response indicates his deep fear of the unstoppable, eternal urge of people to govern their own destiny and live in dignity. Facing down cynical, brutal evil has never been easy and will not be this time. We owe the innocent civilians of Syria our support, for their sake, and in defence of the principle that the rights of ordinary people must prevail.

John Slinger is chair of Pragmatic Radicalism and blogs at Slingerblog. He was formerly researcher to Ann Clwyd MP (accompanying her to Baghdad in 2005 & 2006 when she was the Prime Minister's Special Envoy to Iraq on Human Rights).

Twitter: @JohnSlinger

128 comments

Michael West's picture

one plus of violence doesn't justify two of that. Has the NS been bought up by the CIA again? It was during the Cold War, I know that for a fact..

Red Rain's picture

"We must plan for military action in Syria"... No we shouldn't it's always a bad idea getting involved in other peoples civil wars..

Goji's picture

Nice article..... interesting.
Goji Goji fructe goji

ahmadnasr89's picture

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Still-left's picture

I am really not sure about which side is the more destructive, more corrupt, but what I do know is that the US and Israel have been planning and implementing a destabilisation plan for Iraq, Syria, Iran, Libya, Sudan, and others since 1991, and when they are all in chaos, shattered and divided along ethnic lines then Israel will launch it's war to expand territory and no one will stop them.

General Wesley Clark tells of how Middle East destabilization was planned as far back as 1991

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f7NsXFnzJGw

myouz's picture

Proxies of Obama. I am surprised it needs to be spelt out. Turkey has already received millions of dollars from Saudi Arabia and Qatar to arm and train the Syrian Rebels. Similarly Israel which cannot be trusted to keep its nose out has been supplying weaponry to the rebels too. What is absolutely laughable in all this is that Saudi Arabia and Aqatr claim to care about human rights????? LOL

samtheman's picture

The Zio whackos on this thread are just too plain stupid to see that their sycophantic rants on behalf of Israel serve only to harden views against this brutal state. We need people like Jankaas to put these zio retrogrades in their place.!!!!

samtheman's picture

Absolutely, the thinking behind this article is depply flawed. I have yet to hear a satisfactory explanation as to why Britain no matter which govt is in power, is addicted to war. Personally I think this addiction to war stems from the monarchial system and empire which glorifies war. I think also that war has a commercial value and that is why Britain get involved in endless wars.

samtheman's picture

I am amazed that contributors to this thread think that Britain should leave well alone. Have they not studied their history books. Whenever there is a conflict Britain is always there, hovering always waiting to start a war openly or cladestinely. Britain is already secretly arming and training the rebels as it did in Libya. Look how that turned out!!!!!!!

Trader2's picture

Just to say here we have another white liberal cheerleading for a war in which he will not be fighting and where none of his family are at risk of being blown to pieces or being burnt to death by white phosphorous. If you want to fight so bad YOU GO AND DO IT.

faiza238's picture

through Afghanistan, Iraq, Sudan o Christian I know is as obsessively anti-Semitic as you are really don't give a flying fick what you think as you are quite obviously deranged No Christian I know refers to Jews as 'zhids' as you do and no Christian laments that the Holocaust was "incomplete" as you do.
http://fashiondesignslatest2012.blogspot.com

Attrition47's picture

@ John ("mud") Slinger,

what puerile hypocrisy; how many calls to violence have you made in respose to Caesar Obama's murderous rampages through Afghanistan, Iraq, Sudan, Yemen, Bahrain, Libya and Palestine?

Who are you working for?

samtheman's picture

Don't be surprised if this John Slinger becomes a Labour MP. What amazes me is the hypocrisy; the Labour party is very selective in its MTP doctrine. How come in 13 years of a Labour Govt, the position of the Palestinians worsened signficantly. Not a peep during the Lebanon invasion of the Gaza war where 1400 Palestinians were massacred.

Frederick.'s picture

I do find it strange that when Jewish kids get butchered by Muslim fanatics so many people find ways in which to justify their killing. But when Muslim kids get butchered by Muslim killers - well that's a real tragedy.

samtheman's picture

You really have a twisted and warped mind. All you are concerned about is Jewish lives. I guess you take great pleasure when you see Muslim lives lost!!!

Attrition47's picture

Which killers?

Elizabeth.'s picture

Muslim fanatics slaughter Hindu and sikh kids. Hamas and Islamic jihad slaughter Jewish kids on buses and in pizza restaurants in Israel and we are told by islamofascist scum like Galloway, Livingstone, the NS, Yvone Ridley, Lauren Booth and the guardian that we ought to feel sorry for the suicide bombers and look to 'root causes' rather than commiserate with the dead Jewish, Hindu, Sikh and Christian child victims. Why am I unmoved by the plight of dead Moslem kids butchered by Moslem fanatics? I'm right now looking for the 'root causes.'.

jankaas's picture

"Why am I unmoved by the plight of dead Moslem kids butchered by Moslem fanatics?"

because you are a heartless cow?

it may have escaped your notice that Hindu and Sikh extremists are pretty 'good' at killing Muslims too, including kids. and that Israelis don't mind killing Muslim kids, with the difference that they don't need extremists to do so since their army periodically does so.

me, i deplore all such killing irrespective of religion or ethnicity. what a freak eh?

Frederick.'s picture

If jackass is the great humanitarian he claims to be perhaps he'd like to state unequivocally that he sympathizes withe the Jewish terror victims of the islamofascist Hamas and Islamic Jihad that he in fact supports. if he refuses to provide this unequivocal sympathy - then just put a sock in it Islamist bigot.

samtheman's picture

Will you show any sympathy with the 1400 Palestinians who lost their lives in the illegal war perpetrated by Israel. I thought not. You seem to be obsessed with Israel. Thankfully you are alone in your delusions.

Frederick.'s picture

I show great concern. If Gaza wasn't occupied by the islamofascist Hamas which insists upon firing rockets on Israel's civilian population and insists upon carrying out suicide attacks on Jewish kids those 1400 Palestinians - most of whom were Hamas/Islamic Jihad scum terrorists might still be alive!

samtheman's picture

You talk with such vile hatred for the Palestinians referring to them as scum. I could apply the same principle(, assuming I want to be down in the gutter wirh you) to the Israeli scum who inhabit illegal settlements. Your banal platitudes which you no doubt rehearsed in kinddergarten are just pathetic. Who on earth do you are convincing. Indeed the language you use generally amounts to incitement to racial hatred and I believe you should be reported and removed from this thread!!! UgLY!! Ugly!!!

Frederick.'s picture

I show great concern. If Gaza wasn't occupied by the islamofascist Hamas which insists upon firing rockets on Israel's civilian population and insists upon carrying out suicide attacks on Jewish kids those 1400 Palestinians - most of whom were Hamas/Islamic Jihad scum terrorists might still be alive!

jankaas's picture

well Fredprick, just for you and all the other hard of thinking i did exactly that in the post you replied to. like so; "me, i deplore all such killing irrespective of religion or ethnicity. "

that is an unequivocal statement which includes all Jewish terror victims, not just their children either.

is that clear Fredprick?

McMac's picture

Why are you unmoved by slaughterd children?

Mental illness, evil bastard, stupidity? Who knows?

McMac's picture

Why are you unmoved by slaughterd children?

Mental illness, evil bastard, stupidity? Who knows?

Frederick.'s picture

why not condemn the Muslim fanatic perpetrator s of this child killing?

samtheman's picture

Frederick is a Jewish nazi that is why he cares only about Israel!!!

Frederick.'s picture

samtheman is an islamoNazi who supports the killing of small Moslem children by Syrian Baathist fascists.

samtheman's picture

Your choice of language only serves to strengthen your Nazi credentials.

Frederick.'s picture

samtheman is an islamoNazi who supports the killing of small Moslem children by Syrian Baathist fascists.

samtheman's picture

Shooter’s Zionist Streak
Jul 25, 2011 9:44 PM EDT

Anders Breivik’s embrace of Israel is the latest sign of a shift among reactionaries in Europe—with fascism and Zionism going hand in hand, fueled by Islamophobia, says Michelle Goldberg.

Anders Breivik is a Christian nationalist terrorist obsessed with preserving the “Nordic/Germanic” people. He is also an ardent Zionist. Though he finds elements of Nazi ideology appealing, his 1,500-page manifesto condemns anti-Semitism. He argues that Hitler should have used his “military capabilities…to liberate Jerusalem and the nearby provinces from Islamic occupation” and give them to the Jews. Breivik calls on his imaginary comrades: “So let us fight together with Israel, with our Zionist brothers against all anti-Zionists, against all cultural Marxists/multiculturalists.”

Coming from a Scandinavian fascist, this is a remarkable sentiment. The European far right has long been rooted in Nazism, and for decades, anti-Semitism was its hallmark. But Breivik’s embrace of Israel, far from being unique, is just the latest sign of a great shift among the continent's reactionaries. Indeed, in European politics, fascism and an aggressive sort of Zionism increasingly go together.

You can see it in country after country. While Jean-Marie Le Pen, the founder of France’s ultraright Front National, is a Holocaust denier, his daughter and successor, Marine Le Pen, is working to cleanse the party of its reputation for Jew hatred, telling the Israeli newspaper Haaretz that it “has always been Zionistic.” In the early 1990s, the British National Party organized a violent neo-Nazi gang called Combat 18. In 2009, the party’s leader, Nick Griffin, boasted that his was the only British party to support Israel’s war “against the terrorists” in Gaza.

Anders Behring Breivik, left, the suspect in the mass killing in Oslo on July 22, sits in an armored police vehicle after leaving the courthouse following a hearing on July 25. (Jon-Are Berg-Jacobsen, Aftenposten / AP Photo)

Earlier this year, Newsweek ran a story about this phenomenon titled “Europe’s Extreme Righteous: Far-right European politicians find love—and common cause—in Israel.” It opened with three politicians, “a Belgian politician known for his contacts with SS veterans, an Austrian with neo-Nazi ties, and a Swede whose political party has deep roots in Swedish fascism,” visiting the Holocaust museum Yad Vashem. They met with members of the Knesset and signed something called the Jerusalem declaration, which affirmed, “We stand at the vanguard in the fight for the Western, democratic community” against the “totalitarian threat” of Islamic fundamentalism.

Obviously, Islamophobia is responsible for the bizarre alliance between Israel and European white nationalists. Muslims have come to occupy the place Jews once held in the reactionary European imagination; they’re seen as agents of an apocalyptic conspiracy that threatens Europe’s very survival. The specter of the coming caliphate has crowded out the old myth of the scheming elders of Zion. Naturally, the self-described agents of the counter-jihad see the enemy of their enemy as an ally. It’s the inverse of the anti-Semitic alliance between Hitler and Haj Amin el-Husseini, the grand mufti of Jerusalem.

The specter of the coming caliphate has crowded out the old myth of the scheming elders of Zion.

But alliances are necessarily two-way. If the European far right is increasingly cozy with Israel, it’s in part because Israel itself has lurched to the right and now shows increasing tolerance for fascism. Israeli politicians warmly welcomed the delegation that signed the Jerusalem Declaration. Last year, MK Aryeh Eldad of the far-right National Union party invited the Dutch anti-Islamist Geert Wilders, who lived in Israel as a teenager, back to the country. While there, he gave a speech urging Jews to take over all of Palestine and had a friendly meeting with Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman. And, of course, Glenn Beck, who has a history of both anti-Semitism and wild anti-Muslim demagoguery, received a rapturous reception when he addressed the Israeli Knesset in June and is planning a huge rally in Jerusalem in August. (Incidentally, on his radio show on Monday, Beck compared Breivik’s victims to “Hitler youth.”)

There are even hints that some Israelis sympathize with Breivik. Wrote J.J. Goldberg in The Forward on Monday, “Judging by the comments sections on the main Hebrew websites, the main questions under debate seem to be whether Norwegians deserve any sympathy from Israelis given the country’s pro-Palestinian policies, whether the killer deserves any sympathy given his self-declared intention of fighting Islamic extremism and, perhaps ironically, whether calling attention to this debate is in itself an anti-Israel or anti-Semitic act.”

In response to the massacre, the Jerusalem Post ran a shocking column urging Norway to take the murder’s demands seriously. “Perhaps Breivik’s inexcusable act of vicious terror should serve not only as a warning that there may be more elements on the extreme Right willing to use violence to further their goals, but also as an opportunity to seriously reevaluate policies for immigrant integration in Norway and elsewhere,” it said. “While there is absolutely no justification for the sort of heinous act perpetrated this weekend in Norway, discontent with multiculturalism’s failure must not be delegitimatized or mistakenly portrayed as an opinion held by only the most extremist elements of the Right.”

Like most of Israel’s new far-right friends, Breivik has nothing but contempt for the majority of Jewish people, who tend to be overwhelmingly liberal. Addressing his fellow violent European nationalists, he urges, “[P]lease learn the difference between a nation-wrecking multiculturalist Jew and a conservative Jew…Never target a Jew because he is a Jew, but rather because he is a category A or B traitor.” Nevertheless, he’s very clear that he views the Jewish right as a partner. “We expect the support of all cultural conservative Jews in our future consolidation efforts,” he writes. It’s not hard to see where he got this idea, or to suspect that the loss of the hatred of a man like Breivik is something to mourn.

www.dailybeast.com

McMac's picture

lets not get carried away with the idea that this sort of slaughter is somehow indicative of a problem that belongs to Syrians, Arabs, Muslims, The Middle East, Foreigners.
We subcontract the slaughter of children, in our name, to armed forces who deal it out from afar with hi-tech and hi-explosives. Many many children in Iraq were killed by our forces. Every one of them is a tragedy equal to the death of a child in Houla.

samtheman's picture

May I remind the readers that Israel has always got away with mass slaughter of the Palestinians: Sabra and Chatilla and Gaza War where 1400 men, women and children were murdered!!!!

jankaas's picture

that was worth saying twice McMac.

Elizabeth.'s picture

Muslim fanatics slaughter Hindu and sikh kids. Hamas and Islamic jihad slaughter Jewish kids on buses and in pizza restaurants in Israel and we are told by islamofascist scum like Galloway, Livingstone, the NS, Yvone Ridley, Lauren Booth and the guardian that we ought to feel sorry for the suicide bombers and look to 'root causes' rather than commiserate with the dead Jewish, Hindu, Sikh and Christian child victims. Why am I unmoved by the plight of dead Moslem kids butchered by Moslem fanatics? I'm right now looking for the 'root causes.'.

samtheman's picture

What about Jewish zionist fanatics who inhabit Israel and think that the life of an Israeli has greater value than any other. Israel is quite happy to initiate world was three with Iran and expects the rest of the world to pay for this with their lives. The mentality in Israel is if Israel burns then so too should the rest of the world!!!

jankaas's picture

well done JJJ, you got your wish - the Israel/African migrant posts have all been removed, so no-one will be able to read just what liars and bigots you and the Alliance of Sock Puppets are.

samtheman's picture

Hurrah for Jankaas. I feel sure that alot of NS reders to this thread support your response to the vile bigots. Not only is JJJ deluded but he is also bitter and twisted. Must be hard for him being in a minority views. By the way did you ever get to the bottom of how he works for AIPAC.

Frederick.'s picture

samtheman the free world tires of islamofascist bigots who are loyal to their apartheid illegal state of Pakistan which murdered and ethnically cleansed millions of innocent Hindus and Sikhs and spend their time on welfare in the uk slandering the democratic state of Israel and the US

samtheman's picture

Israel is a brutal militaristic state which is governed by a cabal of war mongers. Worse than that the state of Israel cannot function independently without help from dear Uncle Sam. Fighting war on innocent civilians from tanks and aircraft is what cowards do. So all Hindus and Siks are benefit scroungers. What about the huge Jewsih community in Stamford Hill who have over the years received millions of pounds in public monies to found social housing projects, schools, cultural centres etc.

Terence Mcarthy's picture

Eat your hearts out Islamists. This is how a democracy celebrates their head of state. Unlike your barbaric tyrannies where the ruling dictatorship / clerical fascists shoot dead their own citizenry, we celebrate our democratic institutions with song, dance and peaceful (non-homicidal) prayer.

samtheman's picture

Correct me if I am wrong but are not the current royal family of Germanic not English descent. As for democracy, clearly your pea sized brain cannot comprehend the fact that monarcial systems are based on inheritance and there is no democracy involved. Did you even realise that. Go back to school you plonker. So you celebrate a Queen about whom you know nothing about, who is the biggest benefit scrounger in the UK.

Frederick.'s picture

so sick of having to read islamofascist commentators defend Islamist mass murder and in the same breath slander our Queen. Baxk in apartheid Pakistan you get killed for defaming your racist homicidal rulers.

samtheman's picture

I for one and sick and tired of these diehard Israel fanatics who post on this thread. According to Nelson Mandela and Bishop Tutu, Israel has a worse human rights record than Apartheid South Africa.!!!! As for the Queen, thankfully the Royal Family has had the great sense never to visit Israel!!!

jankaas's picture

(bit random, but i guess you refer to the Jubilee?)

in which case fair enough, there is indeed a lot of great history that underpins this Great Britain, though to suggest it was all peaceful is ludicrous even by your standards.

my favorite bit of that english history? when my man ruled over you ingrates - Oranje boven!

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Sebastian.'s picture

This Syria business is spreading to Lebanon. I care not if Sunni fundamentalists and the Shiite Hezbollah fascists start killing each other. If they do -good riddance. But if they start on Lebanon's Maronite Christians most of whom have already been ethnically cleansed - the West should then intervene and bomb the crap out of Damascus and Hezbollah.

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