British Prime Minister David Cameron has set out the case for air strikes against Islamic State militants after recalling parliament for an emergency debate about taking on the extremists' "network of death".
Mr Cameron said there was "no more serious an issue" than deciding whether to commit British forces to the international effort to tackle IS and acknowledged the military effort would last "not just months, but years".
MPs will vote on whether to back the Royal Air Force joining the US-led bombing campaign, but British air strikes would be limited to Iraq rather than IS strongholds in Syria.
Opening the debate in the Commons, Mr Cameron said the question before the House today was how to keep the British people safe from the threat posed by IS.
In particular, he said, it was "what role our armed forces should play in the international coalition to dismantle and ultimately destroy what President Obama has rightly called this network of death".
He added: "There is no more serious an issue than asking our armed forces to put themselves in harm's way to protect our country.
"This is not a threat on the far side of the world.
"Left unchecked, we will face a terrorist caliphate on the shores of the Mediterranean, bordering a Nato member, with a declared and proven determination to attack our country and our people.
"This is not the stuff of fantasy - it is happening in front of us and we need to face up to it."
Mr Cameron said there was "a strong case for us to do more in Syria", but recognised that it would require more work to secure parliamentary approval of extending British involvement to that country.
He said the military action would come as part of a "clear comprehensive plan", which included "tough, uncompromising" measures at home to prevent attacks.
These included previously-announced new powers to seize passports, strip British nationality from dual nationals and ensure airlines comply with no-fly orders.
"In all of this, we are being clear about the cause of the terrorist threat we face," said the prime minister.
Labour veteran Dennis Skinner intervened to ask Mr Cameron: "How long will this war last and when will mission creep start?"
Mr Cameron replied: "This is going to be a mission that will take not just months but years, but I believe we have to be prepared for that commitment.
"The reason for that is, I think, quite rightly America, Britain and others are not contemplating putting combat troops on the ground.
"There will be troops on the ground but they will be Iraqi troops, they will be Kurdish troops, and we should be supporting them in all the ways that I will describe."
The three main political parties in the UK all back taking action and Labour leader Ed Miliband outlined his support for the plans.
Mr Miliband said: "The prime minister had said it has ambitions for a state of its own, a caliphate across the Middle Eat run according to their horrific norms and values.
"That's why I believe ... we cannot simply stand by against the threat of Isil [also known as IS]."
Meanwhile, the Danish government has said it will send seven F-16 fighter jets to Iraq as part of the US-led coalition.
Turkey changes stance on intervention
Elsewhere, Turkey has changed its stance on its involvement in the campaign against IS militants following the release of Turkish hostages held in Iraq, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said today.
Turkey has frustrated the West with its distinctly low-key role in the campaign against IS jihadists for months, but has insisted its hands were tied by concerns over the fate of the hostages.
"Now the position has changed. What follows will be much different," Mr Erdogan told reporters after flying back to Istanbul from a trip to the United States where he met US Vice President Joe Biden.
He said that "necessary steps" would be taken by parliament on 2 October, without specifying the exact nature of these measures.
Parliament is due to convene on that date to consider extending the scope of two existing mandates allowing the government to take military action in Syria and Iraq.
In a clear indication that Turkey would take a stronger role, Mr Erdogan said Turkey had a responsibility not to be a "bystander" as the US leads the campaign against IS.
"We, as Muslims, should do our best. If the Christian world takes such a step on an issue that hurts the conscience of humanity we will not remain a bystander."
"Our religion Islam is a religion of peace, brotherhood and unity. Our religion does not allow the killing of innocent people," he said, acknowledging that the actions of IS were "casting a shadow" on Islam.
Air strikes in eastern Syria
Air strikes thought to have been carried out by US-led forces hit bases and positions held by the Islamic State group in the eastern Syrian province of Deir al-Zor today, a monitoring group said.
The British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the strikes hit territory on the outskirts of the city of al-Mayadin controlled by IS militants.
The latest air strikes hit two provinces of Syria overnight, targeting oil facilities for a second day.
The observatory subsequently reported additional strikes this morning on a command centre of the IS group on the outskirts of the town of Al-Mayadin.
The target of the strikes in Hasakeh was not immediately clear, the group's director Rami Abdel Rahman said.
There were no immediate details of any casualties from the strikes.
They came on a fourth night of bombing by the coalition the US has assembled to tackle the jihadist group in Iraq and Syria.
The strikes are said to have killed at least 140 jihadists and 13 civilians so far, according to the observatory, though the US has yet to acknowledge any civilian casualties.
Raids overnight between Wednesday and yesterday also targeted some of the makeshift oil refineries operated by IS and others in Deir Ezzor and Hasakeh.
Black market sales of illegally extracted Syrian and Iraqi oil are believed to account for a large part of the Islamic State group's funding.
Experts said the group could be earning between $1m and $3m a day from oil sales alone.
Anda sedang membaca artikel tentang
Cameron lays out case for air strikes against IS
Dengan url
http://newsdeadlineup.blogspot.com/2014/09/cameron-lays-out-case-for-air-strikes.html
Anda boleh menyebar luaskannya atau mengcopy paste-nya
Cameron lays out case for air strikes against IS
namun jangan lupa untuk meletakkan link
Cameron lays out case for air strikes against IS
sebagai sumbernya
0 komentar:
Posting Komentar