Breaking: Downing St Confirms Contingency Plans Drawn Up

[ChillDoubt]

For UK Forces in Syrian conflict.

Just flashed up on Sky News App.

[mikey4444]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-23845765

[woofgang]

I am slightly surprised that this is breaking news. I would expect any government and armed forces setup worth its salt to have up to date contingency plans covering anywhere in the world where there is unrest or potential unrest.

[AB Editor]

This was reported earlier this morning? Not sure if it's still "breaking" :)

Who agrees with Kerry that the use of gas is “moral obscenity”?

What is the "moral" reaction?

[DJHawkes]

did they work at that all night or were there already contingency plans in place and it's just a pdramatic effect thing

[ChillDoubt]

Reported where Ed?

Can't see a thread in News or elsewhere, though I'm happy to be corrected.

[DJHawkes]

the moral reaction is that it is morally wrong

[mikey4444]

Ed...I am not sure we should get too carried away by use of rhetoric. The use of chemical weapons has long been thought of immoral. Whether that is the correct word to use I am not sure, nor, frankly, do I care very much.

When Saddam Hussein used chemical weapons against his own people in 1988, I'm don't remember much time being wasted debating the morality of the attack. It was a step too far for the free world and a no-fly zone was quickly adopted.

[DrFilth]

strange how when israel was dropping banned chemical weapons on the west bank america and the british government kept quiet and looked the other way

[Octavius]

The Germans have a similar view:

"The suspected large-scale use of poison gas breaks a taboo even in this Syrian conflict that has been so full of cruelty," Chancellor Angela Merkel's spokesman, Steffen Seibert, said. "It's a serious breach of the international Chemical Weapons Convention, which categorically bans the use of these weapons. It must be punished, it cannot remain without consequences."

[Mattk]

^^^^ Agree with Woofgang.

[mikey4444]

At last the world is beginning to wake up and do something about Assad...not before time !

[hawksley]

This is Camerons chance to win the next election, Thatcher, Falklands, rule Britannia,etc, Field marshal Gravel voice Hague, leading from the rear,doing his superb impression of Sir Winston Churchill. here we go again.

[Old_Geezer]

One can argue that killing others is immoral in itself. It all depends on where society draws a line. I'd have thought subjecting innocent citizens to a horrible death is well over the line, especially in the numbers involved.

Given enough evidence the next step would be down to how much support we have and how many reservists can be called up to create an army.

[ChillDoubt]

Bar Special Forces I very much doubt this will be a 'boots on the ground' job OG, we simply do not have the capability.
It could though (longer game, obviously) be a scenario where UN troops may become mired for some time.

[youngmafbog]

Pardon me for my ignorance, but is there now conclusive proof that Asad's forces used chemical weapons? If not and proof is there they were used then surley it may be possible that one of the oposition groups used them to get the West to take out Asad for them?

We (or at least Blair) have fallen for this chemical weapons lark before.

[AB Editor]

This is why I am wary as well Youngmafbog.

It is a possibility, and if they would let the UN in to work out who is to blame, then Assad would be in a better place to plead his innocence (to this particular piece of slaughter!).

[Octavius]

Forgive my ignorance, but even if they had inspected the attack zone, how would they know the source of the attack - unless some empty cannisters with 'Made in XXX' were laying about and this could tracked to a shipment/supplier/receiver?

I don't go the way of conspiracy theories but maybe none of the UN SC wanted this to be found in case it was supplied by them?

In the meantime, innocents suffer .....

[ChillDoubt]

ASSAD TOO LATE

Kerry said Assad's decision to finally allow access was too late to be credible. "That is not the behavior of a government that has nothing to hide," Kerry said, adding that Assad's forces had also destroyed evidence by shelling the area.

"Our sense of basic humanity is offended not only by this cowardly crime, but also by the cynical attempt to cover it up," Kerry said.

He said the U.N. inspectors could at most confirm that chemical weapons were used, not who used them, but that it was Assad's government that has such weapons and the means of delivering them. He said Washington had additional information on the attack that it would make known soon.
-------------------------------
The Syrian regime will not allow UN inspectors direct access to its military in any case i.e. they would only allow them to see what they want to see in their own quarters.
As I type, the Syrian Deputy Foreign Minister is discounting the medical evidence of Medecins Sans Frontieres, calling them liars who have entered his country illegally.
This is the sort of regime that cannot be reasoned with.

[Old_Geezer]

Proof ? Well circumstantial anyway since the authorities only relented to allow an inspection ages after the incident. What did they have to hide first ? Also they are known to have such weapons, the rebels are not known to have them yet. No proof is absolute but on the balance of probabilities it doesn't look good for the authorities. Granted though, it may be a set-up. We never know anything for sure it seems. Just accept or otherwise what we are told.

[youngmafbog]

Circumstantial, as in the case of Iraq; and we are still paying for that mistake.

We should excersie extreme caution here, epsecially if the septics have go it into their head to go piling in. Let's sit ths one out, it is not clear and we could end up with a lot more than egg on our face.

And even if we (the West) did depose Asad, who would take over? As i understand it there is no single group to take over.

Egypt and Iraq all over again with thousands loosing their lives over a protracted period whilst the various factions fight it out.