The shiny missiles have landed ....

[Donnywolf]

.... on infrastructure in Syria suspected of being part of their Chemical Weapons "arsenal"

USA UK and France in joint op

[big fat yorkshire pudding]

Good as it's shocking what they're doing.  But it's not just chemical weapons we should be concerned about. The country has killed thousands.

And still there are many who disagree with action.

[Nudga]

Should we be stocking up on tinned food and breathing apparatus?

[glosterred]

Good to see a PM with balls and who is not an appeaser

[Filo]

Good to see a PM with balls and who is not an appeaser

She's just Trumps bitch

[selby]

   I do not trust people in that part of the world, I am not sure TV is not manipulated, I am not sure some of the actions are  not manipulated to get us involved, a lack of clarity as to who are the opposition leaders in Syria, who supplies them with the weapons to resist the state. And the lack of  clarity in following up just how the supposed victims have recovered who were in the TV pictures, if indeed they are victims at all? Everything about the incident makes me doubt  everything about whether it is a set up or not.
   Having said all that, once the USA decide to go, we have to follow, Labour would do the same, and we have too many self promoting members of parliament to get an agreement on anything.
   We are probably nearer to being a US state than a EU member at the moment, can we stop paying the MPs and Lords wages and save some money? and let them look after us.
   

[BillyStubbsTears]

Selby

You “do not trust people in that part of the world”?

Dear God...

[RedJ]

Good to see a PM with balls and who is not an appeaser

I hope she doesn't have balls...

[BillyStubbsTears]

Interesting article from the Tass news agency in Moscow.

http://tass.ru/armiya-i-opk/5124989/amp?__twitter_impression=true

It stresses that the missiles were not fired into any sector for which the Russians had air defence responsibilities.

Hopefully we take that as meaning that Russia accepts that its own forces were deliberately NOT targeted.

[Filo]

Interesting article from the Tass news agency in Moscow.

http://tass.ru/armiya-i-opk/5124989/amp?__twitter_impression=true

It stresses that the missiles were not fired into any sector for which the Russians had air defence responsibilities.

Hopefully we take that as meaning that Russia accepts that its own forces were deliberately NOT targeted.

It just stinks of collusion between Russia and the West, the West tell Russia we have to do something, Russia says they have to be seen to oppose any bombing but agree to it, move their assets out of the way and the west bimb areas where there are no Russians, everyone is happy and the rhetoric can continue

[BillyStubbsTears]

Of course there is this...

https://mobile.twitter.com/MEEPPSison/status/984987875736477696/photo/1

You want a conspiracy theory? Here’s one.

The FBI net is rapidly closing in on Trump regarding his collusion with Russia and their interference in getting him elected.

He IS Putin’s pawn. There is no doubt whatsoever about that. It’s just a case of waiting for the Soecial Investigator’s remorseless investigation to grind on and structure the evidence.

But in public relations terms, it would be great for Trump to be able to say “I’m NOT in Putin’s pocket. Hell I’ve been prepared to go to war against him.”

So Putin allows/encourages his man in Damascus to use chemical weapons. Or Putin has his own forces use them.

Which gives Trump an opportunity to show how big and tough and anti-Russian he is.

While in reality it’s all stage-managed for the TV viewing of the wavering Trump supporters.

Note that the bombing started late afternoon/early evening USA time. Just right to dominate the evening news and people’s evening Twittering...

[BillyStubbsTears]

There is one major issue from our side.

May has had a week to recall Parliament and to put our involvement in these strikes to a vote. She CHOSE not to do so. Reportedly because she knew that she would lose the vote.

That’s British democracy in 2018.

[big fat yorkshire pudding]

No doubt all these parts come in to it bst. There is much at work in all this.

The point for us in Britain though can we really watch whilst chemical weapons are used?  Surely not?

Our role was also very very small..if anything about sending a message that we don't accept it etc.  The overriding problem is that Syria is the battleground for most of the world right now.

As for parliament I don't know what to make on that.  We never used to go parliament for every single action did we?

[glosterred]

Good to see a PM with balls and who is not an appeaser

I hope she doesn't have balls...

She has bigger ones than the great appeaser Corbyn

[glosterred]

There is one major issue from our side.

May has had a week to recall Parliament and to put our involvement in these strikes to a vote. She CHOSE not to do so. Reportedly because she knew that she would lose the vote.

That’s British democracy in 2018.

She didn’t have to, that’s British democracy in 2018

[Filo]

The only way to sort the Syria mess out is for Russia and the West to work together, invade Syria take control and organise free and democratic elections in whats left of Syria, once that has been achieved organise a witdrawal and let them get on with it

[hoolahoop]

This attack has probably been fairly ineffective but needed to be done and imo should be doubled each time going forward.....it's worrying that it seems ineffective.

Corbyn is very wrong on this matter....talk with Assad and the Russians is he joking ?

[Geoff Blakesley]

And still there are many who disagree with action.
[/quote]

Apparently, from polls, only 22% of Britons would support missile strikes as reported in the i today.

[Filo]

This attack has probably been fairly ineffective but needed to be done and imo should be doubled each time going forward.....it's worrying that it seems ineffective.

Corbyn is very wrong on this matter....talk with Assad and the Russians is he joking ?

This is why Corbyn will never be PM, as great as his domestic policies sound, his international policies and pacifism are killing him and the Labour party

[hoolahoop]

There is one major issue from our side.

May has had a week to recall Parliament and to put our involvement in these strikes to a vote. She CHOSE not to do so. Reportedly because she knew that she would lose the vote.

That’s British democracy in 2018.

She didn’t have to, that’s British democracy in 2018

Henry V111th powers ?

[hoolahoop]

Take this to Parliament and wrongly imo the vote to strike Syria hard ( a lot harder than this attack ) .....and you would in all likelihood lose the vote again .

Action should have been taken last time.

[Not Now Kato]

Strange, isn't it, that the financial future of the UK is decided by 'the people' but when it comes to deciding to launch an attack on another country the PM knows best?

[BillyStubbsTears]

If you’re worried (as I am) about the normalisation of chemical weapons, and you want to stop their use, this is NOT the way to do it. This is box office for the people back home, but it doesn’t stop the development and use of those weapons.

The only way to stop Assad using them is to get Russia to pressurise him not to use them.

The only way to get Russia to do that is to pressurise them to act that way. By imposing ball-breaking sanctions on them. Seize the assets of Russian gangsters in London. Expel them from the UK and tell them they can’t have their kids educated here. Ban our companies from working in any way whatsoever with the big Russian firms.

That would do it. But it’s hard and it’s behind the scenes and it doesn’t make good TV. So instead we’ll chuck in a few missiles and call it job done.

f**k me, what a world...

[Muttley]

Here's a handy cut-out-and-keep guide to who supoorts/attacks who in the Syrian conflict.

No easy way of unravelling this ball of spaghetti!

[bpoolrover]

Have to agree with hoola don't see what option we had really, not sure how you get Russia to pressurize Syria as Putin seems to be pulling most of the strings and Putin is probably more dangerous than Assad

[Sprotyrover]

Russia says Syrians shot down 71 out of 110 missile fired! Not good value in my view!

[Filo]

Russia says Syrians shot down 71 out of 110 missile fired! Not good value in my view!

And you believe that?

[Sprotyrover]

So now ex pats inCypress pooping themselves waiting for retaliation from Syria on RAF Akroutiri!

[BillyStubbsTears]

Bpool.

I’ve set out an alternative above. Which bit of that don’t you agree with?

[Filo]

So now ex pats inCypress pooping themselves waiting for retaliation from Syria on RAF Akroutiri!

That won't happen