Blogmas 3: On Syria

I've had a hard time thinking about what to write today, because I simply can't get away from the events of last night.

Last night it was announced that the UK would become involved in aerial assaults on Syria. This is despite a large opposition to the decision from the general public, as well as the opposition leader.

I'm not going to claim that I'm a font on Syrian politics. However, I do know that personally I believe violence begets more violence,

I can't support bombing Syria. This is a nation in peril, a nation that literally millions of people are fleeing, a nation controlled by what is essentially a militia.

Isis is a terrorist machine that runs on propaganda. By bombing Syria, all we are doing is creating the propaganda for them. Isis tells the people of Syria that the West is terrible. The West closes its boarders out of fear and bombs the innocent. We're creating the propaganda for them.

David Cameron says air strikes are more accurate than ever. But if you're pointing a missile at, say, the house of a known terrorist, who's to say that it won't also damage the innocent homes either side. Who's to say it won't cut off their water, electricity. Who's to say that it shrapnel won't injure or kill the innocent person living next door.

I don't have the answer to what we should do to stop terrorism, except provide asylum to those who are so desperate for it. We're self-obsessed enough to think that everyone wants the Western lifestyle, but how many of those millions are fleeing to take advantage of the crisis? What was to stop those millions fleeing before the crisis? I'm reminded of the now famous quote by Warsan Shire: No-one puts their children in boats unless the water is safer than the land.

I don't really know what else there is to say. Here's a pretty unbiased article (thanks Katie for pointing me in the direction of this) to help explain the situation.

Tomorrow I'll try and be a little more festive, but today I can only be afraid.