[Peace-discuss] UK Protesters Rally Against Cameron's Syria Bombing Campaign

[David Johnson]

UK Protesters Rally Against Cameron's Syria Bombing Campaign

 

 

Protesters are gathering across London to demonstrate against an escalation of UK military intervention in the Middle East.

 

​Protests began in London on Saturday as hundreds of demonstrators are protesting against government plans to launch a bombing campaign in Syria.   

 

Leading up to Saturday’s rally, a total of 6,000 people had registered to participate in the event organized by the Stop the War Coalition, while local estimates were higher   

 

    8000 expected outside Westminster today #dontbombsyria #london pic.twitter.com/iUthAwlW4F   

 

— Robbie Hurley (@RobbieJHurley) November 28, 2015  

 

The U.K. Parliament is expected to vote on the issue next week after Prime Minister David Cameron pushed members of parliament to back the move in the wake of this month's Paris attacks.     

 

Cameron has urged parliamentarians to vote in favor of British military intervention in Syria.   

 

"My argument is, yes, there is military action that is being taken over the skies of Syria,” the Prime Minister said Saturday. “That can help. And Britain should be part of that action because of the extra resources and abilities that we can bring. Also we shouldn't be outsourcing the protection of our own people to our allies. We should be part of it. But you ask what follows? What needs to happen so badly in Syria is for there to be a transition to a government that can represent all of the country," he added.  

 

"The proposed vote in parliament on bombing Syria by British forces is likely to take place within the next week," Stop The War Coalition said in a statement. "Yet, this bombing will not stop terror attacks."    

 

Britain is already involved in airstrikes against the Islamic State in Iraq but has not so far taken part in bombings of the group's positions in Syria.    

 

Under the United Kingdom’s Operation 'Shader' program, which is the codename for the British participation in the ongoing military campaign against ISIS, the UK government has deployed 500 military personnel to train Iraqi government and Kurdish forces.  

 

RELATED: UK – Corbyn’s Anti-Airstrike Stance Prompts Threats of Resignation from Party     

 

Since the Paris attacks, the British air force has launched at least 17 strikes in Iraq. RAF Reaper drones have carried out more than 200 strikes over Iraq as part of Operation Shader since November 2014.  

 

Leftist leader Jeremy Corbyn, who was overwhelmingly voted by party members to lead Britain’s Labour Party in September, is being attacked by some Labour parliamentarians for his stance against proposed airstrikes in Syria, going as far as threatening to resign.  

 

"There will be resignations among senior members of the shadow cabinet over this," an unnamed senior shadow cabinet member told the BBC.

Corbyn sent a letter to all Labour parliamentarians hours after Prime Minister David Cameron proposed a plan for increased military action against Syria in Parliament Thursday, saying he was not convinced by the prime minister’s case for airstrikes.

 

“I do not believe the prime minister’s current proposal for airstrikes in Syria will protect our security and therefore cannot support it,” Corbyn wrote. 

 

This content was originally published by teleSUR 

 

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