Britain's Syria Rejection Setback for Cameron, Strains U.S. Ties
British Prime Minister David Cameron counted the cost on Friday after a humiliating rejection by parliament of his call for military action on Syria, a defeat which dealt a severe blow to the "special relationship" with the United States.
Cameron suffered the worst setback of his three years in office when lawmakers he had recalled from their summer holidays voted 285 to 272 to defy the government's motion late Thursday.
It was a doubly damaging defeat for Cameron, who had already watered down the original motion in response to demands from the Labor opposition.
The party said it needed "compelling evidence" that the Syrian regime had been responsible for a chemical attack that killed hundreds near Damascus, then said it was opposing the government's "opaque" motion.
It is believed to be the first time since 1782 that a British government has lost a vote about military action.
A potentially damaging picture emerged of the government's chaotic organisation of the vote, with some ministers failing to cast ballots because they did not hear the warning bell.
As tempers flared, Education Secretary Michael Gove screamed abuse at fellow Conservative MPs who had voted against their party's coalition government.
Defense Minister Philip Hammond prompted fury among opposition ranks after he accused Labor leader Ed Miliband of providing "succor" to the regime of President Bashar Assad by opposing the government.
However, Cameron is likely to bear most responsibility for the result.
He reportedly had pushed Barack Obama to take action over Syria, but now the U.S. president is left to pursue a military option without his closest ally and the country that gave U.S. forces the strongest backing in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Cameron said he did not feel he should apologize to Obama, and said he hoped the U.S. leader would understand that he had had to seek parliament's approval before action.
"I don't think it's a question of having to apologize," he said.
Cameron said he still wanted to see "a robust response" to chemical weapons use and suggested Britain would increase diplomatic pressure on the Syrian regime, but conceded it could not now take part in military strikes.
Veteran politician Paddy Ashdown, a former special forces soldier, said Britain's standing in the world had been hugely diminished by the result.
"It has a profound implication for our country. I think it diminishes our country hugely," the former Liberal Democrat leader told the BBC.
"We now have a bunch of people -- the same ones who voted against this last night -- who want to get out of Europe and have smashed our relationship with the United States," he said, in a swipe at rebel Conservative backbenchers.
Earlier he wrote on Twitter: "In 50 years trying to serve my country I have never felt so depressed/ashamed."
Professor Michael Clarke, of the Royal United Services Institute think-tank, said parliament's decision would prove an embarrassment for Britain internationally, but it remained to be seen whether it would be merely a "blip" in relations with Washington.
He said that while Britain had a strong intelligence-sharing relationship with the U.S., the "symbolism" of the absence of UK forces in any military action over Syria would be strong.
"As it stands, we will not be there firing off our cruise missiles -- if that happens -- and there is big political symbolism in that. We lack the symbolism of joining in."
He added: "I suspect we will patch this up quickly and it will be seen as a blip that is embarrassing for the UK -- but one has to be aware that it may become more difficult and may become the beginning of a more festering row."
Finance minister George Osborne, considered the most powerful figure in the government after Cameron, acknowledged that Britain's inability to commit forces to any U.S.-led operation against the Assad regime would damage the so-called "special relationship" with Washington.
"I think there will be a national soul-searching about our role in the world and whether Britain wants to play a big part in upholding the international system," Osborne told BBC radio.
"I understand the deep skepticism that many of my colleagues in parliament, many members of the public, have about British military involvement in Syria. I hope this doesn't become a moment where we turn our back on all of the world's problems."
Source: Agence France Presse
| Copyright © 2012 Naharnet.com. All Rights Reserved. | https://naharnet.com/stories/en/96240 |