The suspected poison gas attack in Syria that killed dozens of people at the weekend continues to send shockwaves through Westminster. Speaking on an official trip to Sweden, the Prime Minister said she ‘utterly’ condemned the ‘barbaric’ attack. As for what action to take, Theresa May said that if it was confirmed as the doing of President Bashar al-Assad both his regime and its backers, including Russia, must be ‘held to account’. May said Britain is ‘discussing with our allies what action is necessary’.
But just as news of a chemical attack in Syria comes with a sense of déjà vu, so does the UK response. Ever since MPs rejected David Cameron’s call to intervene in 2013, inaction has been the best word to describe the British policy. Even if May were to win a Commons vote on military action, it’s not clear what options to intervene in Syria are left.
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