Should Our Foreign Secretary Be Getting Involved In This Conflict?

[anotheoldgit]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/africaandindianocean/mali/9906902/William-Hague-arrives-in-Mali-to-meet-French-troops-battling-Islamists.html

While at the same time offering support for the Syrian rebels also?

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2287662/UK-Cant-sit-sidelines-Syria-says-Hague-says-Britain-arm-rebels.html

[pdq1]

It amazes me with our country so in debt and our armed forces cut to the bone our politicians still want to use gung ho and try to sort out the problems in the rest of the world. They seem to have an inflated opinion of themselves to feel we are the only country capable of messing in other countries affairs.

Even recent history shows what a mess we make of things especially Iraq and Afghanistan. Ten years on from Iraq the BBC had a reporter in the country speaking to the locals, the people that matter and most say the current state is worse than under Saddam.

It seems the British people have no say in the matter when politicians get themselves involved and nothing seems to change when Syria or Mali appear to be the new threats.

[ichkeria]

I think you're asking: why are we anti "the rebels" in Mali and pro "the rebels" in Syria?
Digging below the word "rebels" ought to explain why.

Arming the rebels in Syria is a very risky move but Hague spells out the issues quite well in the article.

[pdq1]

Except when the rebels turn out to be Islamic militants.

[bazwillrun]

If people think Assad is a bad they should a little research into some of the rebel groups and what lies in store when they all start blowing the phuck out of each other to get their dirty mits on power and all the aid money that will be offered to "rebuild" the place

[youngmafbog]

Simple answer, No. We should stay out and stop trying to be the worlds policeman. We get no thanks and it costs a fortune.

[FredPuli43]

It's a basic tenet of giving selfless aid that it is never selfless. It's done in the self- interest of the country giving it. Having Islamists, who have set up in Mali, killed is in the interests of this country and France since they can destabilize the region and are enemies of the West.

Hague is well aware of the possible consequences of Assad going. Well, put it this way: some on this site know the consequences, or claim to. It's a fair guess that Hague, with all his diplomats and other advisers, specialists in the region, knows them too

[ichkeria]

One of the worst things about the Iraq War - and to a lesser extent Afghanistan also - is that it's left people wary of any sort of foreign intervention. It is interesting that much of that opposition now seems to come from the political right in the UK.
Of course the country with the most burn marks on its fingers is the USA. There were lots of options for non-violent intervention in Syria in the early days, but the USA has shied away from them all. And of course the UN security council has also shown itself hopelessly powerless. Sadly there doesn't seem a way of standing up to Russia and China that would avoid a break-up of that organisation, which I suspect those countries would quite like to see.

[jake-the-peg]

This is why we should split the armed forces into Homeland security and International commitments.

If Hague and his chums want to play international policeman it can come out of the international adventuring budget and not the resources designed to secure the UK

[askyourgran]

I think we should look after ourselves for a while let and everyone sort out their own problems, we are the ones with the defence cuts. We get no thanks for it. It will only be a matter of time before we get some more 'refugees' on our doorstep.

[pdq1]

I don't think Hague is acting on his own. You get the impression he is Cameron's dummy who moves his lips without engaging his brain. Doesn't he realise that by getting involved in Syria he is really attacking Russia. The cold war no longer exists but it doesn't mean trying to restart it.

[ichkeria]

The Cold War, if you want my opinion still exists in the minds of the Kremlin.

Russia's relationship with Syria's mass-murdering president is one of the last vestiges of that mentality.
Anyway. I wouldn't worry too much about Russia: it's easily bought :-)