Dear Sir,
I urge Christians to oppose further military intervention in Syria. Britain has been openly involved militarily in Syria since 2015. More bombing or other action can only prolong the cycle of violence and therefore increase the suffering of the Syrians. It also risks a potentially catastrophic confrontation with Russia. The only rational political response is to oppose military intervention from all sides and do everything possible to promote a political solution.
I strongly condemn the bombing attacks on the people of Douma, including alleged chemical attacks. Yet again, the main victims of this war are the ordinary people, who have now suffered seven years of war which has left many dead, and many more refugees.
The attack must not be used to justify more military intervention. I condemn all outside military intervention including that of Russia and Iran. But I equally condemn that of our own government and its allies.
It is sometimes claimed that the bombing by Assad is the result of the West’s failure to intervene. Nothing could be further from the truth. The West has been intervening directly and through its proxies throughout this war. Britain voted against bombing Syria in 2013, but voted to do so in 2015 and continues its military intervention. Nato member Turkey is intervening in Syria and has launched a massive military attack on the Kurds in Afrin. Oddly enough, attacks on the Kurds were the justification used by our country for the first Iraq war.
The Middle East has become the site of endless war following the war on Afghanistan and of course the second invasion of Iraq in 2003. It is known now that war was built on lies. I strongly doubt a war with Syria would be any different. In recent months there has been Western bombing in Iraq and Syria, not to mention the Western-backed Saudi war in Yemen. This escalation of war is wicked. The only solution in Syria is a ceasefire on all sides and political settlement – military intervention has already failed.
Yours sincerely,
