‘UK Parliament, not Trump, should set its foreign policy’ – Sturgeon on British strikes in Syria

Published time: 14 Apr, 2018 09:15

Get short URL

British Tornado fighter jets prepare to bomb Syria © Ruptly

The UK Parliament, not US President Donald Trump, should define British foreign policy, Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said, criticizing Theresa May’s decision to join the US-led military intervention in Syria.

The main question that the British PM hasn’t answered yet is how “this action” against Damascus “taken without parliamentary approval,” will halt the use of chemical weapons or bring “long term peace,” the Scottish National Party (SNP) leader wrote on Twitter. “UK foreign policy should be set by Parliament, not US President, (sic),” she stated.

According to Sturgeon, air strikes have not resolved the crisis situation in Syria so far. “Nothing I’ve heard persuades me they will do so now,” she said, calling for “an international strategy for peace,” not “a course that risks dangerous escalation.”

Nicola Sturgeon

✔@NicolaSturgeon

23h

My first thoughts this morning are with service personnel called to action.
Syria’s use of chemical weapons is sickening - but the question that the PM has not answered is how this action, taken without parliamentary approval, will halt their use or bring long term peace. #Syria https://twitter.com/stewartmcdonald/status/985017525040832512 …

Nicola Sturgeon

✔@NicolaSturgeon

Air strikes have not resolved situation in Syria so far - nothing I’ve heard persuades me they will do so now. An international strategy for peace must be pursued - not a course that risks dangerous escalation. UK foreign policy should be set by Parliament, not US President.

11:13 AM - Apr 14, 2018

• 7,264
• 3,932 people are talking about this

Twitter Ads info and privacy

May authorized the British armed forces to launch an intervention in Syria together with France and the US on Saturday morning. In her speech, she announced "coordinated and targeted strikes to degrade the Syrian regime's chemical weapons capability." The allies insisted that their strikes on Syria were performed in retaliation for the alleged chemical attack by Damascus in the town of Douma, 10 kilometers from the capital, last week.

READ MORE: None of US & allied missiles entered Russian anti-air defense zones – Defense Ministry

The US-led intervention took place before the experts from the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) were due to reach Douma to determine whether the attack had indeed taken place.