Much of the response to the Paris attacks – French and international – has been uplifting: the spirit of resistance, the solidarity, the stated determination not to change “our” way of life. But one aspect of the reaction in Britain has been quite the opposite: the rush by sectional interest groups – armed forces, police, politicians – to press their own advantage.
They variously want to influence the strategic defence and security review, out tomorrow, the chancellor’s autumn statement on Wednesday, or the potentialparliamentary vote on airstrikes in Syria.
On the last of these we’ve heard an ever louder drumbeat for action, with newspaper headlines this weekend declaring “Britain prepares for ‘war’”, and “We can beat jihadis in 14 days”. Public opinion has apparently shifted in favour of a bombing campaign. And the latest UN security council resolution, calling for efforts to prevent and suppress terrorist attacks to be “redoubled”, using “all necessary measures”, also helps. While it does not legalise military action against Islamic State in Syria, it could open the way for another resolution that would.
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