WATCH Theresa May: No alternative but to bomb Assad's chemical weapons capability
4 min read
Theresa May has insisted she had "no practicable alternative" than to order strikes on Syria's chemical weapons capabilities.
The Prime Minister spoke after four RAF Tornados joined fighter jets from America and France in hitting targets controlled by the Assad regime.
Mrs May took the decision for the UK to join the military action despite calls for MPs to be given a vote on it first.
It followed last weekend's chemical weapons attack on the city of Douma in Eastern Ghouta. The Prime Minister said "a significant body of information including intelligence indicates the Syrian regime is responsible" for the atrocity, which left dozens of civilians dead.
In a video message posted online shortly after 2am on Saturday, Mrs May said she had authorised "co-ordinated and targeted strikes to degrade the Syrian regime’s chemical weapons capability and deter their use".
She also said it would send out a message that the use of chemical weapons - either in Syria or "on the streets of the UK" - could not be tolerated.
"This persistent pattern of behaviour must be stopped – not just to protect innocent people in Syria from the horrific deaths and casualties caused by chemical weapons but also because we cannot allow the erosion of the international norm that prevents the use of these weapons."
The Prime Minister insisted "every possible diplomatic channel" had been explored to avoid armed conflict, but that the decision by Russia - which backs Assad - to veto an independent United Nations investigation into the Douma attack meant military action was unavoidable.
"There is no practicable alternative to the use of force to degrade and deter the use of chemical weapons by the Syrian regime," she said. "This is not about intervening in a civil war. It is not about regime change.
"It is about a limited and targeted strike that does not further escalate tensions in the region and that does everything possible to prevent civilian casualties.
"And while this action is specifically about deterring the Syrian regime, it will also send a clear signal to anyone else who believes they can use chemical weapons with impunity."
She added: "This is the first time as Prime Minister that I have had to take the decision to commit our armed forces in combat – and it is not a decision I have taken lightly. I have done so because I judge this action to be in Britain’s national interest.
"We cannot allow the use of chemical weapons to become normalised – within Syria, on the streets of the UK, or anywhere else in our world.
"We would have preferred an alternative path. But on this occasion there is none. History teaches us that the international community must defend the global rules and standards that keep us all safe. That is what our country has always done. And what we will continue to do."
Downing Street said Mrs May had spoken to French President Emmanuel Macron last night, shortly before the military action began.
A spokesperson said: "They agreed to keep working closely together on the international response."
An emergency meeting of the Cabinet on Thursday gave the Prime Minister unanimous backing to take part in military action.
Jeremy Corbyn has led opposition to any bombing, and Mrs May's decision to go ahead without seeking the baacking of the Commons will spark a fresh political row.
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