#Moodyshegsblog update: Britain, Germany reject military intervention in Syria

The British Prime Minister, David
Cameron , suffered a humiliating defeat
when his motion in favour of military
intervention in Syria was narrowly
defeated by parliament.
Also, Germany will not take part in any
military action against Syria, Chancellor
Angela Merkel said on Friday. The vote
means the close U.S. ally would not
participate if U.S. President, Barack
Obama, launches a strike on Syria in
response to a poison gas attack last week
that killed hundreds of people.
Members of Mr. Cameron’s own
Conservative party voted with the Labour
opposition to defeat the motion 285 to
272.
There were shouts of “resign”‘ from
Labour lawmakers after the results of the
vote were announced.
“It is clear to me that the British
parliament, reflecting the views of the
British people, does not want to see
British military action,” Mr. Cameron told
lawmakers. “I get that and the
government will act accordingly.”
Mr. Cameron said while he believed in the
need for a tough response to the use of
chemical weapons, he also believed in
respecting the will of the House of
Commons.
Mr. Cameron had urged British
parliamentarians to back military action
against Syria, even while admitting that
there was no definitive evidence the
Syrian regime had carried out chemical
weapons attacks.
The defeat of the motion would not
dissuade the U.S. from its course, a White
House spokeswoman said.
The U.S. holds that countries that violate
international norms regarding chemical
weapons need to be held accountable,
Caitlin Hayden said.
“President Obama’s decision-making will
be guided by what is in the best interests
of the U.S,” Ms. Hayden said.
The vote in Britain came as President
Bashar al-Assad vowed Syria would
defend itself against any aggression and
the UN said its weapons inspectors would
leave the country on Saturday.
The weapons inspectors were to continue
their investigations on Friday and would
draw up a report as soon as they had left
Syria on Saturday, UN Secretary-General,
Ban Ki-moon said in Vienna.
They spent their third day in the field on
Thursday as Mr. al-Assad said Syria
would win against any assault “with its
steadfast people and brave army.”
“The threats of launching a direct
aggression on Syria will make it more
determined to stick to its fixed principles
and its independent decisions,” he said,
according to state media.
A push by Western leaders for military
intervention after they blamed Mr. al-
Assad’s government for the deaths of
hundreds of people in chemical weapons
attacks last week has now been stalled by
political rows and diplomatic deadlock.
The Syrian government, in a move seen
by the West as a delaying tactic,
requested that the UN inspectors stay
longer to investigate three other sites.
Moscow echoed the demand on Thursday.
Efforts to reach a consensus among the
five permanent, veto-wielding members of
the UN Security Council were
unsuccessful again on Thursday.
An emergency meeting of the
representatives of the five countries ended
after one hour with no comment from any
delegation.
The meeting was called to discuss a
British resolution authorising “all
necessary measures” to protect civilians
in Syria.
On Wednesday, China and Russia
continued their objections to Western
military intervention in Syria’s 30-month-
old civil war.
The Iranian President, Hassan Rowhani,
and Russian President, Vladimir Putin,
reiterated their opposition to a strike,
agreeing in a telephone call late
Wednesday that such a step would be a
breach of international law, Iran’s ISNA
news agency reported.
Meanwhile, Russia is sending two
warships to the eastern Mediterranean,
the country’s general staff said.
An anti-submarine frigate from the
Russian Northern Fleet would arrive in the
region in the coming days, the Interfax,
the news agency reported.
It would be joined by the cruiser Moskva,
currently in the North Atlantic.
U.S. Defence Secretary, Chuck Hagel, said
earlier in the week that the U.S. military
had “moved assets in place” in the region
to be able to fulfill whatever option
President, Barack Obama orders.
The Pentagon said on Thursday a U.S.
Navy destroyer had arrived in the
Mediterranean Sea to relieve one of the
four destroyers already there.
The spokeswoman said that the arrival of
the USS Stout was a previously arranged
manoeuvre that is not tied to a possible
military strike against Syria.
The ship is capable of carrying up to 96
Tomahawk cruise missiles and typically
also carries Sea-sparrow anti-aircraft
missiles and torpedoes, the
spokeswoman said.
Top U.S. officials, including Hagel and
Secretary of State, John Kerry, briefed
members of Congress on Thursday on
intelligence about the use of chemical
weapons in Syria, the White House said.
The report is expected to show evidence
that the Syrian regime was behind the
August 21 chemical attacks outside
Damascus.
The move was part of Mr. Obama’s efforts
to engage with Congress as he considers
a U.S. response to the use of chemical
weapons against civilians by the Syrian
regime, said spokesman, Josh Earnest.
Mr. Obama also has been in close touch
with European leaders about the situation
in Syria.
He telephoned with German Chancellor,
Angela Merkel on Thursday a White House
spokesman said without providing further
details.
Berlin was urging Russia to join in UN
Security Council condemnation of Syria’s
government for using chemical weapons,
she said through her spokesman.
“We are not considering a military strike,”
said Steffen Seibert, the spokesman.
Germany had avoided saying this week
whether or not it would support possible
U.S. air strikes. The silence ended when
Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelles said
that military involvement was not on the
table.
“Such involvement has neither been asked
for, nor is it being considered,” he said.
His remarks were due for publication on
Saturday.
Mr. Seibert said Ms. Merkel phoned U.S.
President Barack Obama on Thursday
and urged that the Security Council be
allowed to “exercise its responsibility”
over the chemical weapons crisis.
“We hope the Security Council will develop
a unanimous position,” he said, adding in
a reference to Russia and China, “We
hope no one in the Security Council will
shut their eyes to such a crime.”