Ed Miliband has strongly defended his decision to vote against military action in Syria in 2013, responding to criticism from fellow Labour cabinet member Wes Streeting as “just wrong.”
The former Labour leader, now Sir Keir Starmer’s energy secretary, rejected claims that opposing the strikes prolonged Bashar al-Assad’s regime. The debate has exposed divisions within Starmer’s government, with Health Secretary Streeting arguing that hesitation by the UK and US allowed Russia to solidify Assad’s position.
“With hindsight, I think we can say, looking back on the events of 2013, that the hesitation of this country and the United States created a vacuum that Russia moved into and kept Assad in power for much longer.
“I think if the West had acted faster, Assad would have been gone. Would that have led to a better Syria? I don’t know. Inaction is a choice, but so is action, and we’ve seen in other cases, like Libya, that it did not lead to a better future.”
Wes Streeting
Miliband, who led Labour’s efforts to block then-Prime Minister David Cameron’s plan to strike Syria following chemical weapon attacks, stood firm on his decision. He dismissed suggestions that military intervention in 2013 would have toppled Assad.
“No, I don’t [regret the decision]. Back in 2013, we were confronted with whether we should have a one-off, potential one-off bombing of Syria. But there was no plan for what this British involvement would mean, where it would lead, and what the consequences would be.”
Ed Miliband
He emphasized the lessons learned from Iraq, saying, “In the light of the Iraq war, we could never send British troops back into combat unless we were absolutely clear about what a plan was, including what an exit strategy was.”
Miliband also dismissed the argument that bombing Assad’s regime in 2013 would have removed him from power. “To those people who say that president Assad would have fallen if we bombed in 2013, that’s obviously wrong, because president Trump bombed president Assad in 2017 and 2018, so he didn’t fall.”
Streeting Clarifies Remarks
Following the backlash, Streeting sought to clarify his comments on social media.
“I did not criticise Ed. On the contrary, I pointed out the challenges of hindsight, Libya, and the uncertainty we face about post-Assad Syria today.”
Wes Streeting
He added, “It is frustrating, to put it mildly, to see a nuanced answer to a complicated issue presented as criticism of a good colleague.”
The public disagreement underscores lingering tensions within the Labour Party over foreign policy and military intervention, even as its leaders seek to present a unified front under Starmer’s leadership.
Amid this political debate, the situation in Syria has taken a dramatic turn. Bashar al-Assad fled Damascus on Sunday as insurgents from Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) entered the capital unopposed. His departure marks the end of over 50 years of Assad family rule in Syria.
The Islamist militant group’s advance into Damascus has raised questions about the country’s future and the stability of the region. Whether Assad’s fall leads to a better outcome for Syria remains uncertain, echoing the unresolved dilemmas of Western foreign policy.
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