Letter – Chris Gallacher: Soldiers Pay a High Price

Dear Editor,

As the Defence Ministers gather in Brussels it would seem that the US are trying to encourage the Saudis and Gulf States into committing ground forces to the Syrian conflict.  Of course they seem to have overlooked the fundamental point that Syria is sovereign country and in spite of overt action by the coalition air campaign there is no UN mandate to do so.  The Americans and others have unilaterally attacked the country intending to defeat Daesh and support so called moderates.  However it would seem this potential increased deployment of ground forces flies in the face of any authority to do so.

What I believe is that this is an attempt by the US to enlarge this proxy war with Syria and their   Russia and Iran support.  As the Syrian forces start to defeat the rebel’s forces including Daesh the Sunni led coalition are desperate to get involved to mitigate damage to the side they have been supporting from the start of the conflict.  The West also seems hell bent on deposing Assad and are also trying to protect their side of the conflagration. Bullets and bombs from both sides kill. Collateral damage takes place on both sides.

If we do not want to make this horrendous civil war worse we need to accept that we will not remove Assad and with the Russians et al backing him he will defeat the rebels within the year. Then the country can start to rebuild itself. Something we all want.

Major Chris Gallacher TD VR

Chairman

UKIP Redcar