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| Cameron convenes cabinet with rallying cry to back Isis air strikes | Cameron convenes cabinet with rallying cry to back Isis air strikes |
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| David Cameron is to convene his cabinet at lunchtime on Thursday to prepare for a Commons debate in which he will warn MPs that Britain is set to join a long but necessary war against Islamic State in Iraq. | David Cameron is to convene his cabinet at lunchtime on Thursday to prepare for a Commons debate in which he will warn MPs that Britain is set to join a long but necessary war against Islamic State in Iraq. |
| The prime minister has the support of the Labour party and Liberal Democrats to join the coalition air strikes as soon as this weekend, as long as they are for the moment confined to Iraq, where there has been a request from a democratically elected government for Britain to intervene. | The prime minister has the support of the Labour party and Liberal Democrats to join the coalition air strikes as soon as this weekend, as long as they are for the moment confined to Iraq, where there has been a request from a democratically elected government for Britain to intervene. |
| In what amounted to a rallying cry to MPs to back military action when parliament is recalled on Friday, the prime minister, warned that Britain must not be so “frozen with fear” of repeating the mistakes of the Iraq war that it failed to take on the “psychopathic, murderous, brutal” jihadis. | In what amounted to a rallying cry to MPs to back military action when parliament is recalled on Friday, the prime minister, warned that Britain must not be so “frozen with fear” of repeating the mistakes of the Iraq war that it failed to take on the “psychopathic, murderous, brutal” jihadis. |
| Speaking at the United Nations in New York overnight, Cameron described the cruelty of the Isis fighters as “medieval”. | Speaking at the United Nations in New York overnight, Cameron described the cruelty of the Isis fighters as “medieval”. |
| “The conflict in Iraq and Syria is shocking the world with its barbarity,” he said. “The cruelty being meted out – beheadings, eyes being gouged out, rape – is horrific. It is literally medieval in character.” | “The conflict in Iraq and Syria is shocking the world with its barbarity,” he said. “The cruelty being meted out – beheadings, eyes being gouged out, rape – is horrific. It is literally medieval in character.” |
| He backed a UN resolution imposing global travel bans on foreign fighters planning to join overseas conflicts, adding that 500 people from the UK had travelled to fight in Iraq and Syria. “We are dealing with psychopathic, murderous, brutal people who will stop at nothing to carry out dreadful acts on these hostages,” he said. | He backed a UN resolution imposing global travel bans on foreign fighters planning to join overseas conflicts, adding that 500 people from the UK had travelled to fight in Iraq and Syria. “We are dealing with psychopathic, murderous, brutal people who will stop at nothing to carry out dreadful acts on these hostages,” he said. |
| Ed Miliband made clear on Wednesday he would not accept UK military action in Syria at this point, and Cameron has agreed it would require an additional Commons vote for Britain to launch air strikes in Syria. | Ed Miliband made clear on Wednesday he would not accept UK military action in Syria at this point, and Cameron has agreed it would require an additional Commons vote for Britain to launch air strikes in Syria. |
| On Wednesday the foreign secretary Phillip Hammond chaired a meeting of the Friends of Syria group in New York, and afterwards stressed the extent to which the conflict in Iraq and Syria was intertwined. | On Wednesday the foreign secretary Phillip Hammond chaired a meeting of the Friends of Syria group in New York, and afterwards stressed the extent to which the conflict in Iraq and Syria was intertwined. |
| He said “an intelligent and nuanced political strategy was needed to degrade Islamic State access to funds, fighters and resources” adding that response will be needed both in Syria and Iraq. | |
| British leaders acknowledge that the complex politics of Syria, the west’s refusal to recognise President Assad and the lack of truly effective opposition ground forces makes air strikes in the country a more complex proposition. | British leaders acknowledge that the complex politics of Syria, the west’s refusal to recognise President Assad and the lack of truly effective opposition ground forces makes air strikes in the country a more complex proposition. |
| Cameron expressed confidence he would not suffer a repeat of last year’s humiliating Commons defeat when he failed to win support for air strikes against Assad. Referring to Ed Miliband, Cameron said: “He has had a number of briefings from the team at the National Security Secretariat. I’m confident that we are proceeding with this on an all-party basis – well, a three major party basis.” | |
| Speaking at the UN general assembly before flying back to London early, Cameron gave a preview of the speech he will make in the Commons calling for military action. | Speaking at the UN general assembly before flying back to London early, Cameron gave a preview of the speech he will make in the Commons calling for military action. |
| Amid speculation that RAF planes could join US and French allies in bombarding Isis targets as early as this weekend, Cameron declined to discuss when the operation might begin or how long it would last, but acknowledged that it could take “quite a long time”. | Amid speculation that RAF planes could join US and French allies in bombarding Isis targets as early as this weekend, Cameron declined to discuss when the operation might begin or how long it would last, but acknowledged that it could take “quite a long time”. |
| Isis posed a “clear and present danger to the United Kingdom” and the Baghdad government’s invitation gave “a clear legal base” for British military action, he said. | Isis posed a “clear and present danger to the United Kingdom” and the Baghdad government’s invitation gave “a clear legal base” for British military action, he said. |
| But he did not rule out later extending operations to Isis strongholds in Syria – targeted by the US and its allies for the first time on Tuesday – though this would happen only after a separate debate and vote in parliament. | But he did not rule out later extending operations to Isis strongholds in Syria – targeted by the US and its allies for the first time on Tuesday – though this would happen only after a separate debate and vote in parliament. |
| Referring to the decade of violence which followed the US-led invasion of 2003, he said it was vital to “learn the right lessons – yes to careful preparation; no to rushing to join a conflict without a clear plan”. | Referring to the decade of violence which followed the US-led invasion of 2003, he said it was vital to “learn the right lessons – yes to careful preparation; no to rushing to join a conflict without a clear plan”. |
| Cameron warned: “We must not be so frozen with fear that we don’t do anything at all. Isolation and withdrawing from a problem like Isis will only make things worse. We must not allow past mistakes to become an excuse for indifference or inaction.” | |
| Action against Isis should be “comprehensive, intelligent and inclusive”, working with partners in the region, potentially including Iran – whose president Hassan Rouhani he met for historic talks at the UN. | Action against Isis should be “comprehensive, intelligent and inclusive”, working with partners in the region, potentially including Iran – whose president Hassan Rouhani he met for historic talks at the UN. |
| “We should be uncompromising, using all the means at our disposal – including military force – to hunt down these extremists,” he said. | “We should be uncompromising, using all the means at our disposal – including military force – to hunt down these extremists,” he said. |
| The struggle with extremism should be waged not only against Isis in Iraq and Syria, but also against Boko Haram in Nigeria, al-Shabaab in Somalia, Ansar al-Sharia in Libya and al-Qaida in Yemen, Cameron said. | The struggle with extremism should be waged not only against Isis in Iraq and Syria, but also against Boko Haram in Nigeria, al-Shabaab in Somalia, Ansar al-Sharia in Libya and al-Qaida in Yemen, Cameron said. |
| While the threat would not be best solved by western ground troops “directly trying to pacify or reconstruct Middle Eastern or African countries”, there was a place for the military in training, advising and supporting humanitarian missions, as well as in responding to the Iraqi government’s request to the UN for support. | While the threat would not be best solved by western ground troops “directly trying to pacify or reconstruct Middle Eastern or African countries”, there was a place for the military in training, advising and supporting humanitarian missions, as well as in responding to the Iraqi government’s request to the UN for support. |
| “My message today is simple,” he told the UN. “We are facing an evil against which the whole world must unite. And, as ever in the cause of freedom, democracy and justice, Britain will play its part.” | “My message today is simple,” he told the UN. “We are facing an evil against which the whole world must unite. And, as ever in the cause of freedom, democracy and justice, Britain will play its part.” |
| Lib Dem leader, Nick Clegg, an opponent of the Iraq war in 2003, backed military action saying it would be quite extraordinary for the British not to realise it had a moral duty to act after a request for help from the Baghdad government. | |
| He said the UK cannot impose a solution from 30,000ft but said Britain “will play our part of the coalition jigsaw”, including by arming the Peshmerga forces in the north of Iraq, but there would not be British combat forces on the ground. He promised the UK involvement “will not break the bank”, even if he was unable to quantify the cost due to uncertainties about the length of the action. | |
| Speaking on LBC radio, Clegg said “The people in the region are asking our help. They are saying they are not able to do things on their own.” | |
| Referring to Isis, he said: “The notion that you can sit down and talk with people that have filled our TV screens and the internet with pictures of beheading people. You cannot talk to these fanatics. You cannot. They have made it quite clear they don’t want to. The believe anyone that does not subscribe to their warped perverted form of Islam is slaughtered. It is quite extraordinary the medieval extremism they operate.” | |
| Clegg added that a durther vote would be taken in the Commons over any decision to go beyond Iraq into Syria. | |
| Speaking in London, Lord Ashdown, the former Liberal Democrat leader, said: “No one is pretending this is going to be quick. It could well take some time but that is all the ore reason to start soon. As Mao once said a journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step. | |
| Referring to Iraq he said: “I can see no reason why large scale military units were deployed. If there was, we would have to go back to parliament. On the question of Syria we have not received a request. I don’t discount that. | Referring to Iraq he said: “I can see no reason why large scale military units were deployed. If there was, we would have to go back to parliament. On the question of Syria we have not received a request. I don’t discount that. |
| “There would have to be a new parliamentary resolution.” | |
| He said it was possible to strike in Syria under a chapter of the UN charter, but said “that has not occurred and if it did parliament would have to be agreed”. | He said it was possible to strike in Syria under a chapter of the UN charter, but said “that has not occurred and if it did parliament would have to be agreed”. |
| He said there was both “a coalition of commitment and acquiescence”. This is a contest where military force can have some effect and that is what is being proposed . | He said there was both “a coalition of commitment and acquiescence”. This is a contest where military force can have some effect and that is what is being proposed . |
| The former attorney general Dominic Grieve said it was possible to strike in Syria legally if the Iraqi government said its interity was being undermined by attacks from Isis based in Syria. | The former attorney general Dominic Grieve said it was possible to strike in Syria legally if the Iraqi government said its interity was being undermined by attacks from Isis based in Syria. |
| Earlier the US president, Barack Obama, pleaded with the general assembly to come together to “dismantle this network of death”. | Earlier the US president, Barack Obama, pleaded with the general assembly to come together to “dismantle this network of death”. |
| Obama said Isis understood only “the language of force” and called on those who have joined up to fight with the group to “leave the battlefield while they can”. | Obama said Isis understood only “the language of force” and called on those who have joined up to fight with the group to “leave the battlefield while they can”. |
| The president condemned atrocities against women and religious minorities in Isis-controlled areas and described the beheading of hostages, including the British aid worker David Haines, as “the most horrific crimes imaginable”. | The president condemned atrocities against women and religious minorities in Isis-controlled areas and described the beheading of hostages, including the British aid worker David Haines, as “the most horrific crimes imaginable”. |
| “No God condones this terror. No grievance justifies these actions. There can be no reasoning – no negotiation – with this brand of evil,” Obama said. | “No God condones this terror. No grievance justifies these actions. There can be no reasoning – no negotiation – with this brand of evil,” Obama said. |
| “The only language understood by killers like this is the language of force. So the United States of America will work with a broad coalition to dismantle this network of death.” | “The only language understood by killers like this is the language of force. So the United States of America will work with a broad coalition to dismantle this network of death.” |
| Addressing the fears expressed by the family of British hostage Alan Henning, who have said UK air strikes could increase the danger to his life, Cameron told reporters: “It’s a desperate situation, but let’s be clear about two things. | Addressing the fears expressed by the family of British hostage Alan Henning, who have said UK air strikes could increase the danger to his life, Cameron told reporters: “It’s a desperate situation, but let’s be clear about two things. |
| “One is that we are dealing with psychopathic, murderous, brutal people who will stop at nothing to carry out dreadful acts on these hostages. | “One is that we are dealing with psychopathic, murderous, brutal people who will stop at nothing to carry out dreadful acts on these hostages. |