Firstly, I wish to point out that UKIP has been the only major UK-wide party to oppose any military action in the middle east, including the invasion of Afghanistan and Iraq. We in UKIP acknowledge that the political scenarios in almost all the nations of this region are far too complex for western countries to get involved. Even where there has been some success, for instance Afghanistan, the gains are far too insecure for us to call it a complete success.

Whilst we would do nothing to aid Assad, we can completely condemn the action taken this week by the US and UK Governments. We accept that Assad's regime may not be acceptable to western democracies, but we must acknowledge that he is a democratically elected leader who, it appears, has a very large following in his country. Whatever his excesses are in ruling Syria, it has had nothing like the devastating affect on both its people and infrastructure that the war, in part aided and abetted by the west, has had: over six million people displaced and hundreds of thousands of civilians and troops killed.

The UK media has very much concentrated on condemnation of Assad's activities during this war, whilst completely ignoring the fact that the rebels, despite knowing that they have lost the war in specific parts of the military arena, have carried on fighting despite the appalling loss of life and damage to infrastructure, often leading to utter devastation, which this continued resistance has caused. Western leaders must accept a large degree of responsibility for both the deaths and devastation in Syria. This Assembly should condemn all military action in the middle east.