British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond today confirmed that the British government intends to send ground troops to Libya to join an international coalition invasion, and has no intention of asking the parliament to vote on the matter.
Parliament has been a thorn in the Cameron government’s side in previous interventions, barring them from participating in an ultimately scrapped 2013 US invasion of Syria, and seeking to limit their involvement in the subsequent US air war in Syria, though they finally authorized it in December of 2015.
This time, British officials are just going to lie outright, label all the commandos “trainers,” and insist that 1,000 combat troops aren’t a war that needs parliamentary authorization. Officials also refused to provide any guarantee of a future vote if the war escalates further, with the Defense Secretary saying any requirement to seek legal authorization to send more troops would “tie the hands” of future governments.
The government further insisted that it doesn’t really consider itself bound to the law requiring them to only launch wars with parliamentary support, saying that the Prime Minister needs to be able to act without being “artificially constrained” by things like the law.
Hmmm, I wonder what the UK locals have to say? Isn’t this somewhat similar to why the Yanks decided to sever ties with the King in 1765…something about taxation without representation. Downing Street (as well as Washington, D.C.) need to remember for whom they work.
And “tie the hands” of the government is what needs to happen – it’s not a bad thing if this were to occur and it wouldn’t be “artificial.”
Just like our Congress…refusing to authorize this current series of illegal wars..allowing Obama and the Pentagon to take us to war. Arrogance. Defying our constitution.