David Cameron got his way on Wednesday when MP’s voted in favour of bombing Syria.
Today he warned that Britain’s military action was going to take time and would require “patience and persistence”
The defence secretary, Michael Fallon also said that the battle against ISIS would be long and protracted, but he was pleased that MPs voted to carry out the strikes against Islamic State.
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Not everyone is happy about British airstrikes in Syria though…the Telegraph reports that Police are looking into multiple threats made on social media against MP’s following the Commons vote on Syria.
The Metropolitan Police confirmed it was assessing a number of online threats, including a death threat aimed at Labour’s shadow foreign secretary Hilary Benn.
Labour MP Neil Coyle was also threatened and contacted the police with evidence of an abusive tweet, which he said had left him worried for his wife, staff and volunteers.
US President Barack Obama meanwhile welcomed the UK’s contribution, saying it demonstrated the coalition’s “unity and resolve”.
The Mail Online reports:
Mr Cameron welcomed the start of operations today, but warned the public that it would not end quickly. The Prime Minister said: ‘We are going to need to be patient and persistent. This is going to take time. It is complex, it is difficult what we are asking our pilots to do, and our thoughts should be with them and their families.
‘There will be strong support from our allies because they wanted us to join them in taking this action.
A military source told the Evening Standard: ‘We are going after the head of the snake, but it’s also about going after its wallet’.
Mr Cameron boasted Britain is ‘safer’ after the House of Commons backed his proposal to extend military action in Syria by 397 votes to 223 – a majority of 174.
Some 66 Labour MPs defied their pacifist leader Jeremy Corbyn to back the Tory government, after Mr Cameron warned Britain had to strike at the heart of ISIS or ‘wait for them to attack us’.
Within hours of the vote,Tornado GR4 jets and a Voyager refuelling tanker took off from RAF Marham, Norfolk for Cyprus. Six Typhoon jets later deployed from RAF Lossiemouth, Scotland, doubling the number of attack aircraft at the British base, which has already played a key role in Iraq strikes.
Targeting oil fields is intended to disrupt the source of the revenue which ISIS needs to fund its military operations as well as the running of its self-styled ‘state’ which straddles the borders of Syria and Iraq.
Niamh Harris
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