7 April 2017

Green Party criticises US strike on Syria

The Green Party has criticised the United States for acting unilaterally in its cruise missile attack on Shayrat airfield in Syria.

That attack was launched following the reported use of chemical weapons against civilians in a town in northern Syria several days ago.

“This hasty military action by the US, without consultation with other major powers, threatens global security,” said Green global affairs spokesperson Kennedy Graham.

“We expect and deserve cooler heads than this from our global leaders. No wrong has ever been righted, no child has ever been protected and no conflict has ever been solved by launching missiles.

“We absolutely condemn the use of chemical weapons, but the UN Security Council has that matter under discussion, with an investigation underway and due to report back.

“This is not the moment for a military action by the US against a country where a Russian military presence already exists. The US President should recognise that precautionary multilateral measures, not precipitate unilateral actions, are the appropriate way to proceed in today’s dangerous world.

“There is a strengthening norm in favour of the protection of civilians in international relations today, but this is not the way to enforce it.

“We are aware of the frustration with Russian and Chinese vetoes over Syria. But the answer is not unilateral action. The answer is to curb the use of the veto in situations of ‘atrocity crimes’, as France, a permanent member of the Security Council, has been proposing,” said Dr Graham.

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