Britain’s political decision-making, our culture and our institutions have been compromised or paralysed in the face of Islamist extremism.
Without any significant understanding of the religious, tribal and political background we will never be able to control terrorism at its sources.
Getting YouTube to take down some terrorist videos is not an adequate response to a generational threat.
I and many like me joined the Army at a time of war to fight this evil because we wanted to and, dare I say it, actually enjoyed some of what we were sent to do.
And: Clegg – where is he? Simmonds – what’s he on? ISIS: they have no Islamic state and we should bomb them. Plus: The new peerages – on the whole, a mistake.
The realism of Dryden is a better guide to what to do next than the idealism of his counterpart.
The move could follow arming and supporting the Kurds – which the Government should do as soon as possible.
Right now the aims of our policy are necessarily limited: arm Kurdistan, secure Jordan, prevent the relatively moderate rebels in Syria from being entirely overrun.
As well as the crisis in Iraq, they argue “the voice of Parliament should be heard” on Gaza, too.
It is at the cross-roads of the Shia-Sunni conflict, yet remains outside of it. It is a majority Muslim country, but with a history of peaceful co-existence.
Whatever you think Britain’s response to ISIS should be, MPs are right to demand an urgent debate.
Whole peoples are being wiped from the map, but the British ‘peace’ movement have more to say on boycotting Israeli dates.
IS’s beheadings, forced conversions and jizya, plus the plight of the Yezidis – all illustrate the need.