Big Question: Iraq air strikes

Each week, Prospect asks a range of experts, as well as our readers, to come up with answers to the questions defining the political agenda.

Parliament was recalled today for an emergency debate on whether the UK should join US-led air strikes against militants in northern Iraq. Opening the session, the Prime Minister told MPs that Islamist extremists had "already declared war on us." With the majority of MPs seemingly set to back action in Iraq, which senior ministers have warned could last up to three years, and public support according to recent polls overwhelmingly in favour, we asked a range of experts for their views on what some are calling “a new war on terror.”

Diplomacy is the answer

Iraq is engulfed in a civil war sparked by a corrupt, shambolic and Shia-dominated central government, which has driven the Sunni population into the arms of the Isis militants. This reflects wider Shia and Sunni conflicts in the region. There is no British military solution to these political problems. Inevitably we will get drawn in to a long running military conflict. The last Iraq war cost the UK £8.4bn and left the Iraqi people much worse off. We have seen this movie and we know how it ends. Instead we should step up our diplomatic and humanitarian efforts. Diane Abbott is the Labour MP for Hackney North and Stoke Newington

Lessons have been learnt

If this was a re-run of Gulf War two—a military operation unconnected with a coalition and a diplomatic approach—then I would say yes. But it's not. This is sensible, judicious military action in support of a coalition and a wider strategy. What's more, the coalition isn't just the coalition of participants which you see, there's a hidden coalition as well: what you might call the acquiescent coalition—those who are standing at the side and would like to see Isis defeated. That includes Syria (given their lack of condemnation), Tehran, and Russia, which suffers from Sunni jihadism in Dagistan and Chechnya. My one criticism of Obama and David Cameron is that we ought to be engaging more with Russia, which has a much bigger dog in this fight than is being recognised. Paddy Ashdown, former leader of the Liberal Democrats

In for the long haul

The UK is about to take a ridiculous step into the battle against the Islamic State (otherwise known as Isis). Although Isis occupy territory across Iraq and Syria, MPs will only approve air strikes over Iraq. This is a ludicrous constraint on the RAF, and makes no sense. If Isis forces move a couple of yards into Syria then they are free to thrive. Isis have to be defeated—not merely contained. That means fighting them wherever they are—with no constraints on our forces. We are in for the long haul, and MPs should admit it now. John McTernan, journalist and former Director of Political Operations for Tony Blair

Doomed to fail

The short answer is an emphatic yes—it is doomed to fail. Regrettably, the launching of air strikes increases the potential of those who hold extremist views to join Isis forces or to replace the terrorist group. The Muslim Association of Britain forewarned the British Government 10 years ago that a war in Iraq would only lead to an increase in terror and we have been proved right. There was no al Qaeda in Iraq until we initiated the conflict and now we have a more extreme and veracious version in Isis. Furthermore, it is commonly accepted that air strikes alone cannot debase or destroy Isis, so we are undoubtedly doomed to fail. Dr Omer El Hamdoon, President of the Muslim Association of Britain

Civilians will suffer

This situation feels both so terrible and so familiar. The war which was meant to end all wars, all dictators and general misery has turned out to only produce more war and more misery…I would have thought the answer to the question was self evident, it is yes. The region is a crucible of chaos, stalked by militarised patriarchies who are either pinching weapons from the west or, worse, have been armed by the west at some point in the past. The most patriarchal region in the world is now thoroughly militarised and there is seemingly no end to it. Who are we helping? Those poor hostages are already dead, more will be dead, more young men will be enlisted in disastrous campaigns, more neighbourhoods will be terrorised and more civilians will die. In the end everybody has to negotiate. Beatrix Campbell is an author and activist, her latest book The End of Equality is available here

This week's Big Questions is edited by Josh Lowe and Serena Kutchinsky