This is a fast-moving situation. this blog is written on the day when the UK Cabinet may decide to back an attack, which could bring about war between Russia and the West.

There must be a pause for thought, in the hope that cool heads will prevail.

Iraq cannot be our touchstone for all foreign policy, but it was the biggest political blunder any UK government has ever made, bringing about long-lasting turmoil throughout the Middle East, the deaths of millions of innocents, the worst refugee crisis ever, allowing far-right governments to come to power in Turkey and Hungary, and the world-wide Islamist terror campaign.

Just as President Bush was bent on war, we have Trump, who is capricious, bellicose and hell-bent on playing to his far-right voters and John Bolton is back stirring the embers.  Worse than Bush, Trump is in charge of an administration in chaos, nobody daring to cross him for fear of instantly getting the sack. And as with Iraq, there is no UN backing for an attack on Syria.

In the UK we have a highly intelligent, but politically stupid Foreign Secretary and a supine PM, who is following the march to war.

Tony Bliar at least consulted Parliament, albeit on the basis of the mendacious dodgy dossier.

Assad is an animal (true enough), but risking world nuclear war is no solution.

There must be a debate in Parliament before the country is led into a repeat of Iraq.